Problem installing XP

paudie

Hey there, just got a new laptop that has Vista on it already, but I need to install XP instead (need it for certain programs). I have an XP boot disc and I can get it to start installing itself (which takes about 10 minutes) then it asks me whether I want to install XP, fix a current version or exit, when I say install or fix current it tells me that it can't detect any hard drives and then just tells me to restart.

Any ideas? I'd appreciate any help, thanks.

Sherifu

What type of laptop? The big thing to check is that the drivers are available for xp. Sounds like you need drivers for your hard drive.

paudie

A new Dell XPS, when/where should I load up the drivers? Just confused because I'm sure Vista has the drivers but where would I put the XP drivers so it can see them without taking out the XP CD?

Cheers,

Sherifu

Which model XPS? Usually they're loaded just after you boot from the CD when it says Press F6 to load sata drivers.

Loveless

It sounds like the hard-drive is set to AHCI in the BIOS for SATA drive. Vista has those drivers built into the boot CD, WinXP doesn't.

So either get the proper SATA drivers and have them on a floppy/USB key for the F6 stage of the XP install.... or change the hard-drive mode in the BIOS which is what I'd be inclinded to do

paudie

What do I change it to? Is there only one other option?

red_ice

i get this all the time in work. Im putting money on the fact that you are trying to install xp. You need xp with sp2 to get past that problem. Get dell to send you a copy out. They will send you the sp2 disk, but no key for it

wiigeek

why dont you just run vmware and have xp running as a virtual pc and use an external hard drive as a swap file it would be much easer then reinstalling xp

Loveless

paudie wrote: »

What do I change it to? Is there only one other option?

the three common options on new desktop boards are: AHCI, IDE, and RAID.

So if you can into the BIOS (normally by pressing F2 or DEL immediately on startup) and look for the section in the BIOS called "Disk Mode".

If it's currently set to AHCI, change it to IDE. Save the changes, and reboot.

Overheal

wiigeek wrote: »

why dont you just run vmware and have xp running as a virtual pc and use an external hard drive as a swap file it would be much easer then reinstalling xp

+1. In fact painless is the word.

paudie

No it has SP2 on the disk with it. Can I have your money? :P

Not able to change the disk mode so currently looking for the right driver.

Cheers guys.

redhat_newbie

I had a similar problem when downgrading one of my laptops from Vista to XP professional

I followed these links

1) Link1
2) Link2

cheers

redhat_newbie

I had a similar problem when downgrading one of my laptops from Vista to XP professional

Use nlite for Windows XP
User vlite for Vista

Google for nlite and vlite

I followed these links

1) Link1
2) Link2

cheers