# Has anyone fired Vista?



## Brian N.E Ohio (May 11, 2002)

I have been shopping for a new laptop lately. I had discussions with the Firedog people and the Geek Squad people about buying a Vista laptop and having a new hard drive installed with XP loaded on it.

They both told me it would be either extremely difficult or impossible to do. It seems that they are not writing XP drivers for the new computers.


So I'm curious, is any one successfully running XP on a computer that originally came with Vista?


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## mikellmikell (Nov 9, 2005)

Some video drivers are hard to get we converted a couple but we just sent 20 notebooks back because they had Vista on them. We ordered XP but the sales rep thought we really wanted Vista. Then they wanted a re stocking fee so I just cancelled the PO and told them they could come and pick them up. Still fighting them but Tiger Direct delivered 20 notebooks with XP in less than 48 hours. I have 20 notebooks still in the boxes stacked in my office since December.

mikell


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## Dutchie (Mar 14, 2003)

I bought a new laptop a few months ago and immediately had Vista nuked and XP re-installed without any problems. While it is true that only the Vista Po (or whatever they call it) has the drivers for XP, any competent techie can downgrade your computer. I paid $60 to have that done ...... using the XP copy of my old computer.

Sounds like your biggest problem is to find a computer person who knows what he/she is doing.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

I'd try not to hire Vista in the first place. Course if I ever bought a computer for my own use with any windows installed, I would make a ghost image of the windows partition to dvd, then reformat the hardrive and install linux. I'd then save the windows partition image to restore in the case that I ever wanted to sell the computer.

As others have stated, if you are wanting to change operating systems, you just have to do the research to find whether the operating system you want to install supports your hardware. Just like many people had to give up win98 cause drivers werent being written and security holes were no longer being plugged. Eventually XP will suffer the same fate. The nice thing is Vista is causing lot of decent used hardware to come onto the market cheap for those of us that want to use linux. Thanks M$.


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## Brian N.E Ohio (May 11, 2002)

HermitJohn said:


> The nice thing is Vista is causing lot of decent used hardware to come onto the market cheap for those of us that want to use linux. Thanks M$.



Hello HermitJohn,
My linux project is still in the works. My new modem hasent arrived yet. The laptop will be a present for my wife and to give me access to a highspeed connection at the library. I have to many large downloads to lined up to try to get on dial up.
I still want to have a windows machine available to me either as a stand alone or as a dual boot system.

I will give Tiger Direct some consideration, or maybe ebay. All the new machines around here are Vista.


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

IBM and Dell still sell new XP systems - and IBM has great deals on off-lease systems with XP Pro. 



Brian N.E Ohio said:


> I will give Tiger Direct some consideration, or maybe ebay. All the new machines around here are Vista.


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## MeanDean (Apr 16, 2002)

Almost wonder if the title of the thread shouldn't read "_has anyone 'fired-upon' Vista?_"

I mean, I don't wanna call it a pig - as I hold such animals in higher regard than said operating system.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

Maybe it depends on the brand of the computer? I called HP to order a new computer and requested to have XP instead of Vista. I was told that it's impossible to do that. I'm looking for parts to redo my old computer and keep it until the poor think rusts away. I've used Vista and I hate it. I want to keep XP for as long as possible.

After reading this thread I'll be looking for a Dell or IBM. *Anything* that will run XP preferable to using Vista.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Here is link to pricewatch.com list of laptops w/OS: http://www.pricewatch.com/notebooks_with_os/

They also have list of laptops w/o OS though dont know that you save anything much.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

I have downgraded a few vista system machines to XP for friends with no trouble. Two I had trouble with and had to call in a favor from an I.T. administrator I know. Many people buy these high dollar laptops then uy a $100 XP O/S downgrade. Makes me wonder if microsoft created vista just to increase XP o/s sales.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Spinner said:


> After reading this thread I'll be looking for a Dell or IBM. *Anything* that will run XP preferable to using Vista.


Dell & IBM machines are different animals. You don't want an IBM, the have proprietary features that can be a real pain. Stick with generic hardware, which Dell happens to be.

Many of us remember when XP came out. It was ridden with bugs that made it unstable. Worse yet, Microsoft released XP before the end of the beta period, so many hardware vendors weren't prepared to provide drivers. In reality, the release of XP was a bigger mess than Vista.

But like with XP, expect a service pack to eventually be made available that will make Vista tenable. In the meantime, paying customers will continue to beta test Vista.


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## rufus (May 25, 2006)

Not sure why one would want to downgrade to XP. I have had Vista installed for over a year and haven't had a lick of trouble.


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

Yes, IBM machines do have some proprietary features - power supplies, some motherboards etc. I know that some of the Dells had proprietary power supplies not long ago - not sure now.

I've been an IBM customer since way back in the early P3 days - NetVistas, ThinkCenters, ThinkPads and even the X-series servers. I will say this : it is almost impossible to beat the quality and the support of the IBM business class systems - they are rock solid. Some of the HP business class systems are very nice as well. 

My only gripe with the IBM and HP business class computers is/was the price - crazy expensive. IBM and HP prices have become more competitive lately.

IMO, those off-lease $200 IBM ThinkCenters with XP Pro are perhaps the best value out there.



Nevada said:


> Dell & IBM machines are different animals. You don't want an IBM, the have proprietary features that can be a real pain. Stick with generic hardware, which Dell happens to be.


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## Helix (May 13, 2002)

Keep in mind that at some point Microsoft will stop supporting XP. That means if you find something goofy going on and there's not already a fix or upgrade available, you're not going to see one.

This link is a little confusing, but does give the end of support dates for their different products:
Microsoft End of Support table


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## Brian N.E Ohio (May 11, 2002)

Helix said:


> Keep in mind that at some point Microsoft will stop supporting XP. [/URL]


It really chaps my hide when I think about my hardware outlasting my soft ware. 

I am in the process of converting to linux. I like the idea of software that I wont feel guilty about fooling with if I want to. Not having to spend several hundred dollars every few years replacing software.
I never considered IBM before because they arenât carried in the local electronics stores, but I will.

Ebay looks like fertile hunting grounds also.

Thanks all.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

OntarioMan said:


> Yes, IBM machines do have some proprietary features - power supplies, some motherboards etc.


I was referring to a proprietary BIOS that plays no good on IBM owners. I used to have a thinkpad and got fed-up with the native Windows installation so I tried to install a generic copy of Windoes, but it choked before the install even began. The message was clear; it would only accept the IBM version of Windows.

No thanks...


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## TonyE (Aug 1, 2007)

At first there was nothing more I wanted than to fire windows Vista... but after a while, I got use to the bad smell! :bash:


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## MeanDean (Apr 16, 2002)

Yes, XP is on its way to the junk heap like other MS operating systems.

If only Dell would give me an Ubuntu option ...

... oh wait, they do ... but am I still getting charged extra $$ for MSFT OEM licensing?


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## TonyE (Aug 1, 2007)

MeanDean said:


> Yes, XP is on its way to the junk heap like other MS operating systems.
> 
> If only Dell would give me an Ubuntu option ...



_*That seems like a nice ideaâ¦but I donât think Mr. Gates will approve of that! * _


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