Installing XP on a PC running Vista?

I have a laptop with Vista pre-installed, but with no Vista
installation discs. I'd like to install XP on the same machine - so
that I can run either Vista or XP, depending on needs.

I have an XP installation CD. Can I simply install XP on the machine
without messing up the existing Vista operating system?

Or will I need to format C and create two partitions - one for Vista
and one for XP...

Thank you,

JD

Jake D wrote:
> I have a laptop with Vista pre-installed, but with no Vista
> installation discs. I'd like to install XP on the same machine - so
> that I can run either Vista or XP, depending on needs.
>
> I have an XP installation CD. Can I simply install XP on the machine
> without messing up the existing Vista operating system?
>
> Or will I need to format C and create two partitions - one for Vista
> and one for XP...
>
> Thank you,
>
> JD
Is it a new laptop? Usually when it is preloaded, there is a directory
that has all of the software installed on the laptop so you can expand
it to disks. Did you check for that?

--
A rose by any other name would be "deadly thorn-bearing assault vegetation."
-- Unknown

Jake D wrote:
> I have a laptop with Vista pre-installed, but with no Vista
> installation discs. I'd like to install XP on the same machine - so
> that I can run either Vista or XP, depending on needs.
>
> I have an XP installation CD. Can I simply install XP on the machine
> without messing up the existing Vista operating system?
>
> Or will I need to format C and create two partitions - one for Vista
> and one for XP...

XP won't install over Vista (it's a 'downgrade'), you need to format the
disk first... BUT, make sure you can get XP drivers for the motherboard
before you do anything; most vendors (like HP) don't make them available for
their new laptops.

On Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:51:23 -0600, Mark <> wrote:

>Is it a new laptop? Usually when it is preloaded, there is a directory
>that has all of the software installed on the laptop so you can expand
>it to disks. Did you check for that?

It's a reconditioned - or returned, and resold laptop. I can find a
folder will all the programs on it, but I'm not familiar with the
concept of expanding things to disks.

JD

"Jake D" <> schreef in bericht
news:...
>I have a laptop with Vista pre-installed, but with no Vista
> installation discs. I'd like to install XP on the same machine - so
> that I can run either Vista or XP, depending on needs.
>
> I have an XP installation CD. Can I simply install XP on the machine
> without messing up the existing Vista operating system?
>
> Or will I need to format C and create two partitions - one for Vista
> and one for XP...
>
> Thank you,
>
> JD


Options:
- Dual boot Vista and XP, google for this one.
- Remove Vista and install XP (see relics reply and warning)
- Install XP in a virtual machine, so you can run XP while running Vista.
I prefer this option (VMware workstation), no hassle with drivers.
http://www.vmware.com/
freeware;
http://www.virtualbox.org/
Assign at least 1 GB of ram to the XP client.
--
Clogwog, resident yap-yap dog of alt.os.windows-xp & alt.os.windows-vista
http://tinyurl.com/8yajph

On Thu, 5 Mar 2009 12:21:55 -0800, "relic" <> wrote:

>Jake D wrote:
>> I have a laptop with Vista pre-installed, but with no Vista
>> installation discs. I'd like to install XP on the same machine - so
>> that I can run either Vista or XP, depending on needs.
>>
>> I have an XP installation CD. Can I simply install XP on the machine
>> without messing up the existing Vista operating system?
>>
>> Or will I need to format C and create two partitions - one for Vista
>> and one for XP...
>
>XP won't install over Vista (it's a 'downgrade'), you need to format the
>disk first... BUT, make sure you can get XP drivers for the motherboard
>before you do anything; most vendors (like HP) don't make them available for
>their new laptops.

Thank you for the help.

JD