No, you cannot install Windows XP over Windows Vista. You would need to perform a clean install of XP which requires reformatting the hard drive.

I read that as "I don't want 'Visa'", hee.
Guess I'm still a little groggy.:)

EJ is that something easy to do? Should I get the Geek Squad to help me out? This is going to be a new desktop machine.

Is there a reason that you're attached to this particular computer? I mean, I feel sure that somebody will sell you a computer with XP on it, and there's no sense in paying a premium for something you don't plan to use.

If you've got a floppy on the machine, go to www.bootdisk.com and get a windows 98 boot floppy.

Boot from that (you may have to go into setup and tell it to boot from the a: drive, google for more info) format (erase) the c drive, then put in the xp cd and reboot, select a full installation.

If you bought xp, tech support will walk you through it with or without a floppy.

Everytime someone erases Vista, another angel gets his wings.

Preaching to the choir, I know, but ugh, Vista. Vista turns your machine from a Computer to a Windows Authorized Media Device. Basically, it goes from being a box you own and control to being a box owned by someone else with a window through which you can watch things, like a little kid on tippy-toes peeping through the window of a store he's not allowed inside.

why the preference for xp over vista?

Because Vista has been sneaking from my liquor cabinet and putting water in the bottles to cover his tracks, duh. Besides, 2000 is just fine for most of what you want to do anyway.

Ok here's the background:

The new machine is for my Dad, who has stroke dementia and is unable to trouble shoot when things get wonky; he lives 5 hours from me and my sister, who usually help him when he has problems.

So we wanted to get him a machine (I guess it doesn't have to be a Dell, necessarily) that my sister or I could log onto remotely to see his desktop and help him from here. So we're thinking let's go with XP because,

A) it has the remote login feature*, and
B) I have heard nothing good about Vista at all, and we don't want to complicate an already complicated situation.

* Would it be cheaper to just get something like PCAnywhere than to go to full blown Vista Ultimate Edition (which Dell just tried to sell me?) It looks like we'd have to go with either business or ultimate to get the remote login ability.

And StickyCarpet - interesting workaround - I may go with that. Does it affect things like Word and Excel?

Nah, XP Pro will let you do that. Google 'remote desktop conection".

Gah. Vista. A family friend bought a comp with it on there, they frequently had me come fix random problems with their computers when they had Windows 98 and then XP. So anyway they had a problem with something not working and I have no idea what they or Vista had done, but the frigging thing wouldn't let me do anything. Finally I told them not to bother me with it anymore, just take it somewhere and get it fixed. I had already told them that I would build them a new computer and reinstall XP on there for them and I advised against getting Vista at LEAST until it was out long enough for the worst issues to be worked out. But it is new and shiny so they just had to get it anyway.

XP does everything I need it to do and has less of the bullshit than Vista has. Even XP is a pita every time you upgrade some components and the frakking thing wants you to call MS. I haven't installed my new HD yet because I know XP will cry about it again and it pisses me off every time I have to call just to use software that I paid for. The warez kids are the smart ones, not giving MS a dime. I had thought I would wait on Vista as long as possible, but screw it. I will _never_ buy another MS OS.

If it reaches the point where for one reason or another XP is no longer useful for an online computer because of no support or whatever, I will just use some flavor of free OS. Stuff like Ubuntu is getting to the point where you can find alternatives to most NEEDED Windows stuff and there are emulators that will let you play Windows-only games and other applications as well.

I am not going to mess with it right now, but when I get around to fully upgrading my system in a month or three I am going to buy a new case as well so I can use both computers and install Ubuntu on the old one so I can start familiarizing myself with it.

Some machines are being produced now with hardware for which only native Vista drivers have been certified. Vista is a significant change "under the hood" in terms of the driver model, in a number of areas, and not all video and sound hardware is going to be supported with backwardly compatible XP style drivers. So, manufacturers may not have certified XP solutions on all hardware bundles they sell.

One of the contributors to b3ta.com on Vista. heh.

I dunno about your budget, but I think that a small-business class PC from someone like Lenovo (name brand, not oriented to gamers, good phone support) would get the job done nicely. XP Pro is still available. Buy an AMD rather than and Intel based system - they're quieter and much more energy effecient (ok, and faster too, but this ain't a race)

Directron has a candidate for $720

This comment brought to you from a Vista machine that I am growing to like, despite the consensus of the peanut gallery

Dell sells some of their Dimension-series machines without Windows pre-installed and calls them its "N-series". Go
here to check them out. I suppose you could buy the machine and install WinXP on it if you wish.

I read that as "I don't want 'Visa'", hee.
Guess I'm still a little groggy.:)
posted by hadjiboy 07 April | 10:20

Yesterday I told my boss if I was going to make the trip to China I'd need to get a vista. Damn you Microsoft!

Oooooooooo I went with a refurbed desktop & monitor w/ XP for $475!!!! I got the 1 year warranty on the box also for $45. THe monitor's easy enough to replace if it blows up. Thanks peeps!

I just bought a surplus brand-new laptop that's got ready-to-setup Vista on it, and I'm relishing that I'll blow the Vista installation away putting Ubuntu on there instead. I guess I just don't like Steve Ballmer very much, although he's fun to watch when he's doin' the chimpanzee at developers' pep rallies.