How can I kill Vista?

[mr badger]

I have a legit copy of XP to install but cant kill my Vista installation.

Won't format from command prompt and instlling from the CD brings a message that I'm not allowed to install an older version of Windows over Vista.

VISTA MUST DIE...

 

[Fanum]

Is it a full retail or oem version of XP or an upgrade disc?

Have you backed up all the info, files, email account settings, favourites etc etc from the Vista install??

Is the XP disc complete with SP2?

Do you have all the drivers you need for XP SP2?

You're going to have to do a clean install of XP (IE delete the partition, format, install from fresh clean and shiny )......but make sure you have all of the above first- the SP2 bit for the USB drivers and a stress free install, the settings for obvious reasons and the full copy it vital.

The drivers should be OK....SP2 was really well sorted for them but if it's a new machine with new hardware, I'd double check and use the remaining time with Vista to prepare....download everything you need before you commit and stick it on cd....pay particular attention to SATA drivers as they are relatively new and not overly well supported on XP Sp2


EDIT....more info drekkly from MS on formatting under Vista HERE

 

[Padge]

Save all the stuff you want to save ..Photos, documents, porn (now's a good time to get stock of your collection and rid of some of that crap porn)..

I'd buy a new hard drive (Cheap as chips)..

Install XP on to to the newly installed drive and then copy your wanted stuff over.

Plan B is to use the old drive as a slave so it ignores the operating system in it (don't have to go copy stuff as said above if you do this)..

Is it really worth the bother though
How much do you hate Vista?

 

[Dickieboy]

I don't know if it's still about but there used to be a Prog. called Powermax.exe, if you can get a copy either on cd or floppy boot from it and it will format/low level format any ide/sata harddrive, then just boot from the XP disc.


Edit: Just a thought, if you do try to boot from the XP disc just how far do you get? Do you get to the point where you are given the choice to format and then are stopped? If you do get that far isn't their also a choice to delete the drive partition? if there is just delete the partition if it will let you and then once again boot from the XP disc.

 

[red1]

Serious question.
Why would you want to remove Vista?

 

[Stujw70]

Serious question.
Why would you want to remove Vista?

Don't know about the fella above, but i don't like Vista on my computer. I am assuming though that it is responsible for the freezing of internet explorer that happens gods knows how many times a day. It never happened on my old 2nd hand computer with XP, but drives me mad on this one. It is not as though it is overloaded with a maxed out memory.

 

[red1]

Don't know about the fella above, but i don't like Vista on my computer. I am assuming though that it is responsible for the freezing of internet explorer that happens gods knows how many times a day. It never happened on my old 2nd hand computer with XP, but drives me mad on this one. It is not as though it is overloaded with a maxed out memory.

That is probably more a problem with IE than Vista.
The problems with Vista are the same as the reliability of GS12's ...... if you believe all you hear you would never buy another BMW product. 99% of Vista's problems are media hysteria and Apple fanboys fanning the flames.


Try Firefox as a replacement browser.

 

[Mucky Helmetier]

I do a lot of work for a rather large computer manufacturer.

Vista is the pits, more trouble than it could ever be worth, if you are a home user that check mail every now and then and surf the net it will probably work OK for you.

However, task Vista with anything demanding or anything that requires a lot of network traffic and it will drive you nuts.

 

[Buttso]

Vista must die

how do...

you need to use a program called FDISK to remove the primary partitions and any boot partitions that your VISTA setup is using

clear these and it leaves you with a clean disk to install onto..

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255867

I dont know if you have a floppy drive in your machine (I dont myself)

so I create a dos bootable CDROM (nero can do this)

google for it if you want step by step instructions...

copy the fdisk program onto the bootable CDROM... and off you go..

some of the newer motherboards support booting from a USB memory stick as well if you cant get the CDROM working..

