Replace win 7 prem64bit w/XP Pro64bit

New guy here. I have a friend for whatever reason wants XP on a Win7 machine.
Step1. In order to get XP to install without blue death screen i had to switch ahci to ide.

step 2. When i get to the partition section of setup my c: drive shows up as 100mb MBR and the os sits on drive H: with 680GB. Drive i shows up as system recovery.

I tried loading a sata driver off a floppy for the HD but that didn't do anything. Setup screen was still same as step 2.

I went ahead and did install xp fully on drive H. It seems to be working ok.

Am i missing a step so that there is a traditional drive C and D partitions

HP 6727c Win 7 premium
amd sata hd

hope that im clear with explanation?

Thanks for any help.

First check for all the Win XP drivers for your hardware.
You can check your HP/compaq PC here:
General XP Downgrade Guide for HP Laptops - HP Support Forum
NOTE: Please read this thread fully.


If your Win XP CD, does not support your Sata Controller, you will need to load drivers to uses at F6.
Load Sata Controller drivers with a floppy disk is the best way.
SATA Drivers - Load in Windows XP Setup on Dual Boot
OR
SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD


Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

A bit more reading.
BCDEDIT - How to Use
System Restore Points - Stop XP Dual Boot Delete - Vista Forums

If he's really a friend, try working on the issue that's making him think a downgrade to a decade old, non-consumer-intended OS is the solution. Chances are...there's a better option.

theog said:

First check for all the Win XP drivers for your hardware.
You can check your HP/compaq PC here:
General XP Downgrade Guide for HP Laptops - HP Support Forum
NOTE: Please read this thread fully.


If your Win XP CD, does not support your Sata Controller, you will need to load drivers to uses at F6.
Load Sata Controller drivers with a floppy disk is the best way.
SATA Drivers - Load in Windows XP Setup on Dual Boot
OR
SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD


Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

A bit more reading.
BCDEDIT - How to Use
System Restore Points - Stop XP Dual Boot Delete - Vista Forums

Thanks for the help. I will start reading..

You don't need SATA drivers if it will see your HD and display partiitions during XP install as it did.

Why would you overwrite the Win7 partition with an XPired OS when you could dual boot if you had to have XP on a Win7 machine? Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

I hope you made your Recovery Disks as the Recovery Partition may not work now - try cueing it up from boot to see.

If it doesn't run then you can recover Recov partition and the 100mb Win7 boot partition which isn't needed either if you overwrote Win7.

gregrocker said:

You don't need SATA drivers if it will see your HD and display partiitions during XP install as it did.

Why would you overwrite the Win7 partition with an XPired OS when you could dual boot if you had to have XP on a Win7 machine? Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

I hope you made your Recovery Disks as the Recovery Partition may not work now - try cueing it up from boot to see.

If it doesn't run then you can recover Recov partition and the 100mb Win7 boot partition which isn't needed either if you overwrote Win7.

thanks for replying..

The recovery drive still works. The reason for switching is that my friend is 72 yrs old and has no inclination or desire to learn 7. anybody who has crazy old grandpas can understand. I think im going to try dual boot.


thanks very much.

gregrocker said:

You don't need SATA drivers if it will see your HD and display partiitions during XP install as it did.

Why would you overwrite the Win7 partition with an XPired OS when you could dual boot if you had to have XP on a Win7 machine? Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

I hope you made your Recovery Disks as the Recovery Partition may not work now - try cueing it up from boot to see.

If it doesn't run then you can recover Recov partition and the 100mb Win7 boot partition which isn't needed either if you overwrote Win7.

Greg,

Since the partition sees the hard drive do forsee as best you can, any problems with C: as 100mb /w 76mb free, H:680gb, and I: recovery drive. all items in deice manager seem to have drivers with exception to ATI SM bus. But ithink i found that driver.

Do you think dual boot would be better

Thanks for any thoughts

You don't need the 100mb System Reserved partition unless Win7 is installed. It should not have a drive letter.

You'll need to decide if you want to Dual Boot. If so we can help you shrink H to create a new Partition to install Win7 which will take the letter C, either first deleting the 100mb System Reserved (which places the Repair console on F8 Advanced Boot Options) or recreating it during Win7 install which should also create a Dual Boot menu.

There is a problem with XP having the H letter as many XP programs will only want to install upon C and you cannot allow anything to install upon the 100mb partition. So if you are not going to reinstall WIn7 with plans to recreate it's 100mb System Reserved partition, I would either delete it or remove it's drive letter in Disk Management. It's too late for XP to assume C so you might want to consider reinstalling XP whether you decide to Dual boot or not.

Let us now what you want to do. If you'll post back a screenshot of your maximized full Disk Mgmt drive map with listings, we can advise you better. Tap Print Screen key, then paste into Paint box, save file and attach with Paper Clip in Reply box...Screenshot with Paint

gregrocker said:

You don't need the 100mb System Reserved partition unless Win7 is installed. It should not have a drive letter.

You'll need to decide if you want to Dual Boot. If so we can help you shrink H to create a new Partition to install Win7 which will take the letter C, either first deleting the 100mb System Reserved (which places the Repair console on F8 Advanced Boot Options) or recreating it during Win7 install which should also create a Dual Boot menu.

There is a problem with XP having the H letter as many XP programs will only want to install upon C and you cannot allow anything to install upon the 100mb partition. So if you are not going to reinstall WIn7 with plans to recreate it's 100mb System Reserved partition, I would either delete it or remove it's drive letter in Disk Management. It's too late for XP to assume C so you might want to consider reinstalling XP whether you decide to Dual boot or not.

Let us now what you want to do. If you'll post back a screenshot of your maximized full Disk Mgmt drive map with listings, we can advise you better. Tap Print Screen key, then paste into Paint box, save file and attach with Paper Clip in Reply box here.
Screenshot with Paint

Thanks for you patience...

I attached two pics.

This is not at all what you described so far.

The screenshot shows a normal Win7 install, not XP on H with the 100mb on C.

Where is the XP install on H you've been describing?