Windows 7: Installing Windows XP on Windows 7 - Incompatibility Issues

If you don't backup your files they could be erased during the XP install!
Please go out and buy an external hard drive or a large USB stick (although using a USB stick for regular backups is not recommended - but it will do in a pinch).

Do you have more than one drive letter on the laptop? (in W7 - like C: , D: , E: )

My guess is that the disk you are attempting to install XP from is actually just a disk to be used to install SP1 on a computer that already has XP installed on it.

You will need an XP install disk with valid Product Key AND a floppy disk with the required SATA controller drivers for your mobo in order to successfully install XP on your computer. If you don't have all 3 of the items above you will not be successful. Additionally, you will need other XP compatible drivers for the mobo such as for the chipset, sound, video, LAN, wifi, etc...

Truthfully, you would be better off sticking with Win 7. Support for XP is dwindling and, if your computer is a newer model, XP drivers may be difficult to find.

I just noticed in your specs that you are currently running 64-bit Win 7. You will need the 64-bit version of XP as well as 64-bit drivers which may prove even more difficult to find. You could install 32-bit XP but then you will lose the use of some of your 6G of RAM.

I think it is full XP install disk; the screenshot in original post shows that file winnt32.exe (XP installer) is the one not able to run.

Well I'm surprised. Lenovo has all the drivers for XP (32 bit) for the 575:
Drivers and software - IdeaPad Z575 Notebook

But I have to point out that this whole idea is kinda nuts. You are going to be hamstringing that laptop big time. I wish you would reconsider.

Have you considered the benefits of a dual boot installation?
Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

Check to see if the Windows 7 is installed in UEFI mode.
As Lenovo have been using UEFI for some years, x32 will not install in UEFI mode.

You will not be able to install XP w/ SP1 on modern hardware. You need and XP CD with SP3 to have a fighting chance. This was specified in the first sentence of my first post in the thread.

Thank you Kari for explaining that a shutdown to prevent damage to the PC is in fact a crash if not a BSOD. It also has always meant in the past that the XP CD needs SATA drivers.

We once dealt with these daily here, then weekly and now less than monthly. XP is fading into the ether and is really too old to run on modern hardware unless you virtualize it.

Oh! You need to switch your SATA mode to IDE mode. I bet it's currently in AHCI mode. This is what happens to me when I put my XP disc in my computer: if I switch to IDE mode, then it's fine. If I leave it in AHCI mode, then I get the same thing you're getting.

The SATA mode has to be switched in the BIOS. If your laptop doesn't allow you to switch the SATA mode over to IDE mode, then you're out of luck.


Edit: Oh, I just noticed that I'm not the only one who said this. I apologize. I didn't have time to carefully read all of the replies since my last post. I only had time to look for Gregrs's replies.

NO need to reset BIOS from SATA to IDE, just the add Sata Conroller Drivers at F6.

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

Floppy discs are not available nowadays, and the floppy drives are not present in most of the recent machines.

Yeah, and this is a very modern laptop we're working with here (look at the CPU to see how new it is).

Can it be done with a USB flash drive?