Hummingbird Posted February 27, 2011 Share #1 Posted February 27, 2011 I bought a new Dell Inspiron R17 w/windows 7 - really getting tired of it I'm just about ready to buy a full version of XP Pro and install. I don't care about anything except running a particular program that I just had to reload because it disappeared this morning Problem is it takes nearly 2 hours to re-load :bang head: The question is - can I load XP Pro on this Dell ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted February 27, 2011 Share #2 Posted February 27, 2011 I tried to buy XP pro the other day and the local Frys did not have any, only win 7. I have tried to load xp over w7 but it popped up 'You can not upgrade with this version of windows'. Ended up formatting and clean install. Damn, I hate windoz... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddyRich Posted February 27, 2011 Share #3 Posted February 27, 2011 Yes, You can run Dual Boot. I have win7 64 bit and xp pro installed on my home PC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizard765 Posted February 27, 2011 Share #4 Posted February 27, 2011 Dick: It actually is going to depend on whether Dell has XP drivers for that particular notebook. If not then XP will be difficult to get the hardware to work. You could upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate and then run a virtual windows XP. Can you elaborate on the program "disappearing"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1bummer Posted February 27, 2011 Share #5 Posted February 27, 2011 Ya! What the last two stated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave77459 Posted February 27, 2011 Share #6 Posted February 27, 2011 You can also buy a replacement HD and start fresh. Then you'd have your Win7 install in case you ever wanted it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormRaven Posted February 27, 2011 Share #7 Posted February 27, 2011 Unfortunately, Microsoft considers XP a "Downgrade" from Vista/7 (IMHO I think it's the other way around, but again, that's just my personal opinion from my experience with the back-end of Vista and 7). There's only 2 ways to install XP after 7's been installed: 1) Re-partition the drive to a zero state with fdisk and use the XP CD to install, or 2) Use Control Panel> Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management (I'm not sure if Administrative Tools is available in Home Edition, but it is in 7 Pro and Ultimate) to shrink your Windows 7 partition down to just big enough to hold all your files on the partition plus 15% and use free space to install Windows XP(i.e. if you have a 40 Gig physical drive and 27 Gigs are used for Windows 7 and personal files, shrink it down to 31 Gigs and that will leave you with about 9 Gigs that you can use for windows XP). Both methods require a boot-able Windows XP CD or DVD. If you are going to do either method, I highly recommend Method 1. Method 2, while it can be done, has been known to leave the Partitions unstable and can place all your data on both partitions at risk. In order to use fdisk, you may have to make a boot-able CD or DVD with Control Panel > Backup or Restore > Create System Disk or download a system toolkit like Rescue Linux that has disk tools available. Also, WildKat just told me that a lot of the pre-built manufacturers are not providing XP drivers for their newer hardware. This could cause a problem. If you're still wanting to install XP, I'd recommend making a complete backup of your current system so in the event of a problem, you can just re-image your disk back to how it is now. This can also be done under Backup or Restore in Control Panel. For this I'd recommend having a spare hard drive to copy to. Dave's suggestion would also be viable for this. Or...you could always try Linux Mint 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvrT Posted February 27, 2011 Share #8 Posted February 27, 2011 I think we need to know more about this particular program that "disappears". That seems to be where the problem is and not necessarilly Win7 ... Win7 does allow you to a) install in compatibility mode and b) run in compatibility mode. Perhaps this is what is needed?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeWa Posted February 27, 2011 Share #9 Posted February 27, 2011 Can you restore to some point before the program disappeared? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_Bishop Posted February 27, 2011 Share #10 Posted February 27, 2011 You can't buy a xp disk anymore. Microsoft stop in this last summer or fall. Did you set the prograrm you want to run in xp service pack 3 compatibility mode? If you highlight the exe that starts the program and right click it properties you will see the tab for compatibility mode and you can set it to run in xp mode. Don't know if it will work on doing on the short cut icon on the desktop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1bummer Posted February 27, 2011 Share #11 Posted February 27, 2011 Now did the program disappear, or did someone just accidentally delete the icon/shortcut from your desktop or programs folder? There's also the option of using an external hard drive or flash/thumb drive to put a XP installation onto. Most newer systems will allow you to boot from a USB device. I still use the ever reliable XP Pro OS. Well as reliable as a Windows OS can be anyway. I do like Windows 7, but some of the options I've gotten used to over the years in XP were either down graded or lost in Windows 7. I like being able to customize my OS to suit my needs. Now if Microsoft ever gets their heads out of their butts and would make these options available in Windows 7, I would gladly install it on all my PC,s. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hummingbird Posted February 27, 2011 Author Share #12 Posted February 27, 2011 I'm not EXACTLY sure what happened to it - but I tried a restore to an earlier date to no avail, so I just reloaded filezilla and started over. It was surely my error because it's a well known fact that windows is bullet proof Seriously, I had to have done something, don't have a clue what but I got it all back and running by a reload and an hour or so going thru the site. I still have my back up lap top, a MacBook Pro, with all of the data still intact so if it gives me any more trouble, I'll just be forced to look at a 15" screen instead of a 17". The really aggravating thing is that there's not a thing wrong with the back up, I just HAD to have a newer, bigger, better? lap top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted February 27, 2011 Share #13 Posted February 27, 2011 You can still buy sealed OEM Windows XP discs on ebay...in the range of $25 to $75....just enter 'windows xp' in the ebay search box. I bought one a couple of