Can vista be downgraded easily?

My friend has asked for a new computer for her birthday, but I Have
recently learned that vista will not run her printer/fax.scanner
machine. It would cost a couple hundred dollars to replace that
machine when she has one that works fine. If she gets a new computer
with vista, can it be changed to xp fairly easily?

I do have original XP cds for my own computer. Would she lose anything
important for her computer to remove the preinstalled os and reinstall
the xp?

Do they still sell desktops with XP?

Also, does anybody know WHY a lot of hardware doesn't work with vista.
Has there been any efforts to make them work? I wouldn't mind a new
operating system if it didn't make my old equipment stop working. I am
planning to get a new laptop myself this year, and I have the same
printer/fax machine. It's a great machine, and I would have to
consider the cost of replacing it (about $300 for a new equivalent
machine) in the cost of the new computer.

> Do they still sell desktops with XP?

Yes.

> Also, does anybody know WHY a lot of hardware doesn't work with vista.

All of mine worked correctly.

It's worth keeping in mind that operating systems aren't designed to
work with OLD hardware - new hardware is designed to work with current
operating systems.

If your XP disk came from an OEM computer pre-installed with XP; NO, you
can't put it on her computer!
Also, if you have a retail copy of XP, which you bought seperately from the
computer,, you have to uninstall it from your computer before putting it on
her new computer.
The motherboard in the new computer might NOT have XP drivers written for
it, meaning that you can not install XP on it.
--
Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia


"" wrote:

> My friend has asked for a new computer for her birthday, but I Have
> recently learned that vista will not run her printer/fax.scanner
> machine. It would cost a couple hundred dollars to replace that
> machine when she has one that works fine. If she gets a new computer
> with vista, can it be changed to xp fairly easily?
>
> I do have original XP cds for my own computer. Would she lose anything
> important for her computer to remove the preinstalled os and reinstall
> the xp?
>
> Do they still sell desktops with XP?
>
> Also, does anybody know WHY a lot of hardware doesn't work with vista.
> Has there been any efforts to make them work? I wouldn't mind a new
> operating system if it didn't make my old equipment stop working. I am
> planning to get a new laptop myself this year, and I have the same
> printer/fax machine. It's a great machine, and I would have to
> consider the cost of replacing it (about $300 for a new equivalent
> machine) in the cost of the new computer.
>
>
>
>

Lukan wrote:

>> Do they still sell desktops with XP?
>
> Yes.
>
>> Also, does anybody know WHY a lot of hardware doesn't work with vista.
>
> All of mine worked correctly.
>
> It's worth keeping in mind that operating systems aren't designed to
> work with OLD hardware - new hardware is designed to work with current
> operating systems.

In the Windoze world.

Cheers.

--
What does Bill Gates use?
http://tinyurl.com/2zxhdl

Proprietary Software: a 20th Century software business model.

AlexB's abacus: http://www.poppystoys.co.uk/shop/bab...aterpillar.jpg
The closest to "computing" that man should go.

Frank, hard at work on his Vista computer all day:
http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/war...tm/compost.htm

Hi,

Before purchasing, the manufacturer should be contacted about downgrade
rights. You won't be able to use your disks unless they are either retail or
generic OEM, and the license is currently not in use. As well they may not
contain needed drivers for any proprietary hardware that comes on the new
system, so you must be sure that drivers are available from the
manufacturer.

> Also, does anybody know WHY a lot of hardware doesn't work with vista.
> Has there been any efforts to make them work?

It's because standards and requirements change with the development of a new
operating system. Thousands of pieces of hardware work just fine in Vista,
and more is being added all the time. You can check the latest working list
here:
https://winqual.microsoft.com/HCL/Default.aspx

The problem is that manufacturers of these devices have to write new drivers
and supporting software that is in compliance with the newer standards in
Vista. It's the same thing any time a new operating system is released. For
the manufacturers this means a lot of work with no potential for profit, as
it was already made when the unit was sold. Therefore, this support issue
becomes secondary and often receives little, if any, attention. Some prefer
not to do it at all, and instead just offer to sell a new device that is
compliant. Similarly, software vendors also face this issue.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

<> wrote in message
news:c7931c8d-1bd2-40e9-abe3-...
> My friend has asked for a new computer for her birthday, but I Have
> recently learned that vista will not run her printer/fax.scanner
> machine. It would cost a couple hundred dollars to replace that
> machine when she has one that works fine. If she gets a new computer
> with vista, can it be changed to xp fairly easily?
>
> I do have original XP cds for my own computer. Would she lose anything
> important for her computer to remove the preinstalled os and reinstall
> the xp?
>
> Do they still sell desktops with XP?
>
> Also, does anybody know WHY a lot of hardware doesn't work with vista.
> Has there been any efforts to make them work? I wouldn't mind a new
> operating system if it didn't make my old equipment stop working. I am
> planning to get a new laptop myself this year, and I have the same
> printer/fax machine. It's a great machine, and I would have to
> consider the cost of replacing it (about $300 for a new equivalent
> machine) in the cost of the new computer.
>
>
>

On Mar 7, 2:16 am, Mick Murphy <MickMur...@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:

> Also, if you have a retail copy of XP, which you bought seperately from the
> computer,, you have to uninstall it from your computer before putting it on
> her new computer.

So, it is not legal to remove a newer version and replace with an
older version? I mean, buying the computer entitles you to a copy of
vista. You aren't using that one also.

I could see it being wrong to upgrade a computer to a system that is
newer with a set of CDs that were purchased for another computer. But
downgrading and choosing not to use the set that came with the
computer?

I wish I had known this would be a problem. I would have told her to
ask for a computer with xp, but she has already asked her family to
buy her a computer and her birthday is in a week. They probably
already bought one.

