Win 7 to XP problems

GregI

GregI

GregI

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Got my new Sony laptop (VPCEB1S0E) today and want to stick XP on it. I grab my XP Pro SP2 CD and boot from CD. When "Windows is starting..." pops up I get an error. Kind of like a BSOD. I tried 3 different XP CD's so it is not bad discs. I then reboot into Win 7 and tinker around. I tried to run setup.exe but "Install Windows XP" is blanked out and then I did something else in Win 7 and it was avilable but then I get this.

capturesv.png


What else can I do to downgrade? I don't need to transfer any files etc.
 
Allready tried running as Admin.

The XP CD's crash right before I can get to the format option so I guess I will need to download say a Windows 7 setup CD to even get a format option? The restore thing on F8 did nothing.
 
GregI said:
How would I format the disk? I am guessing it's in that system repair menu when I hit F8 on startup?
Click to expand...

Choose: To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER.

Agree to EULA

Delete current partition.

Press ENTER to install XP on the now unpartitioned space.

Choose to format the new partition in NTFS


*Ah, you can't get to it :/
 
Do you want to dual boot 7 and XP or remove 7 and put XP on?

I know it isn't what you have asked specifically, but if its the latter can I ask, why? If its due to familiarity, given you have bought an expensive new Sony laptop with (I imagine) modern hardware, can I suggest you at least give 7 a go, it really is an excellent operating system.

If you need XP for some other reason then you will need to get rid of 7 first I believe. You can format the HDD using the XP setup program, so you will need to set the laptop to boot from the optical drive in the BIOS (if it isnt already, restart with the XP disc in to see) and then when it says "press any key to boot from CD" do so.

bearing in mind, you will lose all data on the disk and may actually invalidate your Sony warranty (some companies are very picky when it comes to deleting the standard OS), so check this too.

Once you have XP on, if you want to dual boot, you can then re-install 7 (assuming Sony have given you a standard installation disc) and choose to dual boot. You install 7 in the same way (restart with the optical drive set as first boot device and the disc in the drive)
 
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Remove 7 and stick XP on.

Reason being familiarity and for college. I need to log stuff for college such as setting up a static IP on XP and showing a windows 7 set up is gonna look weird when screenshotting etc.

I allready did the boot from CD thing, this is how I knew about the errors. That was the first thing I did actually.

Sony seem to have stuck a separate partition for recovery with Win 7 on so if XP does fail I can start loving Windows 7 after my course is completed.

capture1e.png


That seems a weird setup though? Shouldn't the recovery partition be on say the D: drive?

Just to be safe how can I create a recovery disc to recover the factory shipped applications/OS like pressing F8 at boot up will do? I see these options inside Windows 7 -

"Create a system image"
"Create a system repair disc"
"Create a new, full backup"
 
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I'm guessing you didnt get any standard windows 7 media with the laptop?

Many laptop manufacturers are doing this now, they set aside a portion of the drive that only their recovery software can access. Some (like Acer) let you burn recovery DVDs, I don't know about Sony.

However, if you remove that partition, you may remove the ability to ever recover your system back to a nicer Windows 7 setup (aside from downloading an OEM disc from MS and OEM customising it yourself to recognise your Sony's BIOS).

TBH i'd stick it out with Windows 7, install Windows XP compatability mode (google for it, its effectively a free download of XP that runs in a VM within Windows 7), although the hardware will be generic VM fodder, you should be able to do everything you need for your course, without having to downgrade your OS to one thta wont even take advantage of your graphics card properly (its a nice new ati mobility i see), be a shame to loose the latest DX support etc.
 
Suppose I might just need to use VM for XP. I don't even think the drivers for the laptop are compatible with XP. It also sucks that the ATI display drivers are pretty weird. I cannot use mainstream Mobility ATI drivers.

Edit - Ugh. A brick wall now. Tried to get XP mode.

"You are not eligible to download Windows XP Mode. You must have Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate to run Windows XP Mode."
 
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I grab a Win 7 Pro CD and format the 455GB parititon and then run XP, it still errors out before I can get to the format window. I then delete the 455 GB partition using the Win 7 CD and XP errors again. The only thing I can think of is the recovery partition is conflicting now. Would this work?

1. Delete the whole recovery partition.
2. Install XP on say 250GB.
3. Insert recovery disks and create recovery partition again on the C drive and allow the approxy 235GB or so left for a dual boot for 7?
 
