Hello All...

I decided to take the leap buy a new desktop, only to find that nearly everything is now pre-loaded with Vista. I know there is an opportunity here for a long debate on what is the better operating system, but I have some specific questions I can't find answers to.

Also, I prefer to stay with local retailers, versus on-line mail order, or custom built machines in family owned computer stores.

Since my family has a total of 4 computers (laptops and desktops), all running XP, and I've worked hard to learn about working with it, for consistency sake, I'd like to stay with XP. That leads me to my questions...

1) Will a "Vista" PC work with XP? I read that it must be Vista Pro or Vista Ultimate to downgrade to XP (pro only). Can I just delete Vista and load XP Home? Will this cause any driver problems? (2 part question)

I'd prefer not to go out and spend $200 on a new copy of XP if possible, so...

2) I have a Compaq that fried, but it has a good HD with XP Home on it (came pre-loaded when I bought the PC). Unfortunately, no XP CD. I have the license key, so I was wondering if there is some way to "download" or extract XP from the HD and burn it on a CD. This is what I would really like to do! If not, can it somehow be transferred directly to the new HD on the Vista PC?

3) My son has an eMachines PC that's on it's last legs, that came with an XP Home CD and license key. But the CD says "For distribution only with a new eMachines PC". If we trash the eMachine, can I use this XP CD to load on the new Vista PC. Or will Microsoft somehow know that it is not being used on an eMachine? (I hope that question wasn't too stupid, but I really don't understand what kind of access Microsoft has to what is loaded on my computer.)

I want to keep all this legal, and I have these 2 copies of XP that will never again be used, so since I paid for them when I bought the PC's, I'd like to use them now if possible.

Conclusion: I know the easiest thing would probably be to just learn and use Vista, but I've read so many negative things. XP would also allow me to keep using Outlook Express which I am also quite used to. I know in Vista, this has been replaced by Windows Mail.

Thanks all. I hope someone can answer all 3 questions for me. I've been reading on-line for 3 days now, and getting a bit buggy.

Cheers!

1/ Vista Business edition CAN be downgraded to XP Pro due to a nice licensing loophole. Dell offers this "out of the box" for business customers.

2 & 3 you CAN'T use an OEM XP setup on anything but the original equipment, sorry. Nice idea mind.

Personally I would grab a copy of XP Pro and simply wipe your Vista box and reload.
That being said it might be worth giving Vista a trial for a few months and see what you think.
It's not the ground break OS we were promised, but it isn't that bad.
Simply XP with a fancy new front end and things moved about and renamed.

CB,

That was simple enough, but disappoointing in regards to the OEM XP.

To your suggestion, A full version of XP Pro will work on a Vista machine? No issues with hardware or drivers, etc?

And just so I'm clear, it must be XP Pro, XP Home won't work. Must I buy a Vista "Business" PC to do this? Can I load XP Pro on a Vista Home PC?

Thanks again...

I prefer XP Pro.
My XPS is rated for Vista, but runs XP with no issues at all.

Purchasing a FULL version also supplies the required licence code, so no worries there.
Don't get tied up with the Vista Business downgrade route as that only really applies to brand new OEM machines anyway.

Normal steps for rebuilding any XP machine will work.
Simply boot to the CD and go from there, but best to do a FULL format.
IF there are any problems, then its just a case of formatting the drive from a boot disc.

Sounds good. It seemed hopeless there for awhile, getting a new PC with XP. But I will give Vista a go before formatting. Maybe it's not so bad as I've heard.

Thank You!

Back again. Yesterday, CurlyBen said you can just wipe a vista drive and load XP pro and it should work. It worked for him.

In my search today for XP, and a new PC, I was told by several "techs" that a Vista machine has hardware that requires Vista drivers, so XP will not work on a Vista PC.

I was pretty happy yesterday hearing that it does work. Now I'm not really sure what to think.

I don't want to buy a new Vista PC, format the Vista drive, and find out that XP won't run the hardware.

This is starting to make me a bit crazy.

Can anyone confirm this one way or the other?

Thanks all...

There are new systems out there that run just fine with XP. Here's a list of systems on TigerDirect that have "downgrade" to XP Pro already as a feature:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=XP+downgrade&searchbtn.x=0&searchbtn.y=0

Search for "XP Downgrade" in your selection process and you may be good to go... get any system above and the work is already half done for you...

Excellent! Thanks...

Downgrade from vista is difficult because of SATA Drive. When you put in the XP pro CD and boot , can't fomat and xp cd can't support SATA driver. But we can use the another patch for to know the SATA driver.

downgrade from vista is difficult because of SATA Drive. When you put in the XP pro CD and boot , can't fomat and xp cd can't support SATA driver. but we can use the another patch for to know the SATA driver.

I have no idea where you got this from but XP supports SATA just fine.
There is no need for additional drivers.

Thanks Aung,

I'm no expert here, but SATA drives have been around for awhile along with XP, so I don't see how this could be possible.

I'm sure Curlyben is correct.