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Subject

Author

Date

Vista

c&j

04-25-2008

- Bobb -

John Doue

Jerry

John Doue

Barry Watzman

Barry Watzman

Dave

Barry Watzman

Barry Watzman

G.G.Willikers

Posted by Barry Watzman on April 27, 2008, 12:34 pm

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Strictly speaking, you are correct, but in almost every case, at the
moment, XP drivers for pretty much everything in pretty much every
laptop do exist. The problem is finding them.

Jerry wrote:

> There's no guarantee that the OP will be able to find the XP drivers he

> needs, especially for a Compaq laptop.

Posted by Barry Watzman on April 27, 2008, 12:32 pm

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I'll go further and suggest that it's best to experiment on a totally
spare hard drive.

John Doue wrote:

> - Bobb - wrote:

>>> Hi,

>>> I have a Compaq C700 Presario laptop which came bundled with Vista. I

>>> want to downgrade it to XP Professional. Can anyone tell me how to do

>>> this? Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

>>>

>>> TIA

>>> klyjak

>> You're definitely not the first to want to do it, so read this note

>> from HP's website first:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01092639&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=3641211

>> "If you have already downgraded your computer from Vista to Windows

>> XP, you have probably discovered that your PC does not work properly.

>> You may have noticed that features like sound, DVD, or the webcam on

>> your new PC have stopped working. You are probably wondering where you

>> can find the right XP drivers. HP does NOT provide XP-compatible

>> drivers for PCs that were designed exclusively for Vista."

>> If you call them for help they will say - insert DVD #1 and boot -

>> reinstall Vista.

>> I know you came here looking an easy help, and you can certainly

>> install a store-bought version of XP and hope, BUT if it shipped with

>> Vista, as far as HP ( all OEM's ? ) is concerned - you're on your

>> own. Especially for laptops - where it's all onboard - I think you'll

>> have issues as the company isn't going to write drivers for any

>> version of software that they don't support. Why would they spend

>> their time doing so ? Having said that ... look in device mgr to

>> see what exactly you have ( a RealTek 1234 NIC , Nvidia 2345 video

>> etc) Then look for similiar model PCs at compaq.com and see if same

>> devices - XP drivers online for THAT device ( the Realtek 1234 etc).

>> That's still not a promise that the drivers WILL work, depending upon

>> what changed, but that's how to start. Worst case you'll restore Vista

>> - SO make sure you have made Vista restore DVD's FIRST. Actually I'd

>> spend the $20 and BUY Vista 'Full install' DVD's from HP site in case

>> anything ever goes

>> wrong with hard drive or if you wipe the restore partition while

>> installing full XP etc.

>> http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html?pageDisplay=drivers

>> To order - have it 'detect your model' then click on parts info /

>> manuals in left margin to get a full list of components ( While you're

>> there ... maybe download all manuals / parts info etc if it's a rainy

>> day - for future reference.) Click on part number for the DVD's for info.

>> Or enter your model # here:

http://partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/main?sel_flg=pmhier&oid=3641208&ISO_country=us

>> Good luck and let us know how it goes.

> All this is good advice. I will add, before your do anything, save your

> present drivers (using for instance Driver Genius). Then, after

> installing XP, using driver genius again to help you find the necessary

> drivers, and check http://www.driveragent.com/.

> well worth the price.

> At any rate, don't get intimidated by the hard work ahead of you, once

> you have succeed (I am convinced you will), you will have a much better

> machine.

> Regards

Posted by Dave on April 26, 2008, 4:00 am

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- Bobb - wrote:

>> Hi,

>> I have a Compaq C700 Presario laptop which came bundled with Vista. I

>> want to downgrade it to XP Professional. Can anyone tell me how to do

>> this? Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

>> TIA

>> klyjak

> You're definitely not the first to want to do it, so read this note from

> HP's website first:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01092639&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=3641211

> "If you have already downgraded your computer from Vista to Windows XP,

> you have probably discovered that your PC does not work properly. You

> may have noticed that features like sound, DVD, or the webcam on your

> new PC have stopped working. You are probably wondering where you can

> find the right XP drivers. HP does NOT provide XP-compatible drivers for

> PCs that were designed exclusively for Vista."

