How do i downgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows XP?

[petroslitt]

Hi,

My Packard Bell Dot s2 originally came with Windows 7 Starter, this year I updated all of my PCs to Windows 8.1 Industry Enterprise. Now I have a new netbook I wanted to know how to downgrade the Dot s2 to Windows XP.


I Have the ISO for XP Professional and have copied them to USB with Rufus but when I boot from the USB it just shows a black screen for 2-3 seconds and then boots to 8.1.

Is there any other way of doing this?

Much appreciated if you could help me fix this,


PetrosLitt

 

[LMiller7]

Welcome to the forum.

Installing XP on a computer designed for Windows 7 can be a serious challenge, and one that may eventually prove futile. One problem, among others, is that XP compatible drivers may not be available. The XP CD will not have drivers foir hardware that did not exist when it was created. And many hardware manufacturers stopped supporting XP years ago. Check this before proceeding.

You need a compelling reason to install XP on more modern hardware. If you really must run XP it is usually better done by installing it on a virtual machine.

 

[petroslitt]

Drivers Available for XP

The Packard bell website said the model of netbook I have came with XP before Seven was released. they also provide XP drivers for my netbook on the download center on their website.

Thank you for the welcome by the way .

 

[CountMike]

Considering SSD in that system, it may be most serious challenge. Not much of support for it in XP.

 

[petroslitt]

The computer I am hoping to install on has a 250GB HDD

 

[CountMike]

You may want to check with that computer's manufacturer for an XP, there my be some drivers that have to be incorporated with XP to work on it.

 

[petroslitt]

My earlier post States that the netbook is comparable with windows XP

 

[CountMike]

My earlier post States that the netbook is comparable with windows XP

That does not mean it has all the necessary drivers for particular model built in a "virgin" XP as it comes from MS. It would not be first time it's like that.

 

[petroslitt]

I've just Been on the manufacturers website and all the necessary XP drivers are available for my netbook. Does that mean I can go ahead and install

 

[CountMike]

I've just Been on the manufacturers website and all the necessary XP drivers are available for my netbook. Does that mean I can go ahead and install

Yes, sure if it will install at all, you can install proper drivers later on. But, you said that it would not install and I surmised that it may be because those or some of those drivers are not incorporated on ordinary XP ISO.

 

[petroslitt]

Yes. I've been told that is is very difficult to install XP from a USB

 

[MrShowdown]

Yes. I've been told that is is very difficult to install XP from a USB

Almost impossible actually. AFAIK NTLDR doesn't support booting from USB. It'll consider the USB storage that you're using as an installation media to be a partition.

EDIT: OP, why would you downgrade to XP anyway? Most PC manufacturers have already left XP since like, 2009, and now MS no longer supports it. There's a big risk in using XP now, especially if you're on a laptop (with the assumption you're mobile).

 

[CountMike]

CDrom with USB interface can do that.

 

[popeye]

Personally would just install it on a VM.

 

[petroslitt]

Could I burn to CD and use a external disc drive?

 

[CountMike]

Could I burn to CD and use a external disc drive?

Geta a hand on an SATA to USB interface. connect CD/DVD machine to it and you'll be able to install.

 

[MrShowdown]

Could I burn to CD and use a external disc drive?

You can.

 

[pjhutch]

You may need to modify the BIOS settings, and change the boot order so that CD/DVD drive is checked before the hard disk.
It could accessed by pressing F2 during POST checks on bootup.