Downgrade Vista to XP?

So I was talking to our COO today - and I mentioned some difficulties we' ve had in finding new notebooks that fit our requirements. Like a lot of companies, we don't want to move to Vista. We bought a couple Vista machines (Vaio's) and they pretty much suck out loud.

So we decided to stick with XP Pro. And a couple of us who actually set up the new machines are making an effort to stick with one particular model (namely HP's business class notebooks - no pre-loaded craplets, no pre-loaded trial anything - just plain, solid machines for a good price) and XP Pro.

The problem we've basically created for ourselves is that we are limited to a particular brand, model and operating system when the new dominant OS is Vista. And recently I almost got screwed because I ordered a bunch from PC Connectiion that turned out to be severely back-ordered.

My COO mentioned that now you could buy any Vista machine and downgrade it to XP Pro. But those are all the details I have. The only backup he had was that he read someplace (NY Times yada yada) that because of peoples' reluctance to move to Vista, that one could take a Vista Machine and run it as Windows XP Pro.

My question - is this really true? I mean, I keep up with most of this stuff - did I miss something?

I'd really love for some confirmation of this claim.

So, again, the question is: Can you buy any machine with Vista and run the thing as XP Pro?

COROLLARY

So here's the deal.

The whole magic button aspect of what my COO was talking about is a myth. But I finally found the articles he had in mind.

Linkage:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=543 (ZDnet blogger Mary Foley outlines the particulars)

(and the official word from Microsoft)

http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/f/4/5f4c83d3-833e-4f11-8cbd-699b0c164182/royaltyoemreferencesheet.pdf

So basically it looks like a person is perfectly within their rights to request an OEM to downgrade Vista to XP OR, to wipe Vista, load a copy of XP (that I assume the owner already has) and then call Microsoft for help activating.

I'd still love to hear from someone who has gone through the particular mechanics of this process.

In the end - yes, you can downgrade Vista to XP. And it sounds like you wouldn't have to spend anything extra to do it.

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Print posted @ Friday, September 07, 2007 9:22 PM

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# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

Well, it all really comes down to whether there are drivers for the machine hardware for an OS to work properly. The last place I worked at ordered a bunch of HP laptops that came with XP, but then they tried to put Vista on them...and they BSOD'd, crashed...horrible stuff.

I think the majority of machines will be XP friendly...its more of a one way thing: if you get a machine intended for Vista, it really means that there are solid drivers written for it.

D 9/7/2007 9:41 PM | D'Arcy from Winnipeg

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

I guess it depends on what you mean by "downgrade". You'll likely have to format c: and reinstall XP but if the machine is made to run Vista, it will run XP too. You just may have to dig around for drivers as the previous comment stated.

GL! 9/9/2007 9:11 AM | Maryanne Sweat

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

I have a ThinkPad T60p and Lenovo is now offering a downgrade option. I had to call them and pay $47 or so to receive the disks. I also ended up buying another hard drive. Last weekend I spent a few hours updating the new laptop - the recovery disks so everything for you - you just need to install the software you want. Since most of my work is done in VHD's, it didn't take too long. Of course this week I realized it is much quicker to develop in VHD's using Vista (ReadyBoost) so I'm back using that but at least I'm in a good position if I need to go back. 9/9/2007 11:24 AM | Steve Pietrek

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

**CHANGE OVER VISTA TO XP //NOT A REAL DOWN GRADE SINCE THERE NEVER WAS A XP INSTALLED IN THIS NOTE PAD **

I HAVE A HP DV 6345 PAVILLION.
I HAVE BEEN INFORMEND BY HP THAT THIS UNIT WAS INSTALLED WITH VISTA NEW ..

THIS MEANS THAT I MUST PERCHAS A NEW COPY OF XP IF I WISH TO TRY TO DOWN GRADE ..

FIRST I DONT KNOW IF I WILL SUCCED IN MY EFFORT THEN THE XP OS WILL HAVE BEEN BOUGHT FOR NOTHING GOOD.

SECOND IS THERE A SIMPLE WAY TO FIND OUT WHICH DRIVERS WILL WORK FROM VISTA TO XP CHANGE OVER //DOWN GRADE ??

