Vista Issues

[Twinblade]

I have Vista home premium installed on my new machine, and since getting it up and running I have had endless amounts of problems with it.

So far, it wont take my broadband installation disc, so cannot install broadband on it, its not even recognising it when I download the drivers from my old machine, and copy them across on a CD.

I cannot install the drivers for the mobo (however, resolved this now) or the graphics card (downloaded the latest patch, and copied across, and it now recognises the graphics card). However, it still doesnt recognise the card when I put the disc in.

Question is. If I uninstall Vista, and then install windows XP, then add all the sortware needed from the broadband setup disc, and mobo/graphics card disc, can I then upgrade to Vista without losing all the drivers etc...

Also, whats the easiest way to uninstall and install XP? Im not good with all this technical stuff so want it as simple as possible if you will.

Can I just enter the BIOS, and change the boot options and put the CD drive before the HDD, so that when I switch the machine on it will boot from the XP boot disc rather than straight into Vista?

Once in, can I then just install XP? Or do I need to reformat my HDD before exiting the BIOS?

 

[Twinblade]

Dirtydog.

I am using BT for my broadband and have their delightful homehub. The installation CD isnt Vista compatible, or the pre January version, which I have isnt anyway. I have tried to sort the problem by using an ethernet cable straight from the hub to my machine but nothing. It recongises the new hardware when I tried downloading the USB driver from the website and copying it across, and using the USB connector provided with the homehub, but still no success.

What is your graphics make/model?

I have the XFX Geforce 8800GTS 320mb model. Downloaded the latest driver from the website, and when I stick the disc in, It says its not recognised as an nvidia driver.

If you uninstall vista..... you will loose vista alltogeter if you install XP unless you are duel booting...If it is the upgrade edition yes you can upgrade from XP but you will still need the Vista drivers.

Thats what I feared, still, XP can be modded enough these days, so shouldnt be a problem, and once the Vista issues have been resolved I can then reinstall it I guess.

You can install XP if you have 2 partitions or 2 hard drives. In my opinion stick with XP for now because your not a technicial user. Your going to run in many problems from now on because of this. Hope this helps and sorry if I can't help you further. If you have any more questions then you can just reply to the forum thread.

I dont have any partitions set up on my HDD, and I only have 1 of them, and not sure I fully understand this dual booting thingy.

So think I should just change the BIOS setting to boot from DVD rather than HDD when I get home, and then install XP.

Whats the easiest way to clear Vista from my HDD so that I can install XP?

 

[Twinblade]

Use the ethernet side of the homehub?... therefor no driver is needed except the ethernet driver which nvidia should supply with the motehrboard driver.[/QUOTE}

I have tried this, but for some reason it isnt doing anything. Completely stumped. Works fine on my other system, but thats running XP, and has all the installation details installed.

yeh xp can be modded, but how much knowledge do you have of modding xp?...

Personally, I dont. But they have some good programs available that can do this, I have a nice skin on my old system using Windows Blinds.

ok you may want to read up on duel booting it will be a good thing for you as its both xp/vista system. You can select which os you want.

I will have a scout around, and read up on it, see what it offers. Not really sure I want a dual boot set up though.

Set the bios to boot from CD/DVD first. Boot from the XP disk... and install/ full format.

Thats my plan for this evening, until Vista is sorted, I shall remain an XP user.

Thanks for the assistance.

 

[Twinblade]

Are you getting the Broadband and Internet lights on? (broadband stays on continually, internet should flicker when you browse/download.
The data light will come on once it detects the network lead in your computer.

The Homehub works fine. All the relevant lights are on, even the data light comes on. I have all the relevant drivers etc installed on my system for the motherboard, downloaded from asus.

If I read your post correctly, you had the home hub working in XP with usb?
Why usb, use the ethernet cable instead, less resource hungry than usb, and quicker.

I dont use the USB cable at all in my other machine. That is running off the ethernet cable. I only mentioned the USB cable, and tried it because the USB drives were the only downloadable ones from the BT resources section that I could find. I have as previously mentioned, plugged the ethernet cable into my new PC, and it does sod all. Drivers installed for mobo and everything.

 

[Twinblade]

The device manager shows nic working properly yes. I have tried turning off the hub/pc before attaching the ethernet cable to the new PC and I have tried it without, but still nothing.

Its looking more and more likely that I will be using XP again until I fully grasp this dual booting mallarchy.