Alternatively, go down the VM route still, seeing as you have a legit XP license.

Windows virtual PC is still free for all OSs above XP, so grab it from here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...22-6EB8-4A09-A7F7-F6C7A1F000B5&displaylang=en install it, then it'll basically give you a blank virtual pc within Windows 7, which you can then use to install your copy of XP onto (it'll literally be like installing XP on a blank computer). The difference is you just won't get quite the integration of using XP mode within 7.

Apologies about XP mode, I hadn't realised MS didn't allow Home Premium users to use it.

It's going to be a far easier solution than potentially losing the ability to restore your laptop fully to factory standards, should you ever want to.

EDIT: Arghh sorry, MS have now blocked Virtual PC on Windows 7. Given you can't use XP compatibility mode, I don't know what they suggest you do..

Ok, my suggestion then if VMWare Player! http://www.vmware.com/products/player/ same idea (and still free afaik) but it should work under Windows 7!
 
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Get a copy of the Gparted Live CD, boot from it and delete the Windows 7 install and format the drive in NTFS, then try booting from your XP CD and see if it will install..
 
OK I deleted the recovery partition and only thing left on disk is the 455GB unallocated space and XP still errors out.

My last hope is this Gparted CD.

Edit - OK even if Gparted can format and stuff it seems downgrading is impossible due to driver issues.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324103

That is the error code I get. It's not obviously a boot sector virus so it must be a device driver issue which XP just does not have support for. I am going to try and download the 64 bit SP3 XP ISO from MSDN and see if that still corrupts. If it does I am out of luck.
 
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Honestly, re-install Windows 7 from your recovery discs, and get hold of VMPlayer, then just use that to install Windows XP for your course. I just tried it under 7 and it works perfectly (got the installation phase, didn't go any further)

Your laptop is new, so will support proper virtualization, so things won't be too slow. VMPlayer even supports 3D acceleration and things (albeit i probably wouldn't game with it!)
 
I am restoring Windows 7 atm but once it is all up and running I will try your suggestion. Are you thinking that AHCI is too new for XP? I will probably use VMWare for XP anyway. I just want to figure out why XP is not installing for my own knowledge.

I was surprised at how many processes are running on 7 at factory default. Mines was at 93 processes and using 25% physical memory while XP settles at about 23 processes after a clean install. Gotta uninstall all that unneeded Vaio software I think.

I can get Windows 7 Profesisonal free from MSDN (32 and 64 bit). Might aswell grab that and then I have the option of using XP mode and none of that Vaio software.
 
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GregI said:
I am restoring Windows 7 atm but once it is all up and running I will try your suggestion. Are you thinking that AHCI is too new for XP? I will probably use VMWare for XP anyway. I just want to figure out why XP is not installing for my own knowledge.

I was surprised at how many processes are running on 7 at factory default. Mines was at 93 processes and using 25% physical memory while XP settles at about 23 processes after a clean install. Gotta uninstall all that unneeded Vaio software I think.

I can get Windows 7 Profesisonal free from MSDN (32 and 64 bit). Might aswell grab that and then I have the option of using XP mode.
Click to expand...

Don't compare the amount of mem usage and processes from Windows 7 to XP, it operates under a totally different model, think more "use what's there until something else needs it" rather than XPs "use as little as possible until the user demands it". Ultimately the 7/Vista model provides a smoother and more functional environment to the user with only a tiny bit of overhead as memory is freed up for other programs usage.

You'll grow to like Windows 7, I'm sure of it. Especially given the specs of your hardware it will be a really quick and slick OS. Try and get into the gestural window manipulation (admittedly stolen from Gnome etc.), "pulling" windows to make them float from maximised and then throwing them to the edge of the screen to maximise is SUCH a simple but useful idea its untrue.

Make sure you mess with VMWares settings a bit if you need a more powerful virtual machine, by default it only allocates 1GB of RAM and 1 CPU to the environment. Having said that, if you can get hold of the MSDN 64 bit copy of 7, then you might as well use XP Mode, its even easier as you can actually natively install apps through XP mode, they appear as though they are installed in Windows 7 directly, but then they effectively use Virtual PC as a compatibility layer.

I believe VMWare may give you more control over networking devices etc. though, which may be more useful for your course?

Good luck :)
 
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