| Author | Message | ||
     B00stzx3 |
Well, I don't like posting my problems to bother yall but I'm scared. I have an Acer 5570Z laptop that came with Vista. Vista sucks big time, and I almost threw my laptop out the window dealing. So last night I decided to install XP Pro SP3. theres 3 partitions, 2 main drives and I don't know what the other drive is. I got all kinds of errors saying it couldn't install some files, but everything else went though (I think they were XML files maybe). When I rebott it says theres a fatal error in the windows installation. Seems like I bricked my relativley new laptop. I'm desperate, not alotta cash to get it fixed and I have a lot of Mp3s and TV shows on there I'm afraid to take it to a legit repair shop. Question, if I got an XP SP2 or SP1 disc, would it work any better? Or am I royally screwed? | ||
| Hootowl |
I believe you're trying to install XP on top of Vista at this point, which is NOT going to work. You should remove the hard drive, slave it into another PC, copy all the MP3s (and whatever else) you have on it onto another drive, then delete all three partitions (using the utility that the XP install provides) create a new partition, and install XP on that. You haven't bricked it, trust me. | ||
| Preybird1 |
Did you un-install vista first! You may need to install it with sp2 then update through microsofts site. You should have backed up your data before messing with the operating system, Now you might need to re-format the hard drives to get xp to install properly, If this make you uncomfortable get it to a shop and have it fixed right! should be no more than 80 bucks. I had this same problem with a desktop. But mine was related to a driver that was running my sata raid drives in raid 0 Now i keep an external hard drive that holds all my important stuff, Just like a little safe! | ||
| B00stzx3 |
Well, i mean I wan't to completley format/delete the Vista off my computer, clean install for XP. As far as the MP3s go, I'm just scared some tech guy will see them and report me to the RIAA or something. If I were to delete the partitions, would they combine the space into 1 parition? it came stock with a parition with Windows Vista, and the other one was Vista but I put all my movies and music and stuff on there. How do I go about uninstalling Vista? i just wanna delete it and replace with XP. (Message edited by b00stzx3 on January 06, 2009) | ||
| Froggy |
Most computers have a small partition used for diagnostics and another one used to recover the computer to the day it left the factory. Check your manual, its usually pressing F10 or something at boot up will start the recovery process. | ||
| Spectrum |
You can delete the partitions, but you will then need to repartition the drive as only 1 big partition to reclaim all the disk space. Then reformat and reinstall XP SP3. Using the delete and repartition method, you should note have to uninstall Vista as this should effectively wipe the drive clean. | ||
| Brinnutz |
you need to run Derrik's Boot and Nuke to format, then install. Make sure you have downloaded all the drivers from Acer's site for your lappie. | ||
| B00stzx3 |
Aite cool, thanks for the advice yall! Tonight I will uninstall Vista, delete the "data" partition (where I stored all my bittorrent stuff), then install XP on the remaining "main" partition. After that, combine the partitions? Cool? | ||
| Krassh |
When you run the XP install you will be presented with an option to delete the partitions on your hard drive. There is no reason to "uninstall" Vista. Simply deleting the partition(s) will suffice. Now one thing to remember. Some newer laptop manufactures do not have XP hardware drivers for the newer hardware out there. So if this a newer model laptop you may have some issues there. Best thing is to go to the manufactures website and make sure XP drivers are available for your hardware. Now I know Vista takes some getting used to but is much improved with SP1. What seems to be your major issue with Vista. I know I threw in the towel last year for about six months in regards to Vista on both my work and personal Laptop. I went back to Vista when I purchased my latest personal Laptop with 4 GB of memory so I could get the advantage of the full 4 GB with Vista 64 bit. | ||
| Swordsman |
Er, I thought 4GB was XP's max... why did you need Vista? ~SM | ||
| B00stzx3 |
Krassh, if I put in the XP disc, it comes up with the blue screen, do I delete all the paritions? If I did that, where would I install XP onto? | ||
| Froggy |
3.4GB is the limit for 32 bit versions of XP and Vista, you need 64 bit if you want to use more than that. XP 64 is garbage because of the lack of drivers, but Vista 64 is very nice. | ||
| Krassh |
You can delete all the partitions if you do not need any of the data. After you delete the partitions you will be given the option to create a new partition. You can use all of the empty space at this time. You will then be prompted to format the space which the install program will do. Just follow the prompts. It is pretty fool proof. Best way to start fresh. | ||
| Krassh |
Was not needing Vista per se but it required a 64 bit OS as Froggy indicated. Since XP 64 bit never really caught and has spotty driver support the only option is 64 bit Vista to fully take advantage of 4 GB or more. Well the other option is a Hackintosh or Linux. | ||
| Bikerjim99 |
I would back up all of your MP3 and other saved files, and reinstall Vista. Then install Service Pack 1, and I think you will be satisfied. You will have your original drivers, and with SP1 many of Vista's problems are solved. If this does not work, you can always try XP or Linux, and it won't cost you anything. Good luck. | ||
| Reepicheep |
If your drive is greater then something like 340 Gigs or so (forget exactly what, but 500 gigs is too big) then XP will not allow you to format the whole drive, unless you have an SP2 install disk, or one you made with slipstream. No easy way around it. I ended up just scrounging up an 80 gig drive for my boot drive, got that patched up to SP2, *then* started adding my 500 gig drives back in. Stupid windows... | ||
| Krassh |
Apparently he has a XP SP3 install disk according to the opening message. | ||
| Froggy |
Reepi you mean the 137gb limit of pre SP1 Windows XP? I haven't heard of any other barriers since. | ||
| Scottykrein |
Just throw Ubuntu on it. | ||
| B00stzx3 |
I think I only got about 80gb. Can someon confirm, theres 3 partitions. The F parition I've never seen before, I only knew of the 2 "main ones" that showed in explorer. Do I delete all the partitions, only the main ones, then how do I go about making another partiton to install XP on? I have already backed up everything so I just wanna clean format and XP install. | ||
| Hootowl |
Boot to the XP SP3 disk. When it asks you what partition you want to install it on, select each partition and delete them individually. Then create a new one. Then tell it to install on that one. It will ask you how you want to format it. Choose NTFS. I'd avoid the "Quick format" option. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Thats it Froggy, thats