Replacing Vista with XP-Pro

I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 1501 with Vista Business. I've had a
number of frustrating problems since. 1. System reboots without warning. 2.
Computer clock will not keep correct time. The Automatic Update time program
fails. 3. Windows mail highjacked my out box.
Dell has tried to handle these issues without success. There conclusion is
it is software related. (I was able to locate a fix for the Windows Mail.)
The other issues are ongoing.
I have a restore CD that came with an older Dell Inspiron that had XP-Pro on
it. (I never had ANY problems with XP-Pro.) I'm thinking I would like to go
back to that OS.
My question- Is it possible, feasable, safe to try to use the old restore CD
and replace this infernal Vista OS.
I, personally am not too computer savvy, as you might be able to guess.

"Mbradford" <> wrote in message
news:6D50BD12-A4D4-4058-91F5-...
>I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 1501 with Vista Business. I've had a
> number of frustrating problems since. 1. System reboots without warning. 2.
> Computer clock will not keep correct time. The Automatic Update time program
> fails. 3. Windows mail highjacked my out box.
> Dell has tried to handle these issues without success. There conclusion is
> it is software related. (I was able to locate a fix for the Windows Mail.)
> The other issues are ongoing.
> I have a restore CD that came with an older Dell Inspiron that had XP-Pro on
> it. (I never had ANY problems with XP-Pro.) I'm thinking I would like to go
> back to that OS.
> My question- Is it possible, feasable, safe to try to use the old restore CD
> and replace this infernal Vista OS.
> I, personally am not too computer savvy, as you might be able to guess.

As your last sentence signifies, I would recommend that you don't try it.
First, the older Dell XP software is OEM software and cannot legally* be transferred on another
machine.
Second, XP on the new machine will require a lot of tweaking to get the hardware drivers (software)
working.
If you really plan to change, you will need someone with a lot of computer expertise to help you.
A good repair shop (not the big box stores) may be able to get your Vista problems solved, or get
you into XP.
However changing to a legal XP is going to cost you. $100 to $199 just for the XP program plus
labor.

*others will dispute the "legal", but you did agree to use the XP only on the machine it was sold
on.

No, the old Dell Windows XP Reinstallation CD will only
work with the original Dell computer it originally came with.
It is BIOS-locked to the motherboard and your new Dell
has a completely different motherboard BIOS.

You would be far better off reinstalling Windows Vista
according to the procedure recommended by Dell's
User's Guide that shipped with your new Dell computer.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

"Mbradford" <> wrote in message news:6D50BD12-A4D4-4058-91F5-...
I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 1501 with Vista Business. I've had a
number of frustrating problems since. 1. System reboots without warning. 2.
Computer clock will not keep correct time. The Automatic Update time program
fails. 3. Windows mail highjacked my out box.
Dell has tried to handle these issues without success. There conclusion is
it is software related. (I was able to locate a fix for the Windows Mail.)
The other issues are ongoing.
I have a restore CD that came with an older Dell Inspiron that had XP-Pro on
it. (I never had ANY problems with XP-Pro.) I'm thinking I would like to go
back to that OS.
My question- Is it possible, feasable, safe to try to use the old restore CD
and replace this infernal Vista OS.
I, personally am not too computer savvy, as you might be able to guess.

Thank you for your reply. However, would not reinstalling Windows Vista give
me the same problems? I started having these problems almost immeadiately, so
I don't think it has to do with any software I have installed.

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

> No, the old Dell Windows XP Reinstallation CD will only
> work with the original Dell computer it originally came with.
> It is BIOS-locked to the motherboard and your new Dell
> has a completely different motherboard BIOS.
>
> You would be far better off reinstalling Windows Vista
> according to the procedure recommended by Dell's
> User's Guide that shipped with your new Dell computer.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Shell/User
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Mbradford" <> wrote in message news:6D50BD12-A4D4-4058-91F5-...
> I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 1501 with Vista Business. I've had a
> number of frustrating problems since. 1. System reboots without warning. 2.
> Computer clock will not keep correct time. The Automatic Update time program
> fails. 3. Windows mail highjacked my out box.
> Dell has tried to handle these issues without success. There conclusion is
> it is software related. (I was able to locate a fix for the Windows Mail.)
> The other issues are ongoing.
> I have a restore CD that came with an older Dell Inspiron that had XP-Pro on
> it. (I never had ANY problems with XP-Pro.) I'm thinking I would like to go
> back to that OS.
> My question- Is it possible, feasable, safe to try to use the old restore CD
> and replace this infernal Vista OS.
> I, personally am not too computer savvy, as you might be able to guess.