I

<> wrote in message
news:c7931c8d-1bd2-40e9-abe3-...
> My friend has asked for a new computer for her birthday, but I Have
> recently learned that vista will not run her printer/fax.scanner
> machine. It would cost a couple hundred dollars to replace that
> machine when she has one that works fine. If she gets a new computer
> with vista, can it be changed to xp fairly easily?
>
> I do have original XP cds for my own computer. Would she lose anything
> important for her computer to remove the preinstalled os and reinstall
> the xp?
>
> Do they still sell desktops with XP?
>
> Also, does anybody know WHY a lot of hardware doesn't work with vista.
> Has there been any efforts to make them work? I wouldn't mind a new
> operating system if it didn't make my old equipment stop working. I am
> planning to get a new laptop myself this year, and I have the same
> printer/fax machine. It's a great machine, and I would have to
> consider the cost of replacing it (about $300 for a new equivalent
> machine) in the cost of the new computer.
>
>
>


It will cost not far short of a couple of hundred dollars to buy XP and
install it. It will need an XP license and you will have to check that XP
drivers are available for the computer.

This you do by going to the computer vendor site and looking for XP drivers.
If you don't see any, don't try to downgrade.

It may be that the computer vendor can supply a computer already installed
with XP. Failing that look for a manufacturer that can.

Personally, if I was going to buy a new computer, I would buy it with Vista
and dump the printer. If the printer is so important, stay with the old
computer (cheapest option)..

--
Mike Hall - MVP
How to construct a good post..
http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to use the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups..
http://support.microsoft.com/default...help&style=toc
Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx

On Fri, 7 Mar 2008 06:43:33 -0500, "Rick Rogers" <>
wrote:

>Hi,
>
>Before purchasing, the manufacturer should be contacted about downgrade
>rights. You won't be able to use your disks unless they are either retail or
>generic OEM, and the license is currently not in use. As well they may not
>contain needed drivers for any proprietary hardware that comes on the new
>system, so you must be sure that drivers are available from the
>manufacturer.
>
>> Also, does anybody know WHY a lot of hardware doesn't work with vista.
>> Has there been any efforts to make them work?
>
>It's because standards and requirements change with the development of a new
>operating system. Thousands of pieces of hardware work just fine in Vista,
>and more is being added all the time. You can check the latest working list
>here:
>https://winqual.microsoft.com/HCL/Default.aspx
>
>The problem is that manufacturers of these devices have to write new drivers
>and supporting software that is in compliance with the newer standards in
>Vista. It's the same thing any time a new operating system is released. For
>the manufacturers this means a lot of work with no potential for profit, as
>it was already made when the unit was sold. Therefore, this support issue
>becomes secondary and often receives little, if any, attention. Some prefer
>not to do it at all, and instead just offer to sell a new device that is
>compliant. Similarly, software vendors also face this issue.


The hardware driver is a big issue for me. I'd upgrade several PCs to
Vista, but there are two hardware devices that just won't work with
Vista. There were no problems upgrading from Win98 to Win2000, nor
from Win2000 to XP. When a peripheral is unique, critical, and costly
there is no choice. Perhaps this is one of the reasons Vista is not
as popular as it could be.

<> wrote in message
news:4efa345b-1e05-4a33-a663-...
> On Mar 7, 2:16 am, Mick Murphy <MickMur...@discussions.microsoft.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Also, if you have a retail copy of XP, which you bought seperately from the
>> computer,, you have to uninstall it from your computer before putting it on
>> her new computer.
>
> So, it is not legal to remove a newer version and replace with an
> older version? I mean, buying the computer entitles you to a copy of
> vista. You aren't using that one also.
>
> I could see it being wrong to upgrade a computer to a system that is
> newer with a set of CDs that were purchased for another computer. But
> downgrading and choosing not to use the set that came with the
> computer?
>
> I wish I had known this would be a problem. I would have told her to
> ask for a computer with xp, but she has already asked her family to
> buy her a computer and her birthday is in a week. They probably
> already bought one.

It is not legal to run XP licensed for one computer on two computers.
If you got it to work, Windows would complain about not being Genuine.

You could buy her an all-in-one printer which is compatible with Vista.
Maybe her parents will tell you what they got her - that would give you
something to go on. She might prefer Vista to XP - this is possible.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=buy+windows+xp

Hi friesian,

It depends upon whether or not XP compatible drivers are available for the
machine in question. However, you also need to be aware of the implications
it may or may not have on your warranty should you choose to install an
alternative operating system on the machine to that which came with it. You
will need to use a new copy of XP to install because of licensing and
activation restrictions which prohibit the use of a single copy of XP on more
than one machine at a time. An OEM disk, which is what you probably have, is
tied to the original system that it was installed on and lives and dies with
that system, so you would be unable to use that disk.
Dwarf

"" wrote:

> My friend has asked for a new computer for her birthday, but I Have
> recently learned that vista will not run her printer/fax.scanner
> machine. It would cost a couple hundred dollars to replace that
> machine when she has one that works fine. If she gets a new computer
> with vista, can it be changed to xp fairly easily?
>
> I do have original XP cds for my own computer. Would she lose anything
> important for her computer to remove the preinstalled os and reinstall
> the xp?
>
> Do they still sell desktops with XP?
>
> Also, does anybody know WHY a lot of hardware doesn't work with vista.
> Has there been any efforts to make them work? I wouldn't mind a new
> operating system if it didn't make my old equipment stop working. I am
> planning to get a new laptop myself this year, and I have the same
> printer/fax machine. It's a great machine, and I would have to
> consider the cost of replacing it (about $300 for a new equivalent
> machine) in the cost of the new computer.
>
>
>
>