TO WRITE TO EACH AND EVERY HARDWARE MAKER WITH DEVICES LISTED ON THE DEVICE DRIVER LIST IS GOING TO TAKE FOR EVER ..

WOULD IT NOT BE NICE IF MICROSOFT MADE A DOWN GRADE ADVISOR PROGRAM TO HELP ALL OF US.

ALL THIS TALK OF PLUG AND PLAY HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY LIST ..WHERE IS MICRSOFT WHEN WE NEED THEM .

SERVICE PACK1 FOR VISTA DOES NOT HELP INDIVIDUAL / SINGLE USERS ..

WHAT ABOUT*** COMATABILITY MODE*** FOR SOFTWARE??
THE NEW VISTA WONT RUN MUCH OF MY OLD APPLICATIONS ..

9/9/2007 9:51 PM | FLOGGER

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

APPARENTLY FLOGGER NEEDS A PROGRAM THAT WARNS HIM WHEN HE'S TYPING IN ALL CAPS.

:P 9/10/2007 7:16 AM | D'Arcy from Winnipeg

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

So here's the deal.

The whole magic button aspect of what my COO was talking about is a myth. But I finally found the articles he had in mind.

Linkage:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=543 (ZDnet blogger Mary Foley outlines the particulars)

(and the official word from Microsoft)

http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/f/4/5f4c83d3-833e-4f11-8cbd-699b0c164182/royaltyoemreferencesheet.pdf

So basically it looks like a person is perfectly within their rights to request an OEM to downgrade Vista to XP OR, to wipe Vista, load a copy of XP (that I assume the owner already has) and then call Microsoft for help activating.

I'd still love to hear from someone who has gone through the particular mechanics of this process.

In the end - yes, you can downgrade Vista to XP. And it sounds like you wouldn't have to spend anything extra to do it. 9/10/2007 8:36 PM | CodesWithAFist

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

i just got a hp and it come with vista man it sucks. i wise you could choose vista or xp in shop. nothing is compatable man i so so hate vista . just wanted to get that off my chest soz. and drivers and all that well over my head gates sucks.
9/24/2007 2:08 PM | andy wells

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

THE MMC AND THE DEVICE MANAGER ???
XP UP GRADE ADVISOR CAN THIS BE USED TO DOWN GRADE ??
COMPATABILITY MODE ???

LETS FIND OUT HOW TO MAKE GENERIC DRIVERS WORK ON OUR COMPUTERS???

POWER USERS ???.

HAS ANY ONE READ ANNOYANCENCES OR POWER USERS??

9/28/2007 5:31 PM | FLOGGER

# re:* Downgrade Vista to XP?*NOW!!

I JUST READ AN HP REPORT SAYING THAT MY PARTICULAR PAVILLION 6345 IS NOT DOWN GRADE- ABEL!!.

LET ME SHOUT THIS OUT VERY LOUD AND CLEAR
***H-P***MUST DO EVERY THING POSSIABLE TO MAKE EVERY COMPUTER THEY SELL DOWN GRADEABLE****,,

TELL EVERY ONE YOU KNOW .. DONT BUY ANY COMPUTER AT ALL BEFORE YOU HAVE IT IN WRTING.. THAT THE COMPUTER WILL WORK WITH BOTH XP AND VISTA OUT-RIGHT..

EVERY COMPUTER MANIFACITRUE MUST WORK TO MAKE A DOWN GRADE ADVISOR AND GARUENTEE THAT BOTH VISTA AND XP WILL WORK ON THERE COMPUTERS!!

YES I AM SCREAMING ..CAN YOU HEAR ME ..

10/9/2007 6:47 PM | THE FLOGGER

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

I recently successfully downgraded my hp compaq presario V6450EE from pre-installed vista to a newly-configured XP professional. I could even create about 7 partitions in place of just having a C: drive & D: drive as backup.
HP did not list all the drivers i would need on my laptop model's product page. I had to take all the drivers from another laptop model's page.
Here's the entire walkthrough, i've put it on my blog:
http://nikhilsheth.blogspot.com/search/label/downgrade 10/12/2007 2:25 PM | Nikhil

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

ALMOST A YEAR AND CIRCUIT CITY ,FRY`S AND BEST BUYS , STILL GO ON SELL EXCLUSUVELY VISTA READY ***ONLY** COMPUTERS..