 

[Stujw70]

That is probably more a problem with IE than Vista.
The problems with Vista are the same as the reliability of GS12's ...... if you believe all you hear you would never buy another BMW product. 99% of Vista's problems are media hysteria and Apple fanboys fanning the flames.


Try Firefox as a replacement browser.

Thanks for the heads up. Have just downloaded Firefox and will see how i get on with it.

Ta

 

[Invicta Moto]

Thanks for the heads up. Have just downloaded Firefox and will see how i get on with it.

Ta

I have had this laptop for about 18 months. It came with Vista Business Edition and have had no problems with it once you learn the operational differences with XP.

It only started to lock up with IE recently since the last series of Windows Updates went on.

I have used Firefox for a while and with the right add-ons it works a treat. My favourites are auto-pager and spell check....

 

[mr badger]

Thanks all

Will use Fanums reply as template
Is it a full retail or oem version of XP or an upgrade disc? - OEM SP2

Have you backed up all the info, files, email account settings, favourites etc etc from the Vista install?? - Yes. Use remote drives in any case

Is the XP disc complete with SP2? - Yes.

Do you have all the drivers you need for XP SP2? Near enough

You're going to have to do a clean install of XP (IE delete the partition, format, install from fresh clean and shiny )......but make sure you have all of the above first- the SP2 bit for the USB drivers and a stress free install, the settings for obvious reasons and the full copy it vital. OK

The drivers should be OK....SP2 was really well sorted for them but if it's a new machine with new hardware, I'd double check and use the remaining time with Vista to prepare....download everything you need before you commit and stick it on cd....pay particular attention to SATA drivers as they are relatively new and not overly well supported on XP Sp2 - Nothing SATA in the box


EDIT....more info drekkly from MS on formatting under Vista HERE

I want to go back to P as the machine just can't cope. I constantly get 'not responding' on apps, full boot and starting Outlook takes several minutes and the thing gets over stressed when asked to manage mail and web and an application at the same time.

The new disk stops installing and tells me that there is a newer installation of Vita and will not proceed.

I have other, older desktops running on XP that are just fine, if aged and a bit slow from time to time. Might just ditch the new one for now and go back to old faithful as the main kiddie.

Thanks again chaps - this must be the only bollocks free part of the forum to post in

Will try either the Msoft format line or get hold of the commercial version.

 

[mr badger]

I don't know if it's still about but there used to be a Prog. called Powermax.exe, if you can get a copy either on cd or floppy boot from it and it will format/low level format any ide/sata harddrive, then just boot from the XP disc.


Edit: Just a thought, if you do try to boot from the XP disc just how far do you get? Do you get to the point where you are given the choice to format and then are stopped? If you do get that far isn't their also a choice to delete the drive partition? if there is just delete the partition if it will let you and then once again boot from the XP disc.

Just stops when it finds the Vista installation and wont allow me to continue after the message.

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

Thanks for the heads up. Have just downloaded Firefox and will see how i get on with it.

Ta

Forget Firefox - Opera is the new king - much quicker and 'lighter'

 

[cookie]

I have a legit copy of XP to install but cant kill my Vista installation.

Won't format from command prompt and instlling from the CD brings a message that I'm not allowed to install an older version of Windows over Vista.

VISTA MUST DIE...

are you actually booting from the XP CD? you will need to nuke the previous vista install.

if so, and still having trouble, download and run Killdisk (free) on the drive first or Partition Magic 8 if you're feeling flush or have torrent talent.

 

[red1]

I do a lot of work for a rather large computer manufacturer.

Vista is the pits, more trouble than it could ever be worth, if you are a home user that check mail every now and then and surf the net it will probably work OK for you.

However, task Vista with anything demanding or anything that requires a lot of network traffic and it will drive you nuts.

Absolute dross! Typical "geek speak".

I work in marketing and use Photoshop CS3, Word, Access (1.5 million records), Excel and others. Believe me it gets worked!!

I've had one BSD since March 2007 which is a whole lot less than with XP.