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Thread ID: 109012 2010-04-20 08:52:00 Can I downgrade my laptop to XPSP3? NZMacka (11756) Press F1
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878550 2010-04-20 08:52:00 Hi guys, one of my laptops (2008 Toshiba Satellite) currently runs Vista SP2. Today at work we had more problems with it, and I was wondering if it would be possible to simply format the drive and reinstall my legit copy of XP over the top of it. Would the laptop continue to work OK? I assume I would need multiple drivers, but would XPSP3 come with most of them prepackaged?

Or should I just put W7 straight over the top of Vista? (I don't own a copy of W7 though)

Appreciate any advice or thoughts from people who may have done this.... :thanks
NZMacka (11756)
878551 2010-04-20 08:56:00 Better off upgrading to Windows 7 than downgrading. pcuser42 (130)
878552 2010-04-20 08:58:00 You'll have to find the drivers on whatever site, if you want to install XP. XP wont install all of them (probably none of them) once its installed. And if you want to get on the net after, I would get the drivers, before you format the hdd Speedy Gonzales (78)
878553 2010-04-20 09:01:00 Thanks for the replies guys. Speedy - does XP come with most of the drivers a Toshiba Laptop (M200) needs? Or will specialist ones for wifi etc need to be downloaded first? NZMacka (11756)
878554 2010-04-20 09:08:00 XP may install drivers for a card reader, floppy, cd/dvd and USB. And com / serial ports. Thats about it. You may have to download the LAN, WIFI, printer, and maybe bluetooth drivers. And whatever programs Toshiba uses (XP wont install any programs specifically made by Toshiba). You'll have to get the LAN drivers before you format. Or you wont be able to get on later. Unless you downlad them with another PC, then copy the zipped files across. What was on it originally? XP or Vista? If Vista, I would create the restore cd's / dvd's if you want them. Or else you wont be able to go back to it later, if you want to Speedy Gonzales (78)
878555 2010-04-20 18:42:00 xp is very dated, anything post 2007 is much more suited for 7 than XP Mirddes (10)
878556 2010-04-20 19:46:00 Look for Toshiba drivers for XP before doing anything and see if any are available if they are not then I would step up not down, if they are available then by all means go for it, but definitely look around first gary67 (56)
878557 2010-04-21 07:08:00 The place to start looking
www.mytoshiba.co.nz
feersumendjinn (64)
878558 2010-04-21 07:49:00 If your copy of Vista is Business or above you can downgrade legally. Otherwise you'll have to buy a new copy, legally :) MS will tell you to use any XP Pro key you can find and they'll activate it for you when you call them. WarNox (8772)
878559 2010-04-21 08:08:00 You might have had trouble at work but, what about you?

When I was running Vista before upgrading to W7, I had no problems.

If you haven't expirenced problems just continue to use Vista and backup your programs and files. If you eventually have problems, then is the time to upgrade to W7. I personally wouldn't go back to XP now!
Bryan (147)
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