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replacing Vista with XP

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  • 03-10-2007 2:10pm
    #1
    Claasman
    Registered Users Posts: 630 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,
    I am stuck in a rut at the moment as regards laptops. I cant seem to buy a laptop (from a retailer) with XP on it.(im not buying dell after the way i was treated when trying to buy previousely). My question is, how possible/easy is it to replace vista with XP on a new laptop? Would there be any ramifications(you see some laptops with 'designed for vista' stickers on them? I want to run Pro engineer Wf3, and it does not work too well on vista i hear...

    Thank in advance;)
    claasman


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    #2
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,050 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    As long as you have a legit version of xp and all the drivers (I can't see this being a problem but figured I'd put it in just to be on the safe side) then you'll be fine.


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    #3
    Rob_l
    Registered Users Posts: 2,905 ✭✭✭Rob_l


    I was told not sure on the credibility of the story but i was told when you purchase any versin of windows you are entitled under that license to downgrade to any previous version


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    #4
    DonkeyStyle \o/
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,145 ✭✭✭DonkeyStyle \o/


    One caveat I can think of is that of technical support, etc.
    I don't know if this is standard practice, but when I did tech support; if a customer had installed an OS other than the one that shipped with their PC, then the only support we could offer was to help them remove it and put the original OS back on... at which point we could troubleshoot further if need be.
    It might be worth your while shopping around for someone who offers XP as an option and so will support the laptop in that configuration.

    Personally I'd expect XP to work fine, and can't think of any technical hitches offhand.
    IMO a hardware manufacturer would have to be crazy to design/release hardware/drivers that ran only on Vista and not on XP... I'd read that sticker more as "works with vista" than anything else.


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    #5
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,766 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Rob_l wrote:
    I was told not sure on the credibility of the story but i was told when you purchase any versin of windows you are entitled under that license to downgrade to any previous version
    NOT TRUE!
    it varies by version

    VISTA BUSINESS and XP PRO allow you to use XP PRO
    (and IIRC NT4 and 98, but not XP Home or Milenium or 95)

    Windows 2003 server allows you to use Windows 2000 server.
    Windows 2000 server DOES NOT ALLOW you to use NT4 server.

    Home versions of windows as a general rule do NOT allow you to use earlier version.

    Microsoft change licensing policy all the time, it can be a nightmare. If in doubt read the EULA.txt hidden (sometimes) on the drive.


    Technical difficulties, if it's a dell laptop check the BIOS, some of the latest latitudes have a setting with flash memory / hard drive that is vista specific. I don't know the details. Other than that I'd have said if it runs vista then it will run XP once you have the drivers. Use an SP2 CD if you can so less problems with SATA on newer machines.

    Technical support, have a look at the web site for the manufacturer and see if they have XP drivers for your favoured model - if not then walk away. You could probably find the drivers elsewhere but with so many laptops to choose from it's not worth the risk.

    Some laptops may give you a ONE TIME choice of OS. Not sure if still on sale on not.

    moving to laptops


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