> If you call them for help they will say - insert DVD #1 and boot -

> reinstall Vista.

> I know you came here looking an easy help, and you can certainly install

> a store-bought version of XP and hope, BUT if it shipped with Vista, as

> far as HP ( all OEM's ? ) is concerned - you're on your own. Especially

> for laptops - where it's all onboard - I think you'll have issues as the

> company isn't going to write drivers for any version of software that

> they don't support. Why would they spend their time doing so ?

I have a Sony Vaio VGN-SZ4XWN/C laptop and Sony have now released XP
drivers. Initially the support site said they would not be releasing XP
drivers, but I guess enough people asked them, they had little choice.

I've no idea if Sony are doing this with all models (this is a fairly
expensive model which cost £1620 in the UK, or around $3200).

I've installed Solaris x86 on mine, and have everything working except
the camera and fingerprint reader.

Posted by Barry Watzman on April 27, 2008, 12:31 pm

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Bobb .....

Everything you say is correct, and your good post is well worth reading.

THAT SAID, whether HP publishes the drivers or not, supports it or not,
the drivers needed ALMOST ALWAYS do exist (not necessarily from HP, but
"they are out there"). The problem is finding them.

I have done this for a number of laptops over the years. I have always
succeeded, but the time required to work out the support for an OS that
the manufacturer does not support is significant, ranging from at least
8-16 hours to as much as 80 hours.

And, unfortunately, if the drivers are not available from the
manufacturer, finding them is WAY beyond the capability of someone is
not truly knowledgeable about computer hardware and software.

- Bobb - wrote:

>> Hi,

>> I have a Compaq C700 Presario laptop which came bundled with Vista. I

>> want to downgrade it to XP Professional. Can anyone tell me how to do

>> this? Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

>> TIA

>> klyjak

> You're definitely not the first to want to do it, so read this note from

> HP's website first:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01092639&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=3641211

> "If you have already downgraded your computer from Vista to Windows XP,

> you have probably discovered that your PC does not work properly. You

> may have noticed that features like sound, DVD, or the webcam on your

> new PC have stopped working. You are probably wondering where you can

> find the right XP drivers. HP does NOT provide XP-compatible drivers for

> PCs that were designed exclusively for Vista."

> If you call them for help they will say - insert DVD #1 and boot -

> reinstall Vista.

> I know you came here looking an easy help, and you can certainly install

> a store-bought version of XP and hope, BUT if it shipped with Vista, as

> far as HP ( all OEM's ? ) is concerned - you're on your own. Especially

> for laptops - where it's all onboard - I think you'll have issues as the

> company isn't going to write drivers for any version of software that

> they don't support. Why would they spend their time doing so ? Having

> said that ... look in device mgr to see what exactly you have ( a

> RealTek 1234 NIC , Nvidia 2345 video etc) Then look for similiar model

> PCs at compaq.com and see if same devices - XP drivers online for THAT

> device ( the Realtek 1234 etc). That's still not a promise that the

> drivers WILL work, depending upon what changed, but that's how to start.

> Worst case you'll restore Vista - SO make sure you have made Vista

> restore DVD's FIRST. Actually I'd spend the $20 and BUY Vista 'Full

> install' DVD's from HP site in case anything ever goes

> wrong with hard drive or if you wipe the restore partition while

> installing full XP etc.

> http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html?pageDisplay=drivers

> To order - have it 'detect your model' then click on parts info /

> manuals in left margin to get a full list of components ( While you're

> there ... maybe download all manuals / parts info etc if it's a rainy

> day - for future reference.) Click on part number for the DVD's for info.

> Or enter your model # here:

http://partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/main?sel_flg=pmhier&oid=3641208&ISO_country=us

> Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Posted by Barry Watzman on April 27, 2008, 12:27 pm

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You have to do a total install from scratch.

Before you do that, right click on the start button and select "Classic"
start menu, then "customize" it. Vista has settings (this one and
quite a few more) that make it as friendly as XP or even 98. But they
are not well known and they are scattered all over the place.

c&j wrote:

> Hi,

> I have a Compaq C700 Presario laptop which came bundled with Vista. I want

> to downgrade it to XP Professional. Can anyone tell me how to do this? Any

> help would be greatly appreciated :)

> TIA

> klyjak

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