Cannot install Windows XP back onto a Win7 CPU

[justince]

I've recently wanted to change back to XP. However, anytime i pop in my XP disk and boot it from the bios, it blue screens me. It gets as far when its loading drivers and sort to the point it says in the grey bar, "Setup is loading Windows", and some how it bluescreens me (doesnt let me get to the option of formatting the drive), but the error is...odd. It says its pointing as the main directory as the F drive, not the C drive.

Help please, i really hope this harddrive isnt trashed for whatever reason.

 

[ddeen]

Would be more likely that your XP install CD is trashed. Make sure you go into bios and disable all boot devices but your cd/dvd drive. Do you only have one hard drive in the system? If not unplug all other drives but the one you want to install on.

 

[justince]

Nah, this only happens on my windows 7 cpu.
I have one hard drive. I'll try disabling all boot drives tomorow and post feedback. It's been a long day for me.

 

[sup3rsprt]

Nah, this only happens on my windows 7 cpu.

Did you have Windows XP installed on that computer before? And did you install it or did it come that way from the manufacturer.

Please fill in your system specifications (click the link under your post that says "My System Specs")

If you need help, see http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/12588-system-specs-how.html

 

[justince]

Imageshack - sysinfopg1
I wasnt able to remove the hard drive from the boot seqence, only change the order. And no, i had vista on this machine.

 

[Snufffed]

I've recently wanted to change back to XP. However, anytime i pop in my XP disk and boot it from the bios, it blue screens me. It gets as far when its loading drivers and sort to the point it says in the grey bar, "Setup is loading Windows", and some how it bluescreens me (doesnt let me get to the option of formatting the drive), but the error is...odd. It says its pointing as the main directory as the F drive, not the C drive.

Help please, i really hope this harddrive isnt trashed for whatever reason.

When you boot to the DISK. go to advanced, move to Command
type Format C: then enter. It really is hard to install backwards. you have to FORMAT the HDD first.

 

[justince]

When you say boot to the disk, you mean disk as in windows disk? It doesnt even allow me to get to the option of formatting the harddrive, thats the problem. If im not mistaken, newer disks of XP i believe (may be wrong) have a gui version of installing from the bios..this is from the text version.

 

[ddeen]

We need your system specs to help you anymore. Important information like chipset, whether your dvd and hard drives are SATA, what service pack is the install XP disk. You may need to install chipset drivers and sata drivers when the XP disk boots up.

 

[justince]

I have no clue what my motherboard is considering it was a repalcement computer from HP due to warranty, and i believe hd and dvd drives are sata.

 

[justince]

Please, someone help..

 

[DocBrown]

Do a search for CPU-Z at majorgeeks . com for a program to get system spec,etc.

I think you may need to download a 3rd party utility CD to pre-format your HD, before you try the re-install of XP.

Help us here at SevenForums Help you by giving us the most info on your system as you can.

" Doc "

 

[DocBrown]

EASEUS Partition Master Home Edition 4.0.1

Freeware also @ majorgeeks to partition your HD

" Doc "

 

[Dave76]

I've recently wanted to change back to XP. However, anytime i pop in my XP disk and boot it from the bios, it blue screens me. It gets as far when its loading drivers and sort to the point it says in the grey bar, "Setup is loading Windows", and some how it bluescreens me (doesnt let me get to the option of formatting the drive), but the error is...odd. It says its pointing as the main directory as the F drive, not the C drive.

Help please, i really hope this harddrive isnt trashed for whatever reason.

Maybe you could tell us what issues caused you to want to go back to XP?

The knowledgeable people here might be able to resolve those issues for you.

MS support for XP will soon be ending, probably not in the next several months, but soon.

Another option might be to dual boot, depending if you have the HD space available.

 

[april]

if you are using windows XP before you can bring it back without using any CD.. wait till i upload a screenshot of this so you can follow it easily ok?

 

[DocBrown]

Did you have Windows XP installed on that computer before? And did you install it or did it come that way from the manufacturer.

Imageshack - sysinfopg1

I wasnt able to remove the hard drive from the boot seqence, only change the

order. And no, i had vista on this machine.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there.

If it is a NEW computer you will have to slipstream SATA drivers on to the XP disk before you can install it - or if you are lucky your BIOS might have an "Enable SATA as IDE (legacy mode)" type of option.

Backup any DATA you need before you start including your email. If you have Outlook you can download an email backup utility from microsoft - pfbackup.exe.

So first ensure you have at least an XP SP2 (SP3 is better) install CD. Copy this to your hard drive (using W7). Now download the SATA / Chipset drivers (or use Driverpacks -- google for their site).

Now use nLite (download via google) and Slipstream into your XP install Cd that you've copied to your HD.

Create a NEW CD with nLite.

Boot it -- delete all partitions found on your disk when prompted for Windows install. Create your Windows XP partition - 15 GB should be MORE than enough for a windows XP installation - save the rest for data / dual boot in case you want to re-install W7 at a later time.

Install your Windows XP system

You should be able to hunt down any missing drivers etc after you've installed windows XP.


The Driver packs method is probably the best as the driverpacks contain almost every XP driver on the planet.

( I used to do this quite a lot when "De-Vista-ing" older computers to run on XP again - these old machines were delivered with VISTA which used to run like a dog on older hardware).

Follow the tutorial here

Driverpacks Tutorial


Cheers
jimbo