Computer Help?

You asked a simple question and deserve a simple answer:Follow the instruction manual for entering the "bios" and choose your cdrom as the first bootable device. ( I am accepting that if you have an XP installation disk then you also have the serial key".Put the cd into your cdrom and restart your pc. follow the installation sequence. It will inform you that Vista is installed. Choose reformat.. and that's it

i happen to have a hp dv6707 .. if you do want to install another Os or whatever please do a back up of the recovery media present in that extra partition in your hard disc . i tried to install Xp n i lost the recovery media . i dont even have a backup of it . & now forget installing Xp i cant even revert back to factory setting . it seems that i have to purchase a recovery media cd from Hp people .. how bad when i payed so much n purchased a notebook .. & what about the driver issues if you install Xp ?

i dont think one can find all the drivers though Hp site provides only few .. so if you do want to install read all the manuals given to you with the product ..

It is better install a fresh copy of your XP! by formatting your hard disk and installing XP!

However, vista is good than the XP. why you go backward.

it wish XP to install too. First format your HDD and install xp, then install Vista as dual OS.

It's very best method working with these both

Make sure you have the XP Product key, and also make sure you completley format your hard drive as well

Yep, as long as you do a clean install.

What you will need to begin

In order to install, you will need the XP boot CD or in rare cases, the six installation diskettes.

If it is necessary to begin the installation with the installation diskettes, you can download the diskette creation program directly from the Microsoft web site.

XP Home version diskette download

XP Professional version diskette download

You will need a full or upgrade version of Windows XP CD-ROM. Home and Professional versions install in basically the same manner. OEM versions are acceptable, however, Recovery CDs normally are not (they often erase everything including data and other OSes you may already have loaded).

Note: It is possible to install an Upgrade XP version as a full version. The XP upgrade installation program will ask you to insert a CD containing an acceptable earlier version of Windows. After confirming the earlier version, the upgrade will continue on to install "cleanly" in a new partition. If you prefer to have a "clean" install of XP, choose the install option "Isolated" from the OS Wizard.

You will also need the System Commander boot CD.

Depending on the product and how you would like to proceed, there are two methods available for installation. One using the Wizard, and one using a manual method. All methods will work, but the Wizard automate the partitioning operations.

Method 1 - Using OS Wizard in System Commander

1

Install System Commander (if not already installed).

2 Once System Commander is installed, reboot to the System Commander OS Selection Menu.

3

Select OS Wizard. The OS Wizard appears.

Select the type of installation (New), the OS by name, and select the installation type (Isolated).

Complete the OS Wizard operation (this entire process is documented in detail in the manual). Once the drive is properly partitioned by the OS Wizard, instructions are provided for completing the OS installation.

You can also use the steps described below at "OS Installation" step 5.

Go to Installing Windows XP below.

Method 2 - Manual Partitioning. Prior to OS installation

1

Go to the manual partitioning screen.

To do this under System Commander, reboot the system and at the OS Selection menu, select Partitioning.

2

Create a primary partition for the new operating system.

Remember that you can have 4 primary partitions or 3 primary partitions and 1 extended partition on a hard drive. While you can have multiple logical drives residing in the extended partition, Microsoft operating systems cannot boot from a logical drive.

You can only create a partition in a free space area. Free space, by definition, is unpartitioned space. You may need to manipulate existing partitions in order to generate the free space, such as resize an existing partition smaller.

Once you have the desired contiguous free space, click on the free space so it is highlighted by black bars and then click on the Create button. Choose to create a primary partition with the desired size. Windows XP can be installed into a FAT16, FAT32 or NTFS partition. We would recommend that you create and install into a FAT32 partition and then later convert it to NTFS, if you prefer a NTFS file system, during the installation procedure.

FAT16 partitions are limited by size. The maximum FAT16 partition is 2 GB (2047 MB). FAT32 and NTFS have no practical size limitations.

Once the partition is created, reboot your computer.

3 Hide other partitions from this new partition for the purpose of installation. This step is necessary when using multiple OSes and System Commander.

The reason to do this is to prevent this operating system installation program from corrupting or writing over other operating systems and data (the OS Wizard would have done this automatically).

When you reboot, a new selection appears on the OS Selection Menu. This corresponds to the new partition you just created. For a created FAT16 partition it will be labeled "No OS (FAT)", for a FAT32 partition it will be labeled "FAT-32 OS".

Select "Settings" and then the "Specific OS options.

In the current selection area, select the partition you are going to install the new OS.

Move down to the Partitions Visible/Hidden field. For "Drive-0" press Enter and mark all partitions as hidden.

Press the Esc key 3 times to return to the OS Selection Menu.

4 Boot into the new partition

With the new partition highlighted on the OS Selection menu, press Enter to boot into the new partition.

You should get an error of "Non-system disk", however you have accomplished an important step. You have made this new partition "active". This partition is now the computer's C drive. This is important because the operating system will choose to install into the C drive by default.

Go to Installing Windows XP below.

Installing Windows XP (all methods)

1

Insert the Windows XP bootable Installation CD or diskette and press Ctrl-Alt-Del to boot from this media to gain access the CD drive.

If this fails to boot, you may need to configure your computer's BIOS to boot from the diskette or CD-ROM before other devices. Your computer and/or BIOS manual should provide instructions to accomplish this.

The Windows XP installation will begin.

2

Install the new operating system. From this point on, you are in the hands of the operating

system's installation program. Remember that you are installing into the new partition, whether created manually or with the OS Wizard. This is the active partition, C drive.

At some point in the installation, it will ask you where you would like to install Windows XP. This screen will show you all of the partitions and free space on your drive. It is possible to direct the installation to another partition or even another hard drive. You can even create a partition here

to install into.

Most users will continue to install into the partition where they began the installation. You will then be given the option to convert the file system from FAT16 or FAT32 to NTFS. This is optional. You should continue with FAT16 or FAT32 if you would like to be able to access your Windows XP partition from within Windows 9X or Me. The advantage of a NTFS file system is primarily system security and a few advanced Windows XP features are only available under NTFS.

Important note - Different versions of NTFS can corrupt other versions of NTFS. System Commander will automatically hide all NTFS primary partition from the active NTFS. Keeping these partition hidden from each other is the safest way to proceed. For more information on Super Hiding, please see Why can't I see a NTFS data partition from NT/2000/XP/Vista?

3

Restore System Commander's OS Selection Menu.

Windows will typically overwrite the Master Boot Record during installation. When your OS is completely installed, you may find that at every reboot, you will boot back into the new OS. System Commander needs to be "re-enabled" in the MBR in order to get the OS Selection Menu back. Boot from the System Commander CD and select "Enable System Commander". This will run the program checkmbr automatically, and restore System Commander's OS Selection menu.

When you next reboot, the OS Selection menu will appear, and the OS name Windows XP will appear as an OS selection. Select this to go into your new Windows.

Have fun multibooting!

If, after following the above instructions, you are in need of additional assistance, please fill out and submit a Technical Support Help Request Form. Or, for other contact options, please go to our Technical Support Main Directory page.

Note: While every attempt is made to ensure the usefulness and accuracy of this information, it is provided only as a courtesy of VCOM. No warranty is given with respect to this information regarding the accuracy, usability, or fitness for a particular purpose. Use this information at your own risk. Under no circumstances shall VCOM be held liable for any damages either incidental or consequential.