format ?

We bought a new machine with Vista on it.
However Our Engineering software will not
run on Vista and we really don't like Vista
either (too restrictive).
We would like to just install our XP cd to
the new machine but we cannot figure a way
to do it. Vista will not let me format the drive.
and the XP Cd does nothing on boot, it goes
right back to Vista.
We have not tried the partition dual boot yet
since we really want all the hard drive space
we can get for large Cad files. Can anyone
tell us a rootkit boot program that will allow
us to format the Vista drive so as to allow an
XP installation?

"JG" <NoMail@NoSpam> wrote in message news:...

> We would like to just install our XP cd to
> the new machine but we cannot figure a way
> to do it. Vista will not let me format the drive.
> and the XP Cd does nothing on boot, it goes
> right back to Vista.

You need to tell the machine to boot from the CD on start-up - it won't do
it automatically. Typically you need to hit one of the F keys when you
switch on that will bring up a boot menu. Consult your manual on which key
to hit...

On Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:41:03 -0400, "JG" <NoMail@NoSpam> wrote:

> We bought a new machine with Vista on it.
> However Our Engineering software will not
> run on Vista and we really don't like Vista
> either (too restrictive).
> We would like to just install our XP cd to
> the new machine but we cannot figure a way
> to do it. Vista will not let me format the drive.


If you do it correctly, Vista isn't involved when you do it. You can't
format a drive from within the operating system; that's like cutting
down the tree that you're sitting in.

Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if
necessary to accomplish this) and follow the prompts for a clean
installation (delete the existing partition by pressing "D" when
prompted, then create a new one).

You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

or here
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org/how...windows_xp.htm

or here http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

or here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

Also bear in mind that it may not be possible for XP to run on this
machine. You will probably need XP drivers for components within the
machine (especially if it's a laptop) and they may not be available.
Check with the manufacturer to be sure.



> and the XP Cd does nothing on boot, it goes
> right back to Vista.
> We have not tried the partition dual boot yet
> since we really want all the hard drive space
> we can get for large Cad files. Can anyone
> tell us a rootkit boot program that will allow
> us to format the Vista drive so as to allow an
> XP installation?
>

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

>If you do it correctly, Vista isn't involved when you do it. You can't
>format a drive from within the operating system; that's like cutting
>down the tree that you're sitting in.
>Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if
>necessary to accomplish this) and follow the .........................
Thanks very much for the information I try that.
Basically I was referring to how I've typed format c:
at the command prompt every since dos to XP and it has
has always formatted drive c. Then when I rebooted with
the OS cd in the cd drive it would then boot from it, since
C drive no longer had anything on it.

"JG" <NoMail@NoSpam> wrote in message news:...
> >If you do it correctly, Vista isn't involved when you do it. You can't
>>format a drive from within the operating system; that's like cutting
>>down the tree that you're sitting in.
>>Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if
>>necessary to accomplish this) and follow the .........................
> Thanks very much for the information I try that.
> Basically I was referring to how I've typed format c:
> at the command prompt every since dos to XP and it has
> has always formatted drive c. Then when I rebooted with
> the OS cd in the cd drive it would then boot from it, since
> C drive no longer had anything on it.
>
>


I'll bet you don't really mean that you did that with XP - AFAIK you can't
because XP doesn't run on DOS.....

"Ken Blake, MVP" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:41:03 -0400, "JG" <NoMail@NoSpam> wrote:
>
>> We bought a new machine with Vista on it.
>> However Our Engineering software will not
>> run on Vista and we really don't like Vista
>> either (too restrictive).
>> We would like to just install our XP cd to
>> the new machine but we cannot figure a way
>> to do it. Vista will not let me format the drive.
>
>
> If you do it correctly, Vista isn't involved when you do it. You can't
> format a drive from within the operating system; that's like cutting
> down the tree that you're sitting in.
>

I thought you could cut down the tree you're sitting in. It just isn't a
very smart idea :-)

"Lord Fauntleroy" <> wrote in message
news:Mx3Jk.4898$...
>
> "Ken Blake, MVP" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> On Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:41:03 -0400, "JG" <NoMail@NoSpam> wrote:
>>
>>> We bought a new machine with Vista on it.
>>> However Our Engineering software will not
>>> run on Vista and we really don't like Vista
>>> either (too restrictive).
>>> We would like to just install our XP cd to
>>> the new machine but we cannot figure a way
>>> to do it. Vista will not let me format the drive.
>>
>>
>> If you do it correctly, Vista isn't involved when you do it. You can't
>> format a drive from within the operating system; that's like cutting
>> down the tree that you're sitting in.
>>
>
> I thought you could cut down the tree you're sitting in. It just isn't a
> very smart idea :-)
>
>
>


Oh I don't know. Couldn't we encourage Frank to do it?

What you really should do is return the new computer for a refund,
then purchase a Dell PC which can be ordered with Windows XP already
installed.

See: http://www.dell.com/content/products...=04&l=en&s=bsd

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience

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

"JG" <NoMail@NoSpam> wrote in message news:...
We bought a new machine with Vista on it.
However Our Engineering software will not
run on Vista and we really don't like Vista
either (too restrictive).
We would like to just install our XP cd to
the new machine but we cannot figure a way
to do it. Vista will not let me format the drive.
and the XP Cd does nothing on boot, it goes
right back to Vista.
We have not tried the partition dual boot yet
since we really want all the hard drive space
we can get for large Cad files. Can anyone
tell us a rootkit boot program that will allow
us to format the Vista drive so as to allow an
XP installation?

Thanks we may do that.

JG;860811 Wrote:
> >If you do it correctly, Vista isn't involved when you do it. You can't> > >
> > >format a drive from within the operating system; that's like cuttin
> > >down the tree that you're sitting in
> > >Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order i
> > >necessary to accomplish this) and follow the ........................
> > > > Thanks very much for the information I try that
> Basically I was referring to how I've typed format c
> at the command prompt every since dos to XP and it ha
> has always formatted drive c. Then when I rebooted wit
> the OS cd in the cd drive it would then boot from it, sinc
> C drive no longer had anything on it

Hi ,

Just for future reference, if you need a bootable partition manage

'Modify Your Partitions With GParted Without Losing Data | HowtoForge
Linux Howtos and Tutorials
(http://www.howtoforge.com/partitioning_with_gparted

'Using GParted to Resize Your Windows Vista Partition :: the How-T
Geek
(http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...ista-partition

'GParted -- Welcome' (http://gparted.sourceforge.net/

'Download of the Day: GParted live CD
(http://lifehacker.com/software/parti...-cd-175024.php

Hope that help

SIW

--
SIW2