Format Hard Drive

I need to format the hard drive where Vista is on and install Windows XP.
Please help.

Clean Install Windows XP
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/


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"vbnetdev" wrote:

| I need to format the hard drive where Vista is on and install Windows XP.
| Please help.

Hi,

Boot your system with the WinXP CD, making sure that the BIOS is set to boot
from CD drive first. Start setup and agree to the license (hit F8). When you
get to the point where you choose the installation location, delete the
existing system partition. Create a new one from the resulting free space,
format (quick is fine), and proceed with the installer. Make sure you have
backed up any critical data (as it will be gone) and that you have your XP
Product Key handy (as you will need it).

--
Best of Luck,

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

"vbnetdev" <> wrote in message
news:...
>I need to format the hard drive where Vista is on and install Windows XP.
>Please help.
>

WIndows XP CD says it cannot format the drive. Does this have something ot
do with the bootloader vista has?


"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Clean Install Windows XP
> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Shell/User
> Microsoft Community Newsgroups
> news://msnews.microsoft.com/
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "vbnetdev" wrote:
>
> | I need to format the hard drive where Vista is on and install Windows
> XP.
> | Please help.
>
>

Hi,

As I mentioned in my response, you have to remove the existing system
partition and create a new one first.

--
Best of Luck,

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

"vbnetdev" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> WIndows XP CD says it cannot format the drive. Does this have something ot
> do with the bootloader vista has?
>
>
> "Carey Frisch [MVP]" <> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> Clean Install Windows XP
>> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
>>
>> --
>> Carey Frisch
>> Microsoft MVP
>> Windows Shell/User
>> Microsoft Community Newsgroups
>> news://msnews.microsoft.com/
>>
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> "vbnetdev" wrote:
>>
>> | I need to format the hard drive where Vista is on and install Windows
>> XP.
>> | Please help.
>>
>>
>
>

I bought a laptop with Windows Vista pre-installed. I want to remove it, to format the hard disk but when I attempt to using a valid win XP Pro cd, it tells me the the setup cannot continue because it cannot detect the harddrive. What causes this, is it the a new NTFS format created be MS? Or is there some sort of protection on the partition? Please help anyway you can.

EggHeadCafe.com - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
http://www.eggheadcafe.com

Has nothing to do with the partition, you likely need to provide a hard
drive controller driver using F6 during the CD boot. You didn't provide any
info on the laptop so that's just a guess.

--
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<Jordan> wrote in message news:...
>I bought a laptop with Windows Vista pre-installed. I want to remove it, to
>format the hard disk but when I attempt to using a valid win XP Pro cd, it
>tells me the the setup cannot continue because it cannot detect the
>harddrive. What causes this, is it the a new NTFS format created be MS? Or
>is there some sort of protection on the partition? Please help anyway you
>can.
>
> EggHeadCafe.com - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
> http://www.eggheadcafe.com

"Jordan" wrote in message news:...
>I bought a laptop with Windows Vista pre-installed. I want to remove it, to
>format the hard disk but when I attempt to using a valid win XP Pro cd, it
>tells me the the setup cannot continue because it cannot detect the
>harddrive. What causes this, is it the a new NTFS format created be MS? Or
>is there some sort of protection on the partition? Please help anyway you
>can.
>
> EggHeadCafe.com - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
> http://www.eggheadcafe.com

sounds like just what you said, sounds like some kinda vista protection on
it, vista is full of permissions etc for added security that you would
normally see on server software or xp pro

DO you have used Bitlocker HardDrive encryption ( in Ultimate and
Enterprise ) on Vista ?

Then the disk is unreadable by any other OS, of course.

You will have to decrypt or reformat it if that is the case.

If not, then look in your manual about installing alternate OS or contact
the Manufacturer of the Notebook.

It is never a good thing to replace the OS that comes with a device, 'cause
the hardware and software were designed to fit together.

All "new" configurations are unsupported then and of course always at your
own risk.

SJ / germany



"Jordan" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:...
>I bought a laptop with Windows Vista pre-installed. I want to remove it, to
>format the hard disk but when I attempt to using a valid win XP Pro cd, it
>tells me the the setup cannot continue because it cannot detect the
>harddrive. What causes this, is it the a new NTFS format created be MS? Or
>is there some sort of protection on the partition? Please help anyway you
>can.
>
> EggHeadCafe.com - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
> http://www.eggheadcafe.com

VISTA has different startup files to XP and this may be what is causing
the problem.

I'm sure there is a technical way to edit the file that replaces the
boot.ini file in XP but the easy way is to download and install
VISTABOOTPro which is a free utility for dual booting VISTA.

When you install it check all the tools etc and I think you will find
one to enable you to remove VISTA. It changes that file and then you
can install your other OS and delete VISTA.

Note however I don't know for sure that it will do this if you install
VISTABOOTPro after VISTA and when the earlier OS is no longer there.

Check out the http://www.vistabootpro.org/ website and read what it
says.

Check back here to see if anyone gives you another answer.