Upgrading your new laptop from Vista to XP

After installing XP on my new Vista laptop I was absolutely astounded by the speed and performance when running XP over Vista. For proper speed, performance and utility, XP has the solution for you.

IMPORTANT There is a fantastic resource at DriverPacks.net on making Windows XP Slipstream disks. They have complete packages of drivers for Audio, Video, Chipsets, Network, WiFi, and most of all Hard Disk Controller Drivers. They even have a utility called Driver Pack Base which will load the packages into your XP installation files. Then you just use the program nLite to burn the new XP CD. The process is a little tricky but once you succeed it makes loading XP much easier and faster. On many of my installs I have almost ALL of the drivers installed when I get to windows

This Instructable will give you a head start on upgrading your new Vista laptop back to Windows XP. (Desktops can come too)

For this project you will need a PC running Vista, an internet connection (I bet you've got this ; ) and one copy of Windows XP with service pack 2 if possible.

If there is anything I have left out or any additional information you can provide please let me know.

Step 1: Step one - Back-up

You will have to remove your Vista partition to install XP. Any data on it will be removed permanently! You can perform a dual boot. However if you do, I assume you know what your doing and don't need this guide.

Before starting anything, back-up your data! I know you haven't done this, so now is a good time to do so. This means any files you have created. Word docs, Excel files, iTunes music, MP3s, home movies, and saved games. You can transfer them over your network to a share folder or use a couple of CD-Rs.

Comments

[Williz]

You mean Downgrade.

[ReCreate]

Err,upgrade

[PCfreak]

downgrade

[cody777]

if you moving from vista to xp, its an upgrade, that's how much vista sucks

[PCfreak]

no cody its a downgrade if your moving from vista to xp its a downgrade
vista was released after xp its just like i dont like windows 8 and i like windows 7 im downgrading to win 7......

[M4industries]

SO TRUE

[ReCreate]

Digging up old comments? Heh...

[M4industries]

Once I responded to a 4-year-old comment on the Indy Mogul Forums.

[ReCreate]

indy mogul forums?

[M4industries]

Its a DIY filmmaking site. My 2nd most visited site per day. Just Google BFX Indy Mogul, or on instructables, take a look at my slideshow of me meeting the host.

[ReCreate]

Oh...Ok...

[fauge7]

its a 2 year old comment lol

[fauge7]

upgrade

[ReCreate]

nou

[!Andrew_Modder!]

no its an upgrade for speed and awesomeness lol. idk

[de-evolution]

ya upgrade because vista sucks and xp is still far superior

[Foaly7]

Hey, Vista is cool, just slow. You can customize XP to look like Vista, and then you get cool looks and speed.

[zuba]

Ubuntu and Windows 7 own.

[Foaly7]

Sorry to break it to you, old chap, but Windows 7 more than likely sucks real bad, Ubuntu is cool, though. Dual boot XP & Ubuntu.

[robert1971]

lol ubuntu is cool butt hard to install things im to dumb for that butt by far linux does win they had wht they do now 15 years ago on open source lol and why win/7 works so good is case they drop xp files inside it for it to work right xp steel rule,s for windows butt linux stomps microsoft and mac at the same time lol, and i heard the same vista like prob wil happen on win/8 no 3rd party software is ready for it and they say they will not get it ready for that os look like mac beats window,s for the ipad part lol

[Madrias357]

As someone currently using 7, and a beta-tester of 7, it doesn't suck.  Very smooth, powerful, and doesn't eat resources like a child munching candy.

That said, I dual boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu.  Why?  For fun.

[Foaly7]

Yeah, a friend recently got a Windows 7 computer. It is pretty sweet, sorta like Vista on roids. I was making my comment by experience with Vista. Vista is really only good for graphics, sometimes.

[Madrias357]

Agreed.  Vista sucks, but 7 takes XP's stability and raw power and combines it with the classy look of Vista, then tosses in a few goodies as well.