Mbradford wrote:
> I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 1501 with Vista Business. I've had a
> number of frustrating problems since. 1. System reboots without warning. 2.
> Computer clock will not keep correct time. The Automatic Update time program
> fails. 3. Windows mail highjacked my out box.
> Dell has tried to handle these issues without success. There conclusion is
> it is software related. (I was able to locate a fix for the Windows Mail.)
> The other issues are ongoing.
> I have a restore CD that came with an older Dell Inspiron that had XP-Pro on
> it. (I never had ANY problems with XP-Pro.) I'm thinking I would like to go
> back to that OS.
> My question- Is it possible, feasable, safe to try to use the old restore CD
> and replace this infernal Vista OS.
> I, personally am not too computer savvy, as you might be able to guess.


Your old restore disk is very unlikely to work, you will need to obtain
an XP Pro retail CD. "If" you decide to go ahead and try this my
suggestion would be to either remove the present hard drive and try this
with a new drive (Thus keeping your present system intact) or get
Acronis True Image or similar and clone the drive.

Your reboot problem may well be caused by drivers, either motherboard or
video card. Go back and check the Dell website to see if there are new
ones, the tech you spoke with may have missed something.

Time.Windows.Com was acting up for me too for a while, you can use
another time server. I would try and resolve the reboot problem with
drivers, if necessary having Dell check things for you / with you as you
work on it.

I tend to agree about Vista and if you can get a retail XP that's fine,
but you have to do something to make sure you can restore Vista and the
second disk option is a little more expensive but if you don't mind
taking the case apart is what I'd do.

I've had Dell check my computer twice (remotely). They supposedly updated the
drivers, but I don't know for sure. They came to the decision that it was
'software related'. I've also tried all the different time server options but
I am getting an error message about it trying to sync with the different
sites. This isn't a big issue with me (the reboot problem is), its just
frustrating. You would think with modern technolgy as advanced as it is, a
machine would be able to keep the correct time.

"Charlie Tame" wrote:

> Mbradford wrote:
> > I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 1501 with Vista Business. I've had a
> > number of frustrating problems since. 1. System reboots without warning. 2.
> > Computer clock will not keep correct time. The Automatic Update time program
> > fails. 3. Windows mail highjacked my out box.
> > Dell has tried to handle these issues without success. There conclusion is
> > it is software related. (I was able to locate a fix for the Windows Mail.)
> > The other issues are ongoing.
> > I have a restore CD that came with an older Dell Inspiron that had XP-Pro on
> > it. (I never had ANY problems with XP-Pro.) I'm thinking I would like to go
> > back to that OS.
> > My question- Is it possible, feasable, safe to try to use the old restore CD
> > and replace this infernal Vista OS.
> > I, personally am not too computer savvy, as you might be able to guess.
>
>
> Your old restore disk is very unlikely to work, you will need to obtain
> an XP Pro retail CD. "If" you decide to go ahead and try this my
> suggestion would be to either remove the present hard drive and try this
> with a new drive (Thus keeping your present system intact) or get
> Acronis True Image or similar and clone the drive.
>
> Your reboot problem may well be caused by drivers, either motherboard or
> video card. Go back and check the Dell website to see if there are new
> ones, the tech you spoke with may have missed something.
>
> Time.Windows.Com was acting up for me too for a while, you can use
> another time server. I would try and resolve the reboot problem with
> drivers, if necessary having Dell check things for you / with you as you
> work on it.
>
> I tend to agree about Vista and if you can get a retail XP that's fine,
> but you have to do something to make sure you can restore Vista and the
> second disk option is a little more expensive but if you don't mind
> taking the case apart is what I'd do.
>

On the Dell Support web site, they have a BIOS update
marked as "urgent". I would recommend that you download
and install this BIOS update:
http://support.dell.com/support/down...WW1&hidlang=en

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

"Mbradford" wrote:

Thank you for your reply. However, would not reinstalling Windows Vista give
me the same problems? I started having these problems almost immeadiately, so
I don't think it has to do with any software I have installed.

