by Jade Stephen

Created on: April 29, 2008

When considering downgrading from Microsoft Windows Vista to Microsoft Windows Xp there are many tricky things that must be considered. The first and probably the hardest thing to get around is that Vista does not allow the user to simply put an xp disk in and allow for an downgrade. The second issue is that most computer providers such as HP will not allow their customers to take this action without voiding their warranty. Once you have found your way around these issues there is still the issue of finding the correct drivers for your system. It may sound very easy just to revert back to XP with Microsoft quickly backing down to public pressure and extending support for the O/S until 2010, however that still does not make it a small task.

Though it is true that Microsoft has finally conceded that some will not give up their old version of XP for the revamped Vista, that does not mean they intend to make it easy for you to switch. The largest issue is that once Vista is on your system it wants to stay. Windows XP can not be installed over a copy of Vista, and in order to do this you must completely erase the operating system. To do this you can simply insert an XP disk and follow the setup after you reset your computer, however if you were to choose this path you will not only lose your data, but also any software that was made available to you at the time of purchase to the manufacturer. If this does not seem like a large issue for you, simply choose the option to format your hard drive and install a fresh version of XP, but be prepared for the consequences.

The next challenge in installing XP over Vista is that the drivers available for Vista are not necessarily available for XP. In the year that Vista has been released many companies have released hardware that can only be used in that O/S. When contacting a manufacturer you will quickly find that they are not interested in helping you once the original OEM system has been removed as they did not provide it and will quickly void your warrenty. If you continue to question them on this you will soon find that many systems only have one set of drivers which are not backwards compatible. The best bet when searching for your new drivers is to search the manufacturer's website and try and locate a driver. If none is available find out the maker of the specific device and check their website (i.e. check with Samsung instead of HP). If none is available there, you may be out of luck. The next best step is to either concede and go back to Vista or to locate a driver on google that may suit your needs.

Learn more about this author, Jade Stephen.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.