I just got a new computer that came loaded with Vista. I'm trying to remove Vista to reinstall XP. My school offers a free download of Windows XP, but it is in an .exe format that extracts to a temporary file when run. My problem is creating the boot disc with those files on it, so I can start my computer from a CD and format the HD with Vista on it* - Any suggestions on how to go about this? *if that is even possible that is..
First of all, make sure that your computer is XP compatible. Some newer computers can't be loaded with XP. Go to the manufacturer website and check it out. Secondly- an .exe? That's strange. Download it and run it. It may just be a self-extracting file that you can then burn to a CD.
I found the temporary folder it extracts to - can I just put all of those files on a disc, or do I have to create a .img file?
Vista isn't bad if you have the hardware to support it. SP1 fixed many of the performance issues, but you need a fairly beefy machine to run it well. IIS 7 alone makes it all worth it for me.
Are you using the msdn univeristy thing? Those will just download the ISO file, and you can burn that onto a CD. Otherwise you have create the cd yourself. And you need to make sure it's bootable.
I'm not sure - it's a free download from my university with CD Key - but it downloads as .exe. Double click it and it extracts to a temporary folder, then runs XP startup. You think I can just copy the files to a cd and it'll run from boot? If I create the CD, how do I make sure it is bootable?
vista is really really good for up to date computers, keep up with the updates etc Vista Ultimate ftw.
If memory servers, you need to copy them as an ISO file - not just straight copy to a CD and run. You will need software like Nero to do so.
Ive got it running on three different machines here, two of them custom built by me. With the exception of the slower network transfer speeds (fixed in SP1), I havent found it to be bad in the first place. he only software compatibility problem I ran into was with the cursed PDF Creator. Granted, all three of mine are pretty powerful, two of them dualcores with 2G of RAM, but still...if it were so crappy, surely I would have run into issues by now.
It has to do with Microsoft being in bed with the big manufacturers. But some companies like Dell listen to their customers and went back to offering XP on most of their computers. Sony, on the other hand, is all about Vista. It's why you do your homework before you buy your computer. An easy way to check to see if your computer is XP compatible is to go to their website and check for drivers. If they offer XP drivers, it's XP compatible. Longtimefan- not sure what to tell you about the extracted files. You probably can't drop them on a CD it will be bootable. It's more complex than that. I would call the school help desk and see if they have an .iso file you can download from somewhere or just see if they can make you a disc that you can pick up.
I have had VISTA on a laptop since May of last year, and I haven't had a problem. I would assume that most peeps with VISTA problems are those that aren't patient, have a slow CPU/RAM laptop or computer, or a combination of both. Frustration kicks in at the sight of a problem. Hey, it's just my opinion... I could be wrong.
That's cool. I have heard that the big thing with Vista is the RAM. I have heard you need at least 2 GB to run Vista smoothly. Would you agree? Is there a recommended requirement you would put on any other hardware device?
