I’m currently taking a UCLA extension class in C#/.net, and as promised, they handed each of us a copy of Windows XP last night.
I own a notebook that runs the Vista Home OS, but would like to have it running XP instead. Like so many others, I don’t like Vista very much, but what will happen if I install XP on this notebook? Will existing MS Office documents and programs still work as before? There is also another user of this computer, and she sometimes has used MS Works to create documents. Will MS Works and those documents also continue to work?
Will I have to re-install any other software, for example Visual Studio 2000 and SQL Server, which I just recently installed not without some time and effort?
I don’t know how easy it is to replace one operating system with the other, however, the change in operating system should not affect documents created in any other programs. To be safe, you should back up your work to disk or CD or other external storage device (i.e., flash drive). You may have to reinstall some programs, but the data created with those programs should be unaffected.
I’m pretty sure you’ll have to reinstall everything - some versions of Vista come with built in options to downgrade to XP, but that’s not what you’re describing here. Depending on how you proceed, and how the laptop is currently set up, you might be able to keep your documents on the machine, but I don’t think there’s going to be any reliable way to downgrade and keep the applications in place and functioning.
I think you’re looking at pretty much a complete wipe and reinstall of the hard drive.
If you have all the install media and licence keys for the apps, then they should reinstall on XP afterwards without much fuss.
I’ve actually been thinking of doing this for awhile. I got an external HD to store apps and such that I want, but what about things like the built in webcam. I can’t imagine why my computer wouldn’t recognize it, but it’s not like it came with separate drivers. I have an older, student copy of XP Pro. Should things like my camera (and built in SD card reader, etc) still work if I don’t have separate software for them?
I don’t think Vista is horrible, but about the only thing I’ve been able to find that it does better is that when you click to rename a file, it highlights only the filename, not the extension. I don’t think I’m keeping it for that.
As long as you’re able to do a clean install (full format of your system partition), you shouldn’t have any problems.
Vista doesn’t fuck with your documents to my knowledge, I dual-boot XP and Vista and share many types of files between them.
I can’t imagine these continuing to work unless the software directories are fully contained (Visual Studio isn’t, don’t know about SQL server) and they are on a separate partition.
Some of the file types used by the most recent versions of Microsoft non-OS products are not compatible with prior versions. There was a bit of an uproar over this as MS dropped some demos around that helpfully converted a user’s documents to these formats… meaning that if you didn’t like the new version and went back to the old version your files had become unreadable.
I’d recommend buying some blank CDs, burning the files you want to keep, wiping the HDD, and starting fresh and new. Much of the wasted effort involved in getting things installed under Vista is due to the cumbersome security model. It will probably seem easy to reinstall your programs under XP, by comparison.
I guess it’s not clear to me why you need to install XP at all. Is there some software in the course that will only run in XP? If that’s the case, is there any way for you to run the software in Vista? Frankly, if you wipe out Vista and install XP, that will require reinstalls of Vista apps that may or may not work in XP.
You might have a problem installing XP if drivers aren’t available for some of the hardware on the system. You can look on the manufacturer’s website to see if drivers are available for everything.
Wiping out Vista and replacing it with XP is a good thing. Vista is crap. Your only issue is that there might be hardware installed that you’ll have to go hunting for XP drivers to run.
I use Vista on both my desktop and laptop and it’s really not as bad as many people put it out to be. There’s several minor changes that I like and find useful, mostly the enhanced and easier network settings.
I’ve actually found the opposite to be true. With the possible exception of some cutting edge video hardware, I doubt there is ANYTHING out there that has Vista drivers, but not XP. Even most new laptops come with the option to get them with XP, so they should have the XP drivers on their website. On the other hand…my HP scanner I bought in 2003 not only does NOT have Vista drivers (and no, the XP drivers won’t do it) but their site says that they will NEVER release vista drivers, and instead link me to buy links for a new, vista-compatible scanner. Go to hell HP, I’m never buying another piece of hardware from you ever again! Also, there aren’t any vista-compatible drivers for my Gameboy Advance flash cable, and since the makers no longer exist, there probably won’t ever be. And I hear that Palm still hasn’t made Vista drivers/software for their Centro…which came out 3 months ago! I remember Creative Labs also dragged their feet on getting fully working drivers for my Audigy Platinum.
Sorry, MS but I stick with the OS that works with my stuff!
I see and I understand. I just bought a new computer and the default was Vista. I elected to go with XP instead. If you have equivalent software (and their installation discs) that will run in XP as they did in Vista, then go for it. The data should be usable in either OS. It’s getting all the software to work. That was another reason why I went with XP. I didn’t want to fork over any money for updated software.