years ago, and it worked fine. The problem with loading an older OS on top of a newer OS is that the older OS has no idea how to install itself over an OS that appears to be from the 'future'....so probably a new hard drive and a fresh install, along with hours of setup and updates will be the fix. Or...buy a Mac, then, dual boot, parallels, or VM it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hummingbird Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share #14 Posted February 28, 2011 You can still buy sealed OEM Windows XP discs on ebay...in the range of $25 to $75....just enter 'windows xp' in the ebay search box. I bought one a couple of years ago, and it worked fine. The problem with loading an older OS on top of a newer OS is that the older OS has no idea how to install itself over an OS that appears to be from the 'future'....so probably a new hard drive and a fresh install, along with hours of setup and updates will be the fix. Or...buy a Mac, then, dual boot, parallels, or VM it. I already have a MacBook Pro that is partitioned w/XP Pro. Wanted to get away from the partition - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aharbi Posted February 28, 2011 Share #15 Posted February 28, 2011 Have you thought about running Linux? I run Ubuntu (64 bit) and never have a problem. Loads faster, runs faster, shutdowns faster. All my programs are open source (free) I have two Windoze programs that I need and run them in a Wine session. Just a thought. I have run all the Linux "flavors" over the years but have settled with Ubuntu being the most user friendly, most compatible with my HW, yet I can drop to the shell and get down/dirty when I have to. It has taken some time for me to ween off Windoze programs and find a suitable Linux replacements. But I've done it. I have friends/family that call me in a panic when Windoze crashes and they fear they have lost all their pictures/documents/files/etc. I boot their machine from a Linux flash drive, copy all their files onto external media, leave them a "live" Linux CD so they can at least run their computer till they can get Windoze fixed. I don't mess with Windoze anymore, ain't got the time nor inclination to spend countless hours were I could be out riding. Just sayin... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted February 28, 2011 Share #16 Posted February 28, 2011 I already have a MacBook Pro that is partitioned w/XP Pro. Wanted to get away from the partition - Partition? I dont do it that way. Why not use Parallels, VM Ware, or Virtualbox? Parallels is my favorite. I run 2 monitors and can run the mac on one monitor and windows ( or any other OS) on the other, simultaneously. Pretty cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted February 28, 2011 Share #17 Posted February 28, 2011 I don't mess with Windoze anymore, ain't got the time nor inclination to spend countless hours were I could be out riding. Just sayin... I got off the sinking winders ship years ago...but I STILL end up helping friends with sick winders machines... I am amazed that it survives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvrT Posted February 28, 2011 Share #18 Posted February 28, 2011 I got off the sinking winders ship years ago...but I STILL end up helping friends with sick winders machines... I am amazed that it survives. yes, I've been noticing the kind of help you provide .... it's always the same ... buy a MAC .. (just razzin ya) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer878 Posted February 28, 2011 Share #19 Posted February 28, 2011 You can still buy sealed OEM Windows XP discs on ebay...in the range of $25 to $75....just enter 'windows xp' in the ebay search box. I bought one a couple of years ago, and it worked fine. The problem with loading an older OS on top of a newer OS is that the older OS has no idea how to install itself over an OS that appears to be from the 'future'....so probably a new hard drive and a fresh install, along with hours of setup and updates will be the fix. Or...buy a Mac, then, dual boot, parallels, or VM it. running win7 pro and in XP mode can run a very old version of Palm software. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeWa Posted February 28, 2011 Share #20 Posted February 28, 2011 I have an unused Windows XP Home Edition you can have if that will help you. I bought it then replaced the computer before I could use it. The new PC came with 7 ugh. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvrT Posted March 1, 2011 Share #21 Posted March 1, 2011 You might want to check into this... http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/ and sepecifically the topic on "Windows XP Mode" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted March 1, 2011 Share #22 Posted March 1, 2011 Virtual box is free.... http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Screenshots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted March 1, 2011 Share #23 Posted March 1, 2011 yes, I've been noticing the kind of help you provide .... it's always the same ... buy a MAC .. (just razzin ya) Truth is persistant...isnt it? Well it is amusing to me how many of my friends will call me to 'help' them when their windows machine goes T.U. I tell them I bought a Mac just because of that reason, and I dont know how to keep fixing winders, and I dont want to, so i made the switch. In order to keep using windows for years on end, you almost HAVE to become a computer guru....OR...pay someone else. Well, I'm NOT a guru...dont WANT to be one...so I bought a computer that just works. You dont see Venture owners razzing Harley owners about how they are unreliable do ya? You never hear a Venture owner telling a wrenching Harley owner, he shoulda bought a Yamaha? Do ya?...nah...that never happens.... Mac: No fixing involved. Yeah....gimme hell fer it...I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulign Posted March 2, 2011 Share #24 Posted March 2, 2011 I have been stalking for a bit... But I can chime in on this one. I run a Dual boot Hackintosh/Windows 7 Machine here. I truly can't believe anyone would go back to anything pre Windows7. It is as bulletproof as any OS including Mac. That's not to say some can't mess up anything they touch (just like motorcycles). So that being said...to the OP fix the problem you are having in Win7...avoid rolling back to anything else. Compatibility mode works very well!!! If you can give us a heads up on the app I'm sure we can figure it out. If you are stubborn and have to go back to XP we can get you there too. Just don't think it's a great idea. I'm going to go back to mod ideas,fat joke and wife jokes... I have a lot of catching up to do. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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