Vista Downdgrade To XP - Is It Really This Simple?
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Yesterday I received a link from a client of mine asking if it was really this easy to downgrade from Vista down to XP. The link took me to a InformationWeek article, they had a slide show presentation [see below] of just 5 slides showing the ease in which to complete the task. I must admit it did appear at first glance that what was being presented would work. Or would it?
Though the process was easy, insert your XP CD, boot, a format, and a call to Microsoft to get a activation number, it made me wonder just how many people have actually done this? Not only have done this, but actually were successful in completing the task by follow these simple directions?
I guess I’m just being overly caustious since I like to be prepared just in case something happens. It is hard to believe that anything would happen because installing Windows is 100% fool proof. Right, and the earth is flat. But I think I personally would want to do the following BEFORE trying a downgrade.
First, I’d call Microsoft and confirm that they will really give me a activation key when I downgrade. I don’t want to be sitting with a system in which I can’t active XP because of some type of legal licensing quirk that is specific to me or my machine, while the entire universe moves on in a different direction.
Second I would make sure that whether I had Vista disks or Vista installed on another partition that these were going to work as well. You’ve never had bad disks? Have you ever tried calling a OEM or Microsoft and getting replacements disks sent to you? Good luck on this one. How about if the partition in which Vista is installed is corrupt? What than? It would be nice if we lived in paradise where in everything worked just peachy keen, but I have experienced to many bad happenings to trust Windows.
Third, and this is a big must, I’d check on the manufacturers site and see if in fact all of my hardware is supported by the correct XP drivers. I don’t want to be sitting with XP on my box without sound, because of a lack of drivers. Just another thought.
But what do you think? Am I being way to cautious and should we throw caution to the wind? Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead! 
Comments welcome.
InfomationWeek slides are here.
[tags]vista, windows, xp, downgrade, disks, partition, drivers, oem, format, install, [/tags]
5 Comments
Don Naphen
February 16th, 2008
at 10:40am
Hey Ron, ya forgot about that bridge in NYC for sale! LOL Seriously though, I also question the ease (and authenticity) of any article that makes an attempt to show ANYTHING Microsoft has as simple. A complete system backup, preferably on removable media or external hd, is a must “just in case” the author or that presentation was popping some illegal substance!
If one really prefers one OS to another, then simply do a disk format and install it. I gave up on the notion of running a dual-boot system after asking myself: “Why?”. A few years ago I did run dual-boot (98SE & Win2K) using separate internal hard drives. I realized after setting everything up, that I was using the Win2K all the time. Same goes with an XP/Vista setup. One will eventually use one or the other most, if not all the time. It’s almost like trading in your old car for a newer model, and then going back to the dealership to pay the old clunker a visit! The gist of this is: one upgrades to a newer OS for a reason, be it voluntary, or in my case: no choice with the new Gateway.
Hope I didn’t drift too far from the main thread Ron, but the XP vs Vista seems to be going on forever. I do like the added security features of Vista, and am looking forward to the SP1 when it comes out in another month or so. I’ve learned to “learn” the new features and some of the lame name changes to make it work. Now, I honestly don’t know if I’d be willing to take the big step backward and spend hours getting this pc to like XP. AND of course, you mentioned drivers and new hardware in ones’ system, so it’s not just a 5-step slideshow!
Ron Schenone
February 16th, 2008
at 3:50pm
Hi Don,
If Vista works for you, use it. That is the bottom line.
GiM
February 21st, 2008
at 12:23pm
Hi Ron,
I do not believe that you can buy a licence from M$, and doubt you can use it… Did you verify before birth that you will find oxigen when outside?
If you buy a licence, and if they like to have you on line to be able to use it, then they must be on the other end of the line. DOT! Up to the end of their lifes.
If they like to change this, quite easy to let you know what other options you have to be able to use the product without to have you on line…
Else, we must call for Superman…
At this moment I believe I’ll stick with XP for the next 5 years at least. I’m not crazy to escalade the hardware just to have access to internet and my emails, to be able to use Vista. And I have other 2 laptops with P133, with Yahoo 7.5 messanger, with only 16MB ram, working nice. The only concern was to have the Yahoo installer on hdd.
GiM
February 21st, 2008
at 2:13pm
I forgot, these old laptops have Windows 95 OSR2.
GiM
March 14th, 2008
at 10:10pm
Me again… Just found that a very big corporation (more than 20.000 users in US and at least once oversea) migrate now from Win 2K to… Win XP Pro. Considering the Micro$oft will close the licensing season for XP in few months, it was about time…