JUST ASK THERE MICROSOFT,, A+ CERTIFIED TECH IF YOU CAN DOWN GRADE???.

WE MUST ALL TELL OUR FRIENDS OF THIS NONE SENCE YES??..

WHERE DO THESE TECH/PEOPLE GET THERE INFORMATION ..

LETS ALL INVESTAGE THESE A+ HEROS ..PUT THEM TO THE TEST .. THEY ARE TAKING GOOD MONEY TO SPREAD LIES??.NO??

11/17/2007 9:27 PM | **FLOGGER** STRIKES AGAIN

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

Hey, flogger, we can hear you, for chrissake. STFU. HP or anybody else is NOT going to produce a Downgrade Adviser. Why? Well, why do you think HP has removed all XP drivers form their download site? Because they don't WANT you to downgrade. I think it's obvious that M$ has told them to do that. M$ is calling the shots now; they are even telling Intel what to do. They are now powerful enough to stand over the hardware makers and threaten to withdraw hardware certification if they don't come to the party. This is all about DRM and content delivery. M$ stands to make obscene amounts of money as the sole conduit for streaming multimedia content. This will suit the content industry just fine. All they want is to secure their monopoly, they don't care how. None of this is for right now; it's aimed at 3-5 years down the track.

There is everything at stake here. the riaa/mpaa and M$ together have bet the farm on vista. If it fails, they are finished. We can make it fail, simply by refusing to have anything to do with it. Just say 'no' to vista. If we don't wake up now, in 3-5 years it will be too late. 12/15/2007 5:19 AM | freddyzdead

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

yooza ! freddyzdead has spoken clearly to the flogger and has spanked him!

so what are we to do the masses are dumber than
an all get out ..they go to the big stores frys, circut city and best buys and stuipidly buy any thing the sales rep sugests ..

you think and hope every one would to to the local jr. college and take several computer classes before purchasing a computer but this is not the case.

my only overall consern is me and my needs however the will of the stupid masses effect me..

simpley stated all the new commers buying there first computer are being slamed by vista...
on the other hand they dont have any old software to worry about using!!

12/15/2007 7:13 PM | flogger

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

So all i want to know is. If i have a dell inspiron 1501 ( i know what you are thinking but it is my college laptop ) can i get rid of vista. Just a yes or no. 1/6/2008 10:25 PM | Sams

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

yes you can downgrade XPpro. Geek Squad® will do it @best buy 1/14/2008 4:45 PM | Ewood-group

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

yeah they will do it...for $200-$300 and they say they usually crash within 6 months... I think they're full of crap. So many other websites say they've done it and blah blah blah. The only problem I've had is finding the driver for the volume control and the Ethernet. Other than that it works fine 2/6/2008 6:35 PM | Mandy

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

Dont buy a Gateway MT6728 laptop... I'm trying my damnest to downgrade this POS and Gateway gave me the big ol " FU" on answering any question that doesnt involve Vista
I got software from Westerndigital and thats suppose to fix the problem, of finding the drive yada yada... Best Buy said "Good Luck" if gateway wont put the drivers out
So this POS is stuck with Vista
(For Now) 2/19/2008 3:07 PM | Rich

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

LETS HAVE AN ANIT VISTA PARADE,,LETS MAKE A PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION AGAINST DIRTY ROTTTEN VISTA AND THE MICROSOFT MACHINE THAT PUSHES THIS JUNK ON US.!!!

VISTA IS N F G = NOT FUNCTIONALLY GOOP! 2/26/2008 5:55 PM | TALLY WACKER

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

I have HP Pavilion dv2500 with Vista installed. I want to downgrade it to XP because our company program doesn't work with vista. When I installed XP it won't detect my Hard Drive, I don't have the SATA option on my BIOS.

Anybody can help me please? harfern@yahoo.com 3/5/2008 7:25 AM | harold

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

driver gateway mt6728 3/24/2008 12:48 AM | luphuc

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

... i think we just need more hackers and technicians to make vista better. ... i remember the days of XP vs. win 98 .... nobody wanted to move until the GEEKtechs came out with a lot of help and tech-support ... pretty much launched the whole XP movement .... i believe in VISTA we just don't have enough TECH's moving in the direction so those of us who is on front lines end up loosing a lot ....

