Vista to XP Home

About 2 weeks ago I borrowed by friends Vista install disk to try it out on my computer. It was alright except for the fact that my hardware wouldn't let me do things like use the movie maker. And it ran slower than XP. But that's totally understandable considering my computer specs.

So I figured I would just install XP again and there wouldn't be any issues. But after my procrasination the "trial" period ran out. So the computer will boot up but it when it gets to the log in screen it asks for me to purchase Vista ( I don't want to ) and if I click cancel it restarts the computer.

So I put in the XP CD and reboot the computer and I boot from the disc.

Get as far as the User's Agreement and after that it asks me to insert the disc. And my only options are to Retry locating the disk, or cancel installation.

I'm assuming it has something to do with "downgrading" the OS.

I don't know, but I have a disabled computer right now.

Maybe you guys could help me improve my predicament?

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I work down at the BK Lounge...

You'll need to use a working computer to download and burn The Ultimate Boot CD (found in our hand tools section). Use it to boot up and format your hard drive.

If the issue is that XP sees Vista and that is causing the problem, this will eliminate Vista from the equation.

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A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer. ~Bruce Lee

There are files on my hard-drive that i need to keep. Won't formatting my hard drive erase everything?

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I work down at the BK Lounge...

Yes, formatting your disk will erase everything. For future reference you can not DOWNGRADE the OS. Only upgrade, and only then if you have an appropriate license.
So what you're going to need to do is download a Linux boot cd (I recommend Knoppix) and burn it on a working computer. Then boot the computer and use the linux side of things to burn backup copies of your data, or if you have an external drive you can copy the files to that instead of burning a disk. Then do as Cryptoboats said and reformat your disk and install XP.

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Agreed. And I second Knoppix. Just get yon data on other media and reformat, and if you want to try your luck with vista again, might I suggest a second HDD or a blank partition and dual boot. That way up/down grades will not be an issue.

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"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."-Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."-Ken Olson, founder of DEC, 1977.

Ok. I have a second hard drive thats on the computer and the OS is on the first hard drive. Can I just move everything thats on the first hard drive that I need like my documents and pictures? then reformat my first hard drive?

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I work down at the BK Lounge...

Yes you can.

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A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer. ~Bruce Lee

In fact you can load windows on the other drive. Map to the vista HDD and move them that way too.

__________________
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."-Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."-Ken Olson, founder of DEC, 1977.

how do i put windows xp on the other drive? without erasing everything?

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I work down at the BK Lounge...

Ooo. Didn't realize you already have things on the drive. In that case I'd go back to using knoppix to transfer all your data to one drive and reload the other.

__________________
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."-Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."-Ken Olson, founder of DEC, 1977.