How to Downgrade Windows Vista to XP
Windows Vista sucks? Or simply don’t like Vista? If you’re thinking to downgrade your Vista system to run on Windows XP, it’s not as easy as you think. There is no direct path to downgrade Vista to XP. You can’t simply insert the XP installation CD media into the CD-ROM drive and hope to ‘upgrade’ and replace the Vista with Windows XP usual install routine because Vista won’t allow it to be overwritten. XP will treat Vista as ‘superior’ operating system and refuse to install over it.
There’re actually few options available instead of completely uninstall Vista as listed below. But if you decide to downgrade from Vista to install XP, there is also a simple guideline that you can observe to ensure that the migration goes smoothly.
Option 1 – Dual Boot
It’s by far the easier and best method to run XP instead of Vista if you have another partition or hard disk. Simply boot up any XP setup media and install XP into different partition or hard drive than the Vista installation. Once completed, you can choose to boot up either XP or Vista, and has the best of both world.
Option 2 – Virtual Machine
Install VMware Server or Virtual PC 2007 (both free) or any other virtualization software, and then install Windows XP into the virtual machine environment. You will get XP which runs inside Vista, with minor compromise on speed, performance and have to go through Vista first on every bootup.
Option 3 – Format the Hard Drive, Wipe Off Vista and Install XP
For those who totally fed up with Vista and just want XP, or prefer a clean installation of OS has only this option to rely on. To downgrade to XP from Vista, you have to basically delete the whole hard disk that installed with Vista, and start anew with XP. Here’s a simple guide and procedures that you can try to follow to switch to XP. However, each system configuration is different, so you may have to adapt the steps to suit your own need.
- Download all drivers for your system for Windows XP from the manufacturer’s website. Copy the drivers files to a USB flash driver or external hard drive or burn them to CD/DVD.
- Find a Windows XP installation CD (should be pretty easy to find or else you can search in torrent sites such as Demonoid to download via BT network such as uTorrent and BitComet or search and download via ED2K network client such as eMule. You can also use Volume Licensing (VL) CD, retail (FPP) disc, or system builder hologram CD provided by Microsoft.
- You will also need a XP product key even if you legally can downgrade from Vista Ultimate or Business edition. The Vista serial number won’t works with XP. (try to search for XP product key on web).
- Backup to USB flash disk, external portable hard disk or CD/DVD every data files and any other things such as documents, downloads, pictures, movies, programs and etc that you need and want to keep. You can also create a second partition with disk management utilities such as Acronis Director or Partition Magic, and then move the data files to the new partition.
- Ensure that also you have CD or DVD setup media for the software applications that you want to install and use after wiping off your system from Vista.
- If your OEM doesn’t provide you with recovery CD/DVD discs and Windows setup media discs (it’s because they’re stored in the hard disk in hidden location), you may want to burn a copy of recovery CD to CD/DVD first before you proceed, just in case the hidden partition is lost and you want to recover your computer to original state. (How-to Guide: IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad recovery CD)
- If the system has SATA (Serial ATA) hard drive, locate the driver for SATA controller and put it in USB flash drive, diskette or CD first. If you have PATA (normal IDE) hard disk, simply go to BIOS CMOS to disable SATA or Native SATA mode if you don’t want to install XP on SATA hard drive. Else, you can also create an XP install disc with the SATA drivers integrated by using tool such as nLite.
- In the BIOS, also set the CD or DVD optical drive as the first boot device in the boot sequence.
- Put in the Windows XP installation CD into CDROM drive and boot up the computer by using the CD. You probably need to press a key when prompted with “Press Any Key to Boot from CD…”.
- If you’re using SATA hard disk with driver on external media (not integrated into XP setup disk), remember to press F6 when you see the message at the status base: “Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver…” during the very initial stage of setup to load the SATA driver so that the SATA hard disk can be recognized.
- Run through the setup wizard at per normal. However, when prompting for where to install Windows Vista, delete (by pressing D and then confirmation), create and format the Vista disk drive or partition (if you have multiple partition). And then choose to install on that just formatted partition or hard drive.
IMPORTANT: If you choose the wrong hard disk or partition with data to delete, you will lose your essential data.
Note: If the setup does not allow you to delete or format the Vista partition or drive, you will need to find a third party software that can recognize and read NTFS filesystem to clear the drive or partition first.
- Enter any product key for XP. Vista product key will not work.
- If you own a legitimate Windows Vista edition that allows for downgrade (See Vista downgrade rights), call Microsoft after performing the clean install of Windows XP Pro to activate the XP installation. Notify Microsoft that you’re downgrading from Vista and require to activate XP Professional or other version allowed newly installed. You won’t get a new Windows XP product key though. You will have to read out the long Installation ID plus your original Vista serial key, and Microsoft will provide an activation ID that will make the XP usable.