PAVING THE WAY TO THE VISTA FUTURE! 4/1/2008 1:20 AM | HACKERSUNITE

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

MS has actually written Vista so it is VERY VERY VERY difficult for your average user to reformat the drive and load XP (or any other OS it seems) in it's place. I know I'm an average user and I've been trying for about 11 hours now. I have a new .308 that needs to be zeroed and have contemplated using my laptop as a target. MS Vista is a plague upon my laptop, I'm afraid for the greater good I must kill my laptop. 8/21/2008 6:33 PM | vikingmedic

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

first you have to wipe the drive everything has to go so save your most charished files then you have to get a xp version with no drivers on it then you have to find all the drivers for the model you got i got the same model and the gateway website sucks i had to find an hp with the same drivers and install them 9/20/2008 4:08 PM | jboy

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

you are idiots.none of the things about the downgrade are good, in fact those "things" are some pieces of SHIT!!!!!! 10/21/2008 2:56 AM | pula

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

hello , excuse me . i have a vostro 1200 dell ,and my operation system is vista homebasic edition , i wanna downgrade to XP proffetional.
how can i do that . it doesn't permit me 11/21/2008 5:18 AM | iman

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

all i had to do is have a copy of xp pro i went into the bios and disabled the sata option it even says so you can install legacy os and then it worked i have a presario c502 i got all my drivers at hp 11/27/2008 7:44 PM | will

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

i have a hp pavilion dv2500 and i want to downgrade it to windows xp but when i am installing windows xp it gives me a massege which saying hard drive is not confiqured
12/16/2008 11:42 AM | shams

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

i have a hp pavilion dv 2000 but when i install windows xp after cheking it not find the hard disk but in installing windows vista it don't have problem but in xp i tried much but i cant install i want to downgrade but the special thing is i want to know that which software is working to install windows xp so pls help me with this problem and give it to me i will be ...................from u? 12/16/2008 11:49 AM | shams

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

my name is shams from afghanistan and i have this problem to tell u so plz help me a hp pavilion dv 2000 but when i install windows xp after cheking it not find the hard disk but in installing windows vista it don't have problem but in xp i tried much but i cant install i want to downgrade but the special thing is i want to know that which software is working to install windows xp so pls help me with this problem and give it to me i will be ...................from u? 12/16/2008 11:52 AM | shams

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

hi i am having a compaq cq45-207tu notebook can any one suggest me how to downgrade from vista home to winxp.

i am waiting for a response thank u all. 1/6/2009 9:08 AM | saswata

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

how to downgrade from windows vista to windows xp 1/9/2009 2:02 AM | anthony

# re: hp tx1308au driver Downgrade Vista to XP?

I need drivers HP Pavilion tx1308au for windows xp, please help. 3/5/2009 7:52 PM | roy

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

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gjhgj 3/27/2009 10:56 AM | tghtgh

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

I'm having sleepless nights on downgrading vista to xp. I've Vista Home Premium. I Upgraded to Vista Business as someone said I could downgrade to xp from business. no i'm faced with a black startup screen with no OS. I've got a comapc presario cq60...someone please help. 8/17/2009 5:56 AM | Lazarus

# re: Downgrade Vista to XP?

Basically, then, as I google the web, the answer to whether you can downgrade Visat to XP, is, in a word: NO.

I myself tried to downgrade Vista to XP and the Vista Software said that it cannot downgrade. It came as a cold hard shock.

I think they should make it a law to tell the people on their products in large bold letters that Vista is not downgradable to XP. If this was done though, I doubt if Vista would have ever become popular.

Why one cannot downgrade to windows XP, even though one buys a new copy of XP to do it, shows the insideousness of Microsoft's monopoly.

XP has a hard edge, productive quality about it. Vista has more of a "mini-van" feel about it. All of my XP software is blocked by Vista, Adobe Acrobat products are blocked, for example.

This, for me is my wake-up call to investigate, in a serious way, alternative computing OS's.
9/17/2009 9:33 PM | rob

Robert Meyer