CAN I KILL WINDOWS VISTA???

[Volatile Rob]

Howdy All,

Just bought a new laptop for my new shop, but it is running MS Vista.

As I'm not the most intelligent person with computers these days, what can i do to get rid of it and load up Windows XP?

The HDD is also partitioned into two halves. One half for the Vista OS and the other for everything else.

If I do a straight format, will these drives become one again?

And how do I do a format when it wont give me a C: Prompt to do it from???

Cheers anyone if they can help

Rob
Volatile Customs
www.volatilecustoms.com

[Macca]

chuck winxp into cd drive, make sure lappie is booting to cd. Go from there, make sure u do a full format including deleting the partitions.

[ben351]

what ever you do dont let Owain touch your laptop !!!!

[Muppet_Guy]

Make sure you can get XP drivers for the laptop hardware before you wipe it too. Some newer laptops hardware only comes with vista drivers nowadays...

[Muppet_Guy]

Alternatively, you can just wait for SP1, same thing really :)

http://www.bbspot.com/News/2007/09/microsoft-reveals-windows-vista-sp1-will-install-xp.html

:lol:

[Wilko]

Why you want to get rid of Vista in the first place?

[gazza750]

Why you want to get rid of Vista in the first place?

coz its a crap o/s

LINUX FTW

[Lonewolf]

yes, check that you can actually get drivers for the laptop.
drop in cd, when it asks where to install, delete both partitions, and create a new one. It should automatically take up the maximum space (format with ntfs [quick]), then go from there

[Fryman]

or you could let it implode on its on devices and then go from there?

[Fryman]

and for GODS SAKES TURN THE USER ACCESS CONTROLS OFF.

boxes popping up every 2 minutes asking you if yoiu want to delete files is god damn annoying.

search google forit

[Wilko]

coz its a crap o/s
Care to explain why? Its not perfect but neither is XP, I certainly wouldnt be downgrading to XP. The problems I see people having with Vista are:
1. mainly to do with lack of driver support by peripheral manufacturers,
2. programs not being compatible with Vista yet - although majority of programs have updates available now
3. systems having low specs, ie. people who buy vista for the sake of having the latest thing, and installing it on their 3yo machine only to find it runs like crap, or buying the <$1500 specials from Hardley Normals.

[zeroyon]

3. systems having low specs, ie. people who buy vista for the sake of having the latest thing, and installing it on their 3yo machine only to find it runs like crap, or buying the <$1500 specials from Hardley Normals.

I got a T7500 dual core and it runs vista slower then XP on my single core laptop.

Vista will be a good thing in 6 - 12 months time when the hardware catchs up. Like any new OS it sucks to begin with.

I think people have a right to complain, they shouldn't be loading low end or even mid spec machines with vista and not giving you the option to have XP. Microsoft shoving it down your throat.

[kirbo]

If you want to do it proparly and legally:

1. Install windows XP Pro using any XP key.
2. When asked to activate, activate via the telephone.
3. Contact microsoft using the given number and speak with an operator.
4. State you have a right to downgrade to XP. They'll ask for your Vista key and from there they'll generate a legitimate XP pro key.

[Lonewolf]

correct, downgrade key can be used, have done this before.

office 2007 also has the same functionality in some cases, we're using it for businesses where they want to continue with 2003.

[Niva]

If the lappy came with vista im sure its capeable of runing it with atleast the settings turned down, if i was you id stay with vista and just download service pack 1. As a whole Vista is far superior to XP in just about every way.. its just a fact.

[Volatile Rob]

Cheers for the responses guys.

Main reason for getting rid of vista is that it sucks up my RAM and HDD space. Just to install it is 12gb!!! Thats a fair whack of my 120gb HDD!

Second reason is that it wont run FC Datalogit which I use for tuning and real time diagnostics in my car.

Third reason is that its just too different to use than XP and I'm too lazy to get used to it.

My old PC running an AMD Athalon 2ghz with 512mb ram and XP runs quicker than the new laptop which is Core 2 Duo 1.73ghz & 1gb RAM.

I've found some XP drivers for it to get it going again after the format... I'm gonna give it a go tonight.

Rob

[Niva]

second reason is worth it i guess.. you shouldnt have any problems booting from an xp disc and deleting both partions then formatting the left space.

not surprising that xp runs faster on your old machine, 1gig for vista just isnt enough! currently using 2 gig and even that can get sloppy and thats with an overclocked e6400.


to save time im sure could just take the pc back to were u got it and let them do it for you, maybe say u asked for xp int he first place, never know they might not charge you.

[Volatile Rob]

Howdy All,

I called ASUS who is the manufacturer of my laptop and they sent me out a windows XP recovery disc, XP drivers disc and detailed instructions.

Followed the instructions and within 3 hours, Vista was gone, XP moved in and my laptop is running sweet!

Rob
Volatile Customs - Perth, WA

[kirbo]

Good to know Rob.

If you want to further increase your laptops performance, do some googling on "speedup XP". Rule #1, remove all manufacturer software you dont use. I too have an asus. Like most brand name laptops; they pre-load soo much cpu hungry rubbish its not funny. Good luck with it.

[confuzion]

yeah they load heaps crap on there
btw do "speedup xp" now hehe

[tuyen]

If the lappy came with vista im sure its capeable of runing it with atleast the settings turned down, if i was you id stay with vista and just download service pack 1. As a whole Vista is far superior to XP in just about every way.. its just a fact.

not the case dude. i worked at DELL for a while, vista loaded even on entry model laptops (celeron cpu with 512mb ram). runs like poo even with all enchancements turned off. Even these days, entry models which include 1gb ram and centrino cpus, still runs like poo compared to xp. PC manufacturers know this fact too but thing is Microsoft have made deals with them to push the sale of vista on every new pc sold.

in my opinion, vista sucks unless u got nerd spec PC :P

[Niva]

vista is a better os.. but sure its gonna run like crap with a celeron and 512.. i mean thats just stupid. service pack 1 should bring some much needed performance boosts for the lower and higher end systems.

[Remix]

Try removing all the vista theme shit.

[shibby]

everytime i go to install a program
it says contact your admin,
ffs, cant do shit!!

[Lonewolf]

turn off user access control