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

> No, the old Dell Windows XP Reinstallation CD will only
> work with the original Dell computer it originally came with.
> It is BIOS-locked to the motherboard and your new Dell
> has a completely different motherboard BIOS.
>
> You would be far better off reinstalling Windows Vista
> according to the procedure recommended by Dell's
> User's Guide that shipped with your new Dell computer.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Shell/User
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Mbradford" <> wrote in message news:6D50BD12-A4D4-4058-91F5-...
> I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 1501 with Vista Business. I've had a
> number of frustrating problems since. 1. System reboots without warning. 2.
> Computer clock will not keep correct time. The Automatic Update time program
> fails. 3. Windows mail highjacked my out box.
> Dell has tried to handle these issues without success. There conclusion is
> it is software related. (I was able to locate a fix for the Windows Mail.)
> The other issues are ongoing.
> I have a restore CD that came with an older Dell Inspiron that had XP-Pro on
> it. (I never had ANY problems with XP-Pro.) I'm thinking I would like to go
> back to that OS.
> My question- Is it possible, feasable, safe to try to use the old restore CD
> and replace this infernal Vista OS.
> I, personally am not too computer savvy, as you might be able to guess.

In news:6D50BD12-A4D4-4058-91F5-,
Mbradford <> wrote:
> I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 1501 with Vista
> Business. I've had a
> number of frustrating problems since. 1. System reboots
> without warning. 2.
> Computer clock will not keep correct time. The Automatic
> Update time program
> fails. 3. Windows mail highjacked my out box.
> Dell has tried to handle these issues without success. There
> conclusion is
> it is software related. (I was able to locate a fix for the
> Windows Mail.)
> The other issues are ongoing.
> I have a restore CD that came with an older Dell Inspiron
> that had XP-Pro on
> it. (I never had ANY problems with XP-Pro.) I'm thinking I
> would like to go
> back to that OS.
> My question- Is it possible, feasable, safe to try to use the
> old restore CD
> and replace this infernal Vista OS.
> I, personally am not too computer savvy, as you might be able
> to guess.

Have you asked anyone from Dell about the possibility of
returning your Inspiron and getting a replacement? The Inspiron
1501 is one of the laptops that Dell is still offering with
Windows XP Professional.

Shop Microsoft Windows XP PCs
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/s...dhs&~ck=anavml

Good luck

Nepatsfan

You might find this link interesting:

http://asia.cnet.com/crave/2007/09/2...r-vista-to-xp/

The gist of it is that you have a right, by license,
to "downgrade", but it could be awkward to achieve
if Dell doesn't offer a CD. However, the article says
that you can use any XP CD you can get your hands
on, then call MS to get an activation code. (But note
that an old OEM CD probably won't work. A disk image
of that system might, or you can apparently just
borrow a full version CD from someone else legally.)

"Mbradford" <> wrote in message
news:6D50BD12-A4D4-4058-91F5-...
>I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 1501 with Vista Business. I've had a
> number of frustrating problems since. 1. System reboots without warning.
> 2.
> Computer clock will not keep correct time. The Automatic Update time
> program
> fails. 3. Windows mail highjacked my out box.
> Dell has tried to handle these issues without success. There conclusion is
> it is software related. (I was able to locate a fix for the Windows Mail.)
> The other issues are ongoing.
> I have a restore CD that came with an older Dell Inspiron that had XP-Pro
> on
> it. (I never had ANY problems with XP-Pro.) I'm thinking I would like to
> go
> back to that OS.
> My question- Is it possible, feasable, safe to try to use the old restore
> CD
> and replace this infernal Vista OS.
> I, personally am not too computer savvy, as you might be able to guess.


All the problems you cite could be hardware/firmware related(except the
Windows Mail issue, which you say was solved). Have you *thoroughly* tested
the memory using a program such as Memtest 86 or similar?
On the web update for time, have you tried to connect to a different server?
There should be alternatives in the drop-down list.
Another responder pointed you to an "urgent" BIOS update. This is different
from drivers you mention in another post.
Frankly, I find the Dell tech support decision that "it's software related"
suspect pending memory testing and the BIOS update.
BTW, as it is Dell's responsibility to provide support for the OEM OS they
(Dell) sold you, what have they offered to do to put it right?

I'm mentioning all this because one of my students bought a Dell laptop with
Vista (DNR model) that had all sorts of issues which Dell tech support was
fobbing off on Vista until I helped the student with some comparison stats
and logical arguments. He was then able to escalate his problems beyond
first-tier support and got Dell to *replace* the faulty laptop under
warranty.