Windows downgrade (in Off-topic)

Ok, techies out there I need help.

Trying to downgrade from Vista to XP on my new laptop.
I put in the disc but the install option is greyed out, why? what do I need to do first? uninstall Vista? if so, how?

CD's in, that the first step. Restart computer, BIOS, make sure boot from CD is set. Then, restart again, it should boot from CD afterwards. Then you need to partition the hard drive to make it empty, then you should be able to "Install XP".

As far as i know, at least that's how i do it when i format my computer, haven't done vista in a while.

As far as I know only the OEM editions qualify for a downgrade, so if you purchased a new PC with either Business or Ultimate preinstalled you're not going to be able to "officially" downgrade.

Thanks, sounds fairly complicated so I wont beat myself up for not knowing :P

First, you have to boot from the cd, you change a bios option to do this. (When the computer first starts up you should see a screen with the manufacturer's logo, click the button they tell you to there until you find change boot order, then put cd above hard drive and restart.)

If you have a Serial ATA hard drive on your laptop, you'll have some trouble because you need to get the drivers for xp, and need either a floppy drive, and a floppy disc with the drivers you need, or you'll need to do something fancy by reburning your own windows xp cd that already has the drivers on it (I've tried this, and have yet to figure out how to do it properly so I gave up).

basically vista suxs... try it again in another year or 2

yeah im skipping Vista all together and wait for windows 7. That is at least 64 bit standard.

go to Blacksmith, then disenchant....

If it's an HP or a Dell laptop and it's from a business line, call the vendor and ask for an XP rollback disc.
We've been rolling back all our HPs at the office here. We called them up and asked for it and they sent it out free of charge.
As GB said, you have to have the right OEM version for your key to work etc.

Either that or you wipe everything out and hope for the best. The problem with that approach is that there are no XP drivers for some of the newer kit.

Right, it's a Toshiba Satellite A210-1C0.
I tried small's version, might have done it wrong but was unable to access my wireless drivers anyway.
May have to just 'trust' Vista

Get the drivers with vista installed, then try again (Put it on a flash drive). Or goto the library or somewhere to download the drivers to a flash drive and then see if it works.

Or is it that you just can't find them?

ugh******cough******cough********torrents******cough****ugh******

The drivers are on the install disk, don't currently have a flash drive so will have to wait

You should be able to find them on the internet somewhere, the Hardwares website by chance?

Wireless drivers wont work so can't download them, housemates wouldn't be pleased me cutting them off.

Gotcha, i thought maybe you had the option of possibly getting connected to the router directly to maybe download it.

Zog, the only way you can officially downgrade your PC is to have a copy of XP. Then reformat your OS partition and install fresh.

If you want to save some stuff on your hard drive, you should get a program called "Partition Magic" and split your hard drive into 2, o or 3 partitions; then you can fit all your data you want to save on a separate drive, and reformat just the OS.

Then you can save the wireless drivers on the 2nd half, =)

Brendan, I already have a copy of XP hence trying the downgrade. It just doesn't seem to recognize any of my hardware which is a pain.
I'll either need to partition the partition in order to keep Vista until I transfer the drivers or try small's USB idea