Let's face it, with my system (far from top-of-the-line), I'm able to run Windows 7 without any issues.  4GB of RAM, a 2.4 Core 2 Duo (mine's lightly OC'd to 2.7), and a GTS 250 video card make 7 look, run, and respond well to any situation.

And then you've got a great little compatibility mode for those programs that just refuse to run correctly. 

I, for one, have also learned to use both XP and Vista drivers to make any hardware work, too.

[NimaDoodleZ]

You're kidding right?
Windows 7 sucks up sooo many resources...
I have 1GB of RAM on Windows XP, 3.6GHz single core... and it runs even the newest games. Go Xp, Go XP, Go XP! *does the dance*
Plus, I've never had luck getting windows 7 to run a great sum of the awesome emulators out there, and it lacks serious compatibility with older programs. Sucks when you want to pass down those Jumpstart kids' games to next generations...
....and.... Win7 compatibility mode WORKS for you?!

Maybe it's just my luck with 7. :/

[robert1971]

you know it xp for ever and win/ 7 and 8 both will die like vista did they made a os that will not die xp clones and works on new software haha its alive

[Madrias357]

I'm having good luck with 7. That said, I still have one machine that runs Windows XP: My 2002 laptop with a Pentium 4 HT @ 3.0GHz, 2 GB of DDR memory. It seems to work best on there (yes, it did actually accept and run 7, just a little clunky) so I guess it really depends on the computer you're working on whether XP or 7 works best.

Yeah, I've had great luck with compatibility mode, and 95% of my old programs still work, and for the 5% of those that didn't, I found replacements for. My old Microsoft Office got replaced with OpenOffice, which does everything MS-Office did.

About the only thing I miss from XP is the bloody space cadet pinball. Haven't gotten around to ripping it over.

Also, it might be dependant on which version of 7 you're working with. I'm using Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (and don't worry, not one compatibility issue between x86 and x64! Not like Windows XP 64-bit...), so things might be just a little different. It works nicely enough that I can forgive the odd quirk of trying (still) to remember it's now Programs and Features, not Add/Remove anymore.

[zuba]

I don't really have that much of an opinion on operating systems. They are all good, just in different ways.

[Foaly7]

Good point there. Vista & Mac have better graphics, XP is fastest, 7 is probably more secure, & Ubuntu is best in price. (FREE!). I consider XP the best, because if you know where to go for software, it can do anything the other systems can. And almost better.

[Williz]

No Its a downgrade to crapness...Vista is much better so long as you know how to optimize it and have the right harware...

[TheRealDutchOwner]

Vista on 500 TB + 1 TB DDR300 memory Graphics card, 6TB DRR500 RAM and a 3000GHZ 256-Core 512-Bits PC wouldn't even handle Vista, IT SUCKS.

[elel302]

Vista = Low capability, RAM eater, annoying UAC, you can't play old games :(, no 16bit support.
When Microsoft released Vista sales for Mac went higher.
I upgraded from Vista to XP! WOO!

[vidfreakfido13]

Actually most computers run much cleaner and much quicker with Xp and Hey If you're obssesed with Vista's looks just get Style XP

[VIPER2475]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Upgrade-To-Windows-Vista-%3a-For-FREE/

[VIPER2475]

Vista runs poorly at best on medium to low class laptops. That what this guide is mainly for. Yes, when I had Vista loaded I went through several Vista optimization guides and it barely had any effect.

[!Andrew_Modder!]

well ya vista is better in some ways and worse in some ways (also for what you do on your pc, like game, video edit,etc) and ya you definatly need better hardware to run it smoothly, but still XP runs faster.

[techboy411]

You DownGrading cuz vista is higher than xp so you go down a notch

[PCfreak]

well for starters its not really an upgrade its more like a downgrade

if your switching from vista to xp its a down grade not an upgrade

[Madrias357]

Only thing Vista was good for was upgrading to Windows 7 Home Premium.

[jimfaker]

Oh, come on. You know that's not true. It was also good for upgrading to Windows 7 Ultimate.

[Madrias357]

Let me rephrase it a little: Vista was only good for upgrading to Windows 7.