- Install the drivers for your system devices.
- Reinstall any software programs that you want to use.
- Move back the data files and documents.
Related posts:
- Change or Modify the Drive Letter and Paths in Windows Vista
- Change or Resize Partition (NTFS, FAT or FAT32) Size in Windows Vista
- Delete Undeletable Files in Windows Vista
- Can You Downgrade from Vista to XP?
- Try and Test Drive Windows Vista Business Virtually Online
sum1..pls help.. i want to downgrade my laptop from vista premium 32bit (original OS) to xp pro.. so i boot from the cd upon start up..and proceed according to the instructions..but somehow it cant detect my HD so the intallation cant proceed.. i have never encountered the this problem with my previous laptop which was originally intalled with windows xp.. can sumbody please help..?
When im downgrade my vista to Xp every time i open my laptop it keep scanning my Ide 0 before the Xp open. Please help
I downgraded to XP after vista fried three hard drives on a brand new laptop. Really pissed me off that the laptop would run so hot all the time. Finally got the replacement warranty hard drive in the mail and instantly installed xp pro on it. NO PROBLEMS!!! Everything installed and ran fine. Way better than vista!!!
it really worked for me
phew! it was a real hassle. i had tried for a whole month but the answer was to slipstream sata drivers with xp sp1,2,or 3. it just worked after several switches between xp bootable cds. use Nlite
i have understood that but the problem is that my dvd drive in laptop is not working…
i have a external drive but vista does not detect it on starting i have kept external boot on and USB one the first priority in bios
plz help me ………
vista is worst, i now have windows 7, love it.
wowwwww you guys are stupid…
you don't need to dual boot
you don't need to format…
backup your files
Boot from your xp disc
Hit R to go to the recovery console
type the commands in this order
fixboot
fixmbr
cd
ren windows winvista
exit
then setup normally only downside is you ahve to manually transfer your documents and setting from C:Users to C:Documents and Settings
Great thank you
[...] See complete option from mydigitallife website [...]
where can i download the driver of my tablet (asus) ? i downgrade it?
[...] saving to perform a complete reinstall. To do so, you might find the following article useful. How to Downgrade Windows Vista to XP I don’t normally recommend this solution but the problems you are facing are very severe. It would [...]
[...] Source: http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/06/22/how-to-downgrade-windows-vista-to-xp/ [...]
Thanks a mil. I was at my wits end trying to
install my retail XP on a new Fujitsu A6120 with no downgrade rights, no floppy drive, and an AHcI eSATA drive. Your mention of n-Lite jogged my memory so I created an XP Install disk (unattended as well) with the GM965 Intel chipset and SaTA driver AND SP3! all in one package. Then I sat back back with a beer and watched years of Microsoft work on Vista magically disappear. Woohoo!
Scott
use ur brainz and google…
I recommend testdisk (undeletes partitions) and photorec (retrieves data from formatted partition). Though it works in commandline it's no so hard, wizard-like.
Thanks Wanderson, I can live with Vista now. I only need to know how can i restore my USb HD and Partiion drive.
My NTFS drive is converted into RAW and XP neither Vista recongnizing this drive. it can only be formated.
Is there any chance to retrive data from RAW drive OR HD?
Shiraz, you need to follow the steps written in this forum : first installing nLite with the manufacturer mother-boarding driver's to SATA drivers. You can find this drivers in: hp forum
Bloody VIsta is a crap. haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa……
I downgrade my Vista to XP and i disable my Sata in bios as well. btw i have hp pavilion notebook dv6000, xp installed fine but when i try to open my other drive (D:) it says you drive is not formated.
what the hell
even when i try to open my usb HD it gives me the same message again 'this drive is not formated. what did i do wrong? i aslo play little with partition thing but i m not sure or remmeber exactly what i did.
Please help
Phoup, this error occurs probably your pc has a sata hard disk!
Please, follow the instructions above to install a software from the manufacturer mother board, ok?
When i install XP on another partition, i got an error when it will start the OS
is the following error
"Error loading Operation System"
someone can help me pls?
i cant use my pc!
Unfornatelly, my note has a sata hd and hasn't a floppy drive; when I press F6 to launch the sata drivers, the system return a error because he can't find the USB Flash driver!!!
Anybody can help me?
Wanderson
windows vista is incompatible with most software that came before it (including antivirus software). it crashes randomly, like when i'm opening an internet broser. (firefox must be making vista jealous). and to top it all off, it uses more processer cycles than it needs to, so playing (new) video games is out.
Also, up yours microsoft. microsoft virtual PC 2007 doesn't work with my version of vista, so i have to buy MORE useless software just to get my old useless software to work! thanks, but no thanks.
I think you got the topic reversed…
It should read:
How to Upgrade from Windows Vista to XP !