Solved Replacing Vista OS with an XP OS

skeezix

Member
  • I have a Windows computer that came with a MS Vista OS installed. I would like to replace the Vista OS with a MS XP OS. Can I do that and if so, do I need to do anything to the computer (like low-level formatting) before I install Windows XP?
The computer is a model HP a64f and I'm thinking about it so I can install and run CorelDraw 12 on it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Windows Vista SP2 32-bit Home Premium
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP a6400f
    Memory
    3 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 27-inch
    Screen Resolution
    1080
    Hard Drives
    500 GB Internal
    Internet Speed
    Not connected

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium 64 bit SP2
    Manufacturer/Model
    Cyberpower
    CPU
    Intel Quad CPU Q6700 2.67 GHZ
    Motherboard
    NVIDIA 780i
    Memory
    4 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    MSI GTX 560 TI Twin Frozr
    Sound Card
    Sound Blaster SB Audigy
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Viewsonic VG2436
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080p
    Hard Drives
    Samsung HD 105SI WDC WD20
    Case
    Apevia XJupiter
    Cooling
    air
    Mouse
    Logitech MX 600
    Keyboard
    Logitech MX 3200
    Internet Speed
    30 Mbps
Downgrading from Vista to XP was once a popular idea because Vista was never very popular. Googling “downgrade from vista to xp” returns a bewildering number of results. I never downgraded myself, but chose to stick with Vista until the bitter end. Do you have a Windows XP product key?

The computer is a model HP a64f and I'm thinking about it so I can install and run CorelDraw 12 on it.
According to your posted “My Computer” information, the computer is a model hp a6400f. This might explain why neither wither 3 nor ranchhand in your Bleeping Computer thread was able to find your model. If I remember correctly, your Vista installation has had corruption that could not be fixed by sfc /scannow for a very long time, so a clean install of something is not a bad idea if the hardware is still in good working order. Here’s a sad thought: Your CorelDraw 12 installation CD might very well be corrupt by now. ☹️ Nothing lasts forever.

I believe you have a Windows 10 PC, so it might be much, much simpler to get yourself some recent software for drawing.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x86 SP2
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion Elite m9150f
    CPU
    Intel Q6600
    Memory
    3 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
>>I believe you have a Windows 10 PC, so it might be much, much simpler to get yourself some recent software for drawing.<<

I could do that but I've worked with CorelDraw for many years, and learning something like LibreDraw and OpenOffice Draw to the point where I become as proficient as I am with CorelDraw would take several months. So... I've given up on loading XP on the Vista drive because it would entail downloading a lot of drivers, and only God knows what else might be packed into those drivers.

Now I'm in the process of reinstalling, or rather recovering my Vista installation.

>>Do you have a Windows XP product key?<<

I thought I did, but I'm having problems locating it right now. I do have a DVD with what I need to do a Reinstallation operation, and I used that to do a Reinstallation of Vista on the C: drive. In 2018 I also made a set of 3 DVDs that are labeled "Recovery".
I'll try those next to see if I can get an absolutely clean install of Vista.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Windows Vista SP2 32-bit Home Premium
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP a6400f
    Memory
    3 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 27-inch
    Screen Resolution
    1080
    Hard Drives
    500 GB Internal
    Internet Speed
    Not connected
The first thing I would do is run sfc /scannow from an elevated command prompt.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x86 SP2
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion Elite m9150f
    CPU
    Intel Q6600
    Memory
    3 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
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