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Question

Installing XP on a laptop that has Vista

Apr 26, 2016 11:41AM PDT

We have gotten a laptop found in a vacant apartment. It has Vista on it that is password protected. I have a XP disk for my old laptop. Is there anyway to uninstall Vista and install XP without knowing the password? I do not have access to a Vista CD, only the XP.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
probably not
Apr 26, 2016 11:47AM PDT
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PS - if you load linux on it
Apr 26, 2016 11:49AM PDT

You can then also run XP on it. You would install VirtualBox program and create a VHD for XP and install it there. The Linux will do all the driver files and XP can use it from inside the virtual drive you installed it to. Best of both worlds.

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Answer
Unlikely. But that password can be gone in 5 minutes.
Apr 26, 2016 11:55AM PDT

That's how long it takes me to reset a Vista password with NTPASSWD. It's a free bootable CD and maybe USB so five minutes to get it done.

Why not easy and fast?

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Answer
Maybe....
Apr 26, 2016 11:58AM PDT

Since you have the laptop and you should be able to determine the make and model, try visiting the computer manufacturer's and see if they have XP drivers for it. If so, download the driver installers from the website and save them to a CD for later use. Once that's done, IF you have a retail version of Windows XP on a disk, and it's not being used on another computer somewhere, then place the bootable XP disk in the DVD/CD drive and allow it to boot from the XP disk.. If you're lucky and the computer was set to boot from the DVD/CD drive first, you can then allow the XP disc to format the hard drive and you can install XP. You'll need to have the XP product key so it can validate with Microsoft but..... Once that's done, then install the drivers you've saved from the website.

Lots of "if"s but..... maybe.

Hope this helps.

Grif