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General discussion

Installing Windows XP over Windows Vista

Dec 10, 2006 11:22AM PST

I have Windows Vista RC2 installed on my new Gateway laptop and I'm trying to install Windows XP on it. However, when I insert the CD and open the setup it says that I cannot install an older version of Windows over Windows Vista. When I boot from the Windows XP install disc, it says that It cannot locate my hard drive. My hard drive is a Western Digital WD1200BEVS. I don't know what to do. Have any ideas?

Discussion is locked

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Just a summary.
Jul 24, 2009 4:12AM PDT

1. Turn on IDE emulation in the BIOS (if it does that.)
2. Change the AHCI mode (see google!) if you can.
3. Use the old ways with the floppy disk and driver.
4. Type HOW TO INSTALL XP TO A SATA HARD DRIVE on a search engine.

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install winxp and dump vista
Oct 5, 2009 8:19AM PDT

i have a dell laptop and i want to dump vista and it telling me that it dont c the hard drive, i read your post and relly dont understand , please help

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installing xp and dumping that shity vista
Nov 5, 2009 10:10AM PST

u need to go into bios and disable the sada drive and then it will let u install xp
but b4 u do that u need to find the drivers for xp for your pc because vista drivers wont work with xp. it took me 2 days to find the drivers , i didnt bo my home work b4 i installed xp and it was a pain in the a--.

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install xp instead of vista
Feb 9, 2010 5:32PM PST

my hcl laptop has a vista pre insalled one. I cant allow to use xp instead of vista.

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No SATA support
Feb 9, 2010 5:35PM PST

Windows XP has no SATA support. So please desable SATA support in BIOS.

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Yep, Already Posted In This Thread
Feb 11, 2010 5:07AM PST
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Please Read ALL Of The Posts In This Thread..
Feb 11, 2010 5:10AM PST
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xp and vista
Feb 21, 2010 11:24AM PST

Hi everyone, iv got vista home 32 bit, i use a midi controller and sound card only compatible with xp and win7, i want to install xp to have multiple operating systems. i already have two partitions but the xp disc keeps giving me a stop message and asks me to check for viruses or uninstall recent hardware configurations (tech jargan) I just wanna access the boot menu but cant even figure out that. I have an acer aspire 5536! any ideas. I need this os installed as i am a dj and windows 7 is too heavy on ram compared to xp.

Gary

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It worked for me, thanks very much John Wilkinson !
Apr 23, 2010 6:57PM PDT

It worked for me, thanks very much John Wilkinson !
I'm a very inexperienced computer user but by:
1 - learning how to rearrange the priorities of the computer start up (booting)
2 - reading your advice on using DBAN.org
3 - learning how to create a start up disk from an .iso file (i used roxio but windows also offered me a method)
4 - reading this tutorial http://www.security.ku.edu/download/DBAN_Tutorial.pdf
5 - reinstalling win xp from an existing win xp setup disk
I did it!
Thanks again for your help!

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WIndows Vista to Windows XP when DVD is notworking
Aug 27, 2012 6:41PM PDT

Hi,
I have a Compaq CQ60 Laptop which has Windows Vista OS factory setup. My DVD drive is not working and i use external DVD Drive. How can I install Windows XP on same? Please guide me friends. Also my battery is dead and i work on my laptop with DC.
Please suggest.
GOD BLESS YOU

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Re: install Windows XP
Aug 27, 2012 6:50PM PDT

Put the Windows XP CD (it's a CD, not a DVD) into that external drive and set the BIOS to boot from it. Then install XP and all necessary drivers.

Possible problems:
- The laptop can't boot from an external drive. Then replace the internal drive.
- You can't find the necessary drivers for Windows XP, so the machine doesn't fully function. Then go back to Windows Vista or even forward to Windows 7.

Kees

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WIndows Vista to Windows XP when DVD is notworking
Aug 27, 2012 10:11PM PDT

Thanks Kees

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installing Windows XP as the second OS after vista
Jan 9, 2013 3:28AM PST

my notebook pc is ASUS X58LE series. with original Vista SP1 installed. I need to have a windows XP(SP3) to work with GAMS prog. I choosed my drive D to install the second windows. put the CD and it started (from the system boot not from the windows vista) installing Windows XP normally but after restarting for the second time it kept starting installation from the beginning. after several restarts I tried to go back to my own windows vista and check the situation from there. but it didn't get loaded. non of two windows worked but both were in their drives. at last I had to use the Win Vista recovery CD and reinstall it on drive C. is there any way to check why second windows got installed but didn't work? how can I have windows XP as my second OS?

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It's an expert install method.
Jan 9, 2013 3:32AM PST

Because of how the boot manager works this usually ends up with a broken install. Not only that but you also have to decide how to get XP to support SATA drives as it doesn't do that.

Adding to the pains is that you need a XP SP2 or XP SP3 CD. Those with XP and XP SP1 CDs are free to re-discover the issues.

This is not an offer to repeat what you find on google with How do I install XP after Vista? but only to note that it is not easy.
Bob