Vista downgradeing problems.

[Nick_Black]

man.. I'm posting here way to often for my liking... anyways..

I got vista on my laptop. and I gave it a fair chance for a year, but after getting severly hacked, slow performance, and regualr errors (evens after all the updates and such) I'm ready to install XP... but vista is putting up a strong fight, (ok, i know it's not all vista's fault :p)

but anyways:

try to install XP from the desktop, i get the "can't downgrade" error, and I can't find a way to bypass it.

i tryd to boot it from the CD, all is nice and dandy at first, it installs the drivers, but before i get to the "to install XP press enter" screen, I get BSOD'd

I try'd partitionaing a part of my hard-drive for XP, no go.

and I don't wanna completly wipe out Vista just yet untill I know XP works becouse the nutters at Compaq put the CD key on the bottom where my legs rub up against so I can't read it anymore, and therefore can't re-install vista if something goes wrong.

any Idea's what I can try?
(it's a compaq notebook.. CQ70)

thanks

Edit: I also tried my dad's copy of XP, and same problems. so it's not the disk

[mDust]

...and I don't wanna completly wipe out Vista just yet untill I know XP works becouse the nutters at Compaq put the CD key on the bottom where my legs rub up against so I can't read it anymore, and therefore can't re-install vista if something goes wrong.

any Idea's what I can try?
(it's a compaq notebook.. CQ70)

The following thread shows how to find your CD key for your OS:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/f...ad.php?t=20191
If that works then back up what you need, reformat, and begin fresh with XP.
Hope that helps...good luck.

[Nick_Black]

edit: I talked to the Compaq service dudes and the helped me out alot (suprisingly good compared to alot of previus experiences)

[Luke122]

Belarc Advisor will retrieve your Windows key. Also, if it's a Compaq, then chances are that you have a recovery partition anyways.

When you boot the Windows XP install disc, and get to the option to choose the hard drive to install to, is that where it BSoD's? If so, it might be a problem with the hdd controller not being recognized, or the wrong driver being used. Try to find the "F6" driver to use for the install, and at the beginning of the install, press F6 on the keyboard to select a non-standard driver.

If you are able to see the disk options (partitions or disks that you can choose to install XP to), you should see at least 2.. one will be the system partition (the one where you will install to.. usually the largest), one will be the "recovery" partition (and is typically labelled as "Restore" or "recovery".

Make sure you leave this one alone.. this is your way back to Vista later on if you want to get back there. Usually with a recovery partition, you dont even need to know the product key, but as I said at the beginning of the post, Belarc Advisor (a free download from www.belarc.com ) will get the key for you.

[Luke122]

Once you get the XP installing, it will ask for a license key. The fun thing about downgrading is that if you have a qualifying Vista version, such as Vista Business or Ultimate, you can install XP with ANY cd key (even one that is already in use)!! The cd key is only to allow the install to proceed.

This is because the Vista license is the one being used, not the XP one. There is ONE THING TO NOTE HERE.. when you go to activate XP, you MUST do the telephone method.

Get a person on the phone, and tell them you are doing a Vista downgrade, and they'll go through the manual activation for you.

If you are using an XP license that is not being used on any other computer, then you can disregard this, and just go ahead and activate over the internet as normal.

[slaveofconvention]

One other thing to consider - some laptops have the boot sector on the hd protected in the BIOS - check for things like "os install" or, predictably enough "Protect boot sectors"