Vista How do I make it like XP?
- Thread starter Santilli
- Start date
ddrueding
Fixture
1. Download the relevant XP drivers for the laptop and burn them to a CD
2. Erase the hard drive and install XP
3. Install the drivers onto the machine
Simple
2. Erase the hard drive and install XP
3. Install the drivers onto the machine
Simple
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Also, send back the Inspiron and demand a proper notebook instead of a POS.
ddrueding
Fixture
Well, when XP came out, and MS wasn't entirely evil, they had a way to make most of it look like 2000. When Vista came out, and MS was entirely evil, they didn't. The only way I know to make Vista look like XP is the above method. And I don't mind Inspiron laptops; they are cheaper than everything they are inferior to (IBM ThinkPad, Dell Lattitude). That gives them a place.
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
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Handruin: This is an incredible POS for a computer. I feel like shooting it.
I can't get the simplest functions to work, like connecting to the internet...
It totally deserves the comments above, and, I'd never have bought this POS for anyone but a serious enemy...
I can't get the simplest functions to work, like connecting to the internet...
It totally deserves the comments above, and, I'd never have bought this POS for anyone but a serious enemy...
Santilli
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I love Dell. I just looked at their website, and, getting XP Pro, what, a 10 year old OS, is 150 dollar charge over and above Vista...
How would I know if the drivers were even going to work with XP?
My answer is either get rid of it, or, I wonder if the Windows 7 Beta would work on it????
How would I know if the drivers were even going to work with XP?
My answer is either get rid of it, or, I wonder if the Windows 7 Beta would work on it????
The Inspiron is the economy/consumer line basically for housewives and students right? I haven't heard a lot of positive stuff on them really, most of the fora I circulate in knows better. I think if you are going dell you want Latitude at a minimum or the stupid expensive waste of money XPS line. I am satisfied that at work for our new Latitude D630's we were allowed to stay with XP.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Or, like, ask me nicely for one of the dozens of legit XP licenses I've acquired over the years...
Dell is basically charging you $100 to downgrade a copy of Vista Business to XP, over and above the cost of Vista Business on its own. More power to them. They're getting the money for it. Lenovo wants $75 for the same thing, but that's exactly the same price they want for a copy of Vista Business in the first place.
As far as I know, they're the only two major OEMs that are still offering XP upgrades at all.
Chewy509
Wotty wot wot.
HP still offers the downgrade/upgrade option, but only for the business range of laptops.
AFAIK, Microsoft lets Vista Business users or above "downgrade" to XP Professional. You need to have, or have access to an XP install disk and know what type it is (OEM, Retail, VLK). Ring MS, give them the Vista key and they should give you an XP Key to suit the XP disk type. Has this changed?
ddrueding
Fixture
Nope. Home Premium, Business Premium, and Ultimate IIRC support this. Hence my earlier post.
According to here:
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...cbd-699b0c164182/royaltyoemreferencesheet.pdf
OEM Vista Business & Premium only qualify for downgrade rights
and according to here:
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...9d-4996-b198-7b9d3fe15611/downgrade_chart.doc
Retail purchased copies (any version) do not qualify.
Licences purchased through/with Software Assurance (any version) do.
Open License and Select License copies of Vista qualify (all versions).
Santilli
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How many poor souls actually bought this POS?
It's really scary.
Plus, I can't get rid of the bull?
Anyway, I have a legit copy of XP Pro, and, I just offered to load it on to the computer, as I have Windows 7, which is WAY faster then Vista.
Oddly, the guy that bought her the computer is not playing nice, and, won't listen to your, and my suggestions.
Considering his intelligence, it's truly scary that worst buy, The Geek stooges, Dell, and company, could actually pass this POS off as being a good value, knowing that Vista is sunseting, it's so bad.
It's really scary.
Plus, I can't get rid of the bull?
Anyway, I have a legit copy of XP Pro, and, I just offered to load it on to the computer, as I have Windows 7, which is WAY faster then Vista.
Oddly, the guy that bought her the computer is not playing nice, and, won't listen to your, and my suggestions.
Considering his intelligence, it's truly scary that worst buy, The Geek stooges, Dell, and company, could actually pass this POS off as being a good value, knowing that Vista is sunseting, it's so bad.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
... and by "Premium" you meant Ultimate, right? Because no Home Version of Windows has ever had downgrade rights.
I can't say I've ever installed a retail copy of Vista Business, but I am shocked that it's not covered for downgrade. I didn't realize that.
Ultimate -- yes. My bad.
I didn't realise a retail (FPP) version of Vista Business wasn't either.
Santilli
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More progress. Windows 7 runs, and, is somewhat able to be setup on this computer.
I tried XP, but, it apparently doesn't have a SATA driver,so it doesn't see the drive, and, I don't know what or where to get that driver.
More work then I want to do. Going back to Vista...
I tried XP, but, it apparently doesn't have a SATA driver,so it doesn't see the drive, and, I don't know what or where to get that driver.
More work then I want to do. Going back to Vista...
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
You probably just need a newer install CD. SP2+ has drivers for most SATA drives on standard southbridge SATA controllers, unless the drive is in AHCI or RAID mode, in which case you'll have to slipstream an install disc to include the drivers or else load a textmode driver off a floppy.
ddrueding
Fixture
I found that going into the BIOS and setting it to "legacy" or "compatibility" mode allowed XP installs without slipstreamed drivers for all but that really annoying period when the SATA ports were on an expansion card.
