You can't "downgrade" the OS, but you do have the right to install XP in place of Vista. You have to already have the XP media *and* product ID and you can then install that instead.
The Dell OEM disks won't work unless you buy another Dell. The disks are locked to the system's hardware and license that came with the CPU. Using another OEM disk, HP for example, or even a retail media set (without a product ID) may not work with the product ID on the Dell. Add to this, is that it's not "legal." http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/f/4/5f4c83d3-833e-4f11-8cbd-699b0c1 64182/royaltyoemreferencesheet.pdf http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/oemeula.htm You can buy XP here, if the OEM disks don't work for you, but this is a lot of work and $$$, just to avoid using Vista. http://www.directron.com/systems-operating-systems.html > -----Original Message----- > My wife's three year old Dell desktop got fried in lightning storm last > week > so I'm replacing it. I'd prefer to keep XP, but at this point, > everyone's > shipping with Vista. Two questions: > > 1. Has anyone found any good web resources on how to downgrade an OS > from > Vista to XP? > > 2. I have the disks that came with the Dell that was destroyed, which > includes a CD of Windows XP that I have a legal license for. Is there > any > reason it wouldn't work for me to order a new Dell, format the new hard > drive and run that CD? ************************************************************************ * ==> QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in <== * ==> the body of an email & send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <== * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ************************************************************************ * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header "X-No-Archive: yes" will not be archived ************************************************************************
