Downgrading from Vista to XP Professional

I want to dump this EOM version of Vista and install a Dell reinstallation CD
with XP Professional SP2 on it. My computer is a Dell so it should work.
However, Vista looks at the disk and says it will not allow it to run due to
incompatability.

Is there any way for me to get Vista to allow me to overwrite it with XP Pro
SP2? Or will I have to completely remove Vista and reinstall the XP Pro?

Any help is much appreciated!!

Doug Matteson wrote:
> I want to dump this EOM version of Vista and install a Dell
> reinstallation CD with XP Professional SP2 on it. My computer is a
> Dell so it should work. However, Vista looks at the disk and says it
> will not allow it to run due to incompatability.
>
> Is there any way for me to get Vista to allow me to overwrite it with
> XP Pro SP2? Or will I have to completely remove Vista and reinstall
> the XP Pro?
>
> Any help is much appreciated!!

Boot from the CD, you have to do a clean install to get rid of Vista.

Your choice but it is really a backward step in learning about operating
system & computers
--
Regards
Bob J
If advise given from anyone, solves problem or not, or if solved from
another source,post back & let us know.
Then we all benefit.



"Doug Matteson" wrote:

> I want to dump this EOM version of Vista and install a Dell reinstallation CD
> with XP Professional SP2 on it. My computer is a Dell so it should work.
> However, Vista looks at the disk and says it will not allow it to run due to
> incompatability.
>
> Is there any way for me to get Vista to allow me to overwrite it with XP Pro
> SP2? Or will I have to completely remove Vista and reinstall the XP Pro?
>
> Any help is much appreciated!!

"Doug Matteson" <Doug > wrote in message
news:EB0FF699-E46E-458F-BB95-...
>I want to dump this EOM version of Vista and install a Dell reinstallation
>CD
> with XP Professional SP2 on it. My computer is a Dell so it should work.
> However, Vista looks at the disk and says it will not allow it to run due
> to
> incompatability.
>
> Is there any way for me to get Vista to allow me to overwrite it with XP
> Pro
> SP2? Or will I have to completely remove Vista and reinstall the XP Pro?
>
> Any help is much appreciated!!


Just curious, but why do you want to "dump" Vista? That said, as others have
responded... you need to boot from the XP install CD and do a clean install.

Lang

"Doug Matteson" <Doug > wrote in message
news:EB0FF699-E46E-458F-BB95-...
>I want to dump this EOM version of Vista and install a Dell reinstallation
>CD
> with XP Professional SP2 on it. My computer is a Dell so it should work.


Not necessarily. Dell OEMs are tied to the computer they come with.....

On the contrary, he should really have said "upgrading".

With Vista, we're back in the old days of bit-diddling, for example to get a
1-year old printer to work.

By the way, how do you get rid of that "Camera connection wizard" error
popup at startup????

Regards


"Bob J" <> a écrit dans le message de
news:6950BB7A-B74A-475A-979F-...
> Your choice but it is really a backward step in learning about operating
> system & computers
> --
> Regards
> Bob J
> If advise given from anyone, solves problem or not, or if solved from
> another source,post back & let us know.
> Then we all benefit.
>
>
>
> "Doug Matteson" wrote:
>
>> I want to dump this EOM version of Vista and install a Dell
>> reinstallation CD
>> with XP Professional SP2 on it. My computer is a Dell so it should work.
>> However, Vista looks at the disk and says it will not allow it to run due
>> to
>> incompatability.
>>
>> Is there any way for me to get Vista to allow me to overwrite it with XP
>> Pro
>> SP2? Or will I have to completely remove Vista and reinstall the XP Pro?
>>
>> Any help is much appreciated!!

Telstar wrote:
> "Doug Matteson" <Doug > wrote in message
> news:EB0FF699-E46E-458F-BB95-...
>> I want to dump this EOM version of Vista and install a Dell reinstallation
>> CD
>> with XP Professional SP2 on it. My computer is a Dell so it should work.
>
>
> Not necessarily. Dell OEMs are tied to the computer they come with.....
>
>
but the green windows os disks use a internal identification that don't
put in a product key (at least the one reinstall in my life on OEM
equipment did).

he might be able to get away with it, but it isn't a legal license if he
doesn't have the XP COA on his case somewhere.

When we "upgrade" back to XP from Vista, is there a way to use the Vista
product key to activate XP? I unwittingly tossed XP thinking Vista was the
future and all and now I can't activate XP. I would think Microsoft would
allow us to use the Vista product key seeing as it won't be used for quite
some time most likely.

You cannot use a Windows Vista product key with
Windows XP. You'll need to see if you can obtain
a Windows XP product key replacement as outlined
in this article:

How to replace Microsoft software:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326246

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Evan" wrote:

When we "upgrade" back to XP from Vista, is there a way to use the Vista
product key to activate XP? I unwittingly tossed XP thinking Vista was the
future and all and now I can't activate XP. I would think Microsoft would
allow us to use the Vista product key seeing as it won't be used for quite
some time most likely.

The simplest is to buy the cheapest legitimate copy of XP you can, although
you have to have a disc for an older OS to get an XP upgrade disc to work.
Otherwise there are ways to find a key, generate a key or steal a key but
none of those methods are "legal."
This kind of thing should be a warning to others.
It is a very bad decision to wipe out a working XP installation to "upgrade"
to Vista.
You may be one of the lucky few, and it is a small minority of "upgraders,"
who finds Vista satisfactory but the overwhelming odds are you wil regret
destroying your XP installation.
If you want to monkey with Vista install it as a second OS.
-written from the XP side of a dual boot set-up; Vista only booted to see if
there are upgrades that make Vista usable (awaiting SP1).