Does that option even exist in a typical notebook BIOS? I was able to install XP in a notebook with an SATA drive, but it was a 2008 model notebook. The main problem is usually finding XP drivers for all the integrated components. Sometimes you have to hack the video drivers for example.
ddrueding
Fixture
I am just finishing a Vista-XP upgrade as we speak. The SATA ports were in AHCI mode and not detected by the XP SP3 CD. After switching them to "compatibility mode", it worked fine. I downloaded the Intel file called "AllNetworkAdapterDrivers_13_5.zip" and installed that. That got the NIC working and windows update took care of the rest without any hassle.
Santilli
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This just keeps getting better and better. Since the computer was bought through Best Buy, Dell no longer provides warranty, or tech support on it.
I called Best Buy, and, they want 80 dollars to go through why the wireless isn't working. For all they know it could have been just the switch was off on the side of the computer, but, 80 dollars. Just amazing.
I called Best Buy, and, they want 80 dollars to go through why the wireless isn't working. For all they know it could have been just the switch was off on the side of the computer, but, 80 dollars. Just amazing.
Fushigi
Storage Is My Life
Dells bought through Best Buy never had a Dell warranty. BB is the warranty provider. That's a dirty little secret that neither Dell nor BB makes much mention of.
And while $80 may seem steep, what is your flat fee for working on a tech problem? Microsoft is something like $249. IBM doesn't do flat fee service; it's something like $225 an hour, 2 hour minimum, labor only. $80 would feel like a ripoff if it was only the switch on the side (in which case the shop should really do it no charge as a good will gesture). However, if it took seven hours to diagnose & fix then it'd be quite the bargain.
And while $80 may seem steep, what is your flat fee for working on a tech problem? Microsoft is something like $249. IBM doesn't do flat fee service; it's something like $225 an hour, 2 hour minimum, labor only. $80 would feel like a ripoff if it was only the switch on the side (in which case the shop should really do it no charge as a good will gesture). However, if it took seven hours to diagnose & fix then it'd be quite the bargain.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
The last Latitude I looked at, the physical switch to turn wireless on and off was broken, but I could turn it on and off in the BIOS.
Given that your PC is an Inspiron, the antenna might just completely suck, or you may have been trying to use a form of encryption (WPA2, perhaps?) that your PC doesn't support. Or maybe you were using a wireless frequency with a great deal of interference, and resetting your AP switched it to a less noisy channel.
Given that your PC is an Inspiron, the antenna might just completely suck, or you may have been trying to use a form of encryption (WPA2, perhaps?) that your PC doesn't support. Or maybe you were using a wireless frequency with a great deal of interference, and resetting your AP switched it to a less noisy channel.
timwhit
Hairy Aussie
$80 is pretty standard if not below market rates. When I worked at a tech shop in 2000, our minimum rate was $59. Given this is 9 years later, it doesn't seem very bad.
If you brought your car to the dealership what would the minimum fee be there?
If you brought your car to the dealership what would the minimum fee be there?
Fushigi
Storage Is My Life
Car dealers are pretty much by the hour & not flat rate. They also tend to bill in half hour increments. The ones I've seen lately are $96-110 an hour so $48+ minimum charge.
Exceptions exist for things like oil changes where they have to compete with the corner shops, but even non-dealers will charge comparable hourly rates for given procedures. There are manuals that describe how many labor hours doing certain things should take and pretty much everyone uses those guidelines.
Also, car repair "labor" rates include shop profit, rent, tools, other supplies, and a bunch of other things in addition to what the mechanic actually gets paid. In that regard PC repair isn't much different. The labor rate includes the cost of tools, facility, and other things above whatever the Geek Squad dude or dudette is making.
Santilli
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I CALLED them. This was going to be them talking me through what it could possibly be, not actually working on the machine, or coming out.
It appears Mercutio hit it. I had turned on one of the settings for security on my router.
Filter Internet NAT Redirection
And, when I went back to default settings, that was the only thing that changed.
I would also like to figure out what all the event log errors are, but, ...
It appears Mercutio hit it. I had turned on one of the settings for security on my router.
Filter Internet NAT Redirection
And, when I went back to default settings, that was the only thing that changed.
I would also like to figure out what all the event log errors are, but, ...
Santilli
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Also ran my first script to correct a event error on startup.
Does User Account Control do anything worth anything?
Santilli
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Santilli
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Quick update. I have managed to tune Vista so I've got it somewhat working, and looking like XP PRO.
The wireless on this Dell works great, now, running nearly 10 MB/sec.
WD drive, 5400 rpm, is faster then my 7200 rpm seagate. Sata Vs. IDE, and, different generations, this by about 20%.
The wireless on this Dell works great, now, running nearly 10 MB/sec.
WD drive, 5400 rpm, is faster then my 7200 rpm seagate. Sata Vs. IDE, and, different generations, this by about 20%.
If you want to make windows XP look like windows 7:
http://lifehacker.com/5156634/make-windows-xp-look-like-windows-7-no-hacking-required
http://lifehacker.com/5156634/make-windows-xp-look-like-windows-7-no-hacking-required
How scan you possibly compare IDE vs SATA drives in one notebook?
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
I can put both in my Thinkpad T or R series notebooks, thanks to the magic of the Ultrabay.
If you can't you obviously need a better notebook.
I wish I could find a "better" notebook, but those are probably too large. IDE drives are uselessly obsolete now.