New computer with windows 7 is it possible to use xp

[kperki]

Hi,
we just purchased a new toshiba laptop satellite A505. It has the windows 7 home edition on it. We are not computer pros and are having a hard time getting used to the new windows and windows live mail. We honestly hate it and would like to just be able to have our new computer operate like our old one with windows xp. It was easy for us and the mail on outlook express worked great for us. We really would like to use windows xp on our new computer. We have been getting mixed info on if that is possible. We are hoping someone can tell us if it is possible to have windows xp and outlook express on the new computer? If so what do we need to do?
Thanks

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello kperki, welcome to Seven forums!


As you have "Home Premium" you won't be able to use "XP Mode" and being "not computer pros" as you say; there is an option to dual boot XP with Windows 7 but it is rather complicated though we would offer any help needed; you would have to locate drivers for XP; have a look at the tutorial at the link below to see what is involved and if you're not interested don't be concerned about it.

The other option would be to take the PC to a computer tech to have Windows 7 replaced with XP.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html?ltr=D

 

[kperki]

Would that cause any other problems with our computer. I asked a tech guy and he said that it could make the computer have problems and its not recommended. if we upgraded to the pro version to do the virtual xp mode does that make the computer act just like the xp?
I have no problem taking it to a tech person but they are all telling me different stories so I got worried that I would mess up the computer.
Thanks for your help

 

[fseal]

Well certainly you can try getting your hands on a copy of xp and a key and reinstall the entire OS on the machine. But you honestly are not doing yourself any forvors with that. Windows 7 is here and XP is fading out. What if you never moved beyond DOS? Would you still be using WordPerfect and a dot matrix printer?

If you cut yourself out of the tech cycle today, that's pretty much it. Better plan on never upgrading your computer again. By the time you want to upgrade from what you just bought it'll be windows 10 and it'll be 3 times as different from XP and you'll really be lost.

Best to keep up piece meal rather than hanging on to 8 year old tech for another 4-5 years...

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Well certainly you can try getting your hands on a copy of xp and a key and reinstall the entire OS on the machine. But you honestly are not doing yourself any forvors with that. Windows 7 is here and XP is fading out. What if you never moved beyond DOS? Would you still be using WordPerfect and a dot matrix printer?

If you cut yourself out of the tech cycle today, that's pretty much it. Better plan on never upgrading your computer again. By the time you want to upgrade from what you just bought it'll be windows 10 and it'll be 3 times as different from XP and you'll really be lost.

Best to keep up piece meal rather than hanging on to 8 year old tech for another 4-5 years...

I'm afraid I'd have to agree with this.

 

[kperki]

Yes you guys are right! Darn. I am just going to have to suck it up and have more patience I guess. It is frustrating and annoying but I don't want to be left behind....I guess I will see if I can take some tutorials on it. I couldnt even print a word document the other day and it was driving me nuts waisting all this time to try and do something so basic....alright thanks again.....

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

It's our pleasure to help.

Start by having a look at our extensive, well written and easy to follow tutorials section here at Seven Forums; always remember we're just a click away.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/257-windows-7-tutorial-index.html

 

[whs]

You made a wise decision. XP is really eXPired. Trying to put XP on this system would have presented you with so many problems that the problem to learn Windows7 would seem like childs play. Plus the additional cost for an XP license. I suggest you go to your local computer club. I am sure they offer classes on Windows7. In my club we have a lot of attendance in our Windows7 classes and we run one every week (4 hands-on sessions). The average age of the 650 members is about 70 years and most are eager to learn.

 

[riotkayak284]

You could install VirtualBox and use that as a VM for an XP install. I have it on mine and it works great.

 

[whs]

You could install VirtualBox and use that as a VM for an XP install. I have it on mine and it works great.

LOL, I was about to suggest that too. But given the computer skill level of the OP, that would only complicate things. Plus learning vBox is like learning another operating system - or nearly. By the time the OP would know how to handle vBox, he could have learned Windows7 - at least the basics that he needs.

 

[Kari]

First, hello Kperki, welcome to the Seven Forums.

To the topic:

You could install VirtualBox and use that as a VM for an XP install. I have it on mine and it works great.

