There is no way to downgrade. You need to do a clean installation ofXP.
Ken, Perry, all...
If I may, yes one can install XP in a system to replace Vista and yes
it does need to be a clean install. But one also has to take into
consideration the following and this is based on some work I had done
this past week.
While one can do the clean install with any version of XP, it is best
if the PC in question is a later model and that the copy of XP be SP2.
One can do this with SP1a but this will cause all sorts of problems,
Not the least of which is that there may not be a recognition of some
of the basic devices [this is especially true if one has 2 wireless
controllers on same]. This is what I went through with a Compaq
Presario laptop and I had to run the installation twice so that items
beyond the mouse and basic video drivers could be seen.
Speaking of the drivers, there is something else to consider. VIsta
drivers can run under XP SP2. Yes you read that one right, it can be
done. Using the above referenced Presario as an example, the last
revision of the drivers from the mfgr, in this case HP/Compaq will run
and there are no problems with them. Video, Direct-X, Audio....they
all work. In some cases, you may need to contact the company and ask
them for a listing of where they keep some even MORE RECENTLY updated
drivers uploaded. [In the case of the Presario V6310us, they are now
up on the 'buried from the general public' FTP site and I can send
that listing to anyone who has a similar issue with this system]. Once
you have those, you will be good to go.
By the by, this is not to put down MS, but Vista in its current
incarnation still has major issues that more than likely be remediated
when a new service pack is released and the higher-ups commit a public
mea culpa about the conflicts. Plus, the version of SP2 of XP that is
out now is the most stable and is a good alternative if someone wants
to utilize same.
RheaPDX