I do not think this would be a good idea, nor think I upgrading to Professional to be able to run XP Mode would be. You told openly you don't know too much about computers. Admitting that is honesty, so I believe you have nothing against me being honest with you: Virtual Computing (XP Mode and Virtual Box) would be more confusing and complicated to you than to learn to use Windows 7.

For your domestic peace I have to agree with my fellow gurus here above. Stick to Seven, and before you even notice it you have learned it.

Outlook Express is history. You don't like Windows Live Mail, so I think a good compromise would be the Microsoft mail solution between these two, called Windows Mail. Read this tutorial, see if it gives you some ideas: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5481-windows-mail.html

I wish you good luck in learning. Come back here whenever you need answers.

Kari

 

[alphanumeric]

One option would be to install Microsoft Office, which would get you your Outlook and Word back. Just because it has windows live mail on it doesn't mean you have to use it.

 

[Phone Man]

Sticking with Windows 7 is the best way to go. The biggest problem is the things you are familiar with have been renamed and moved around. But once you use it a while I think you will like it. I bought a copy of a book called "Windows 7 Simplified" and it has step by step instructions with great screen shots to do most of the basic things and would be a help. It also covers the Windows Live Mail.

http://www.amazon.com/Windows-7-Simplified-Paul-McFedries/dp/0470503874

Click on "Read a Chapter Excerpt" to view one of the chapters.

Jim

 

[Zomby88]

Hi,
we just purchased a new toshiba laptop satellite A505. It has the windows 7 home edition on it. We are not computer pros and are having a hard time getting used to the new windows and windows live mail. We honestly hate it and would like to just be able to have our new computer operate like our old one with windows xp. It was easy for us and the mail on outlook express worked great for us. We really would like to use windows xp on our new computer. We have been getting mixed info on if that is possible. We are hoping someone can tell us if it is possible to have windows xp and outlook express on the new computer? If so what do we need to do?
Thanks

Give it some time, you will learn to like it. And if you don`t like the email program, don`t use it. Go to your service providers website, whether it be comcast, verizon, yahoo or whoever. I never download email to my computer. I just sign in to comcast, read it , delete it, send, whatever.

 

[jet1337]

be careful and make sure you can find the XP drivers for that particular Laptop, Toshiba does support some laptops who have wiped and down graded back to XP

 

[Kaji]

Just hang in there--Windows 7 isn't really too hard to get used to. I just upgraded my XP to 7 today and I've already got a pretty decent handle on it, though I'm pretty computer savvy as well.

If you're interested, try watching some short overviews on youtube to get the hang of some of the new features, such as this one here. YouTube - Windows 7 Overview: Better than Vista?

Good luck.

 

[mitchell65]

kperki
Don't worry about asking what you think are simple questions. Remember, there's no such thing as a silly question, just silly answers and everything is easy if you know how. Even the most knowledgeable member on this Forum started somewhere
You will learn to like Win 7 really!

 

[unifex]

Quite honestly, if you say yourself that you are not a computer pro, than I would argue that it should not make much difference for you, XP or 7 or even Vista. From the purely end user viewpoint, where you basically read email, surf the web, type some texts, look at photos and play games - I'm not saying this is you, not sure what your particular needs are - it's just the same. You simply need to adapt to few minor changes in the user interface, just read the Tutorials here and you'll be all set.

If you are missing Outlook Express - I've never used it myself though - you could try Windows Mail, or install Office in order to get Outlook, or try something similar, like Thunderbird, or something more radical like webmail. The possibilities are infinite.

Just take a deep breath, try to look at things with an open mind and ask questions here, if you need help.

 

[kperki]

Thanks everyone. I am going to start doing the tutorials and just go with it. I do like the idea of windows office for the word and mail. I will see first if I can get used to this before I try that tho and maybe before I know it I wont remember what I think I am missing!

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Thanks everyone. I am going to start doing the tutorials and just go with it. I do like the idea of windows office for the word and mail. I will see first if I can get used to this before I try that tho and maybe before I know it I wont remember what I think I am missing!

That's good thinking mate, you can do it, you'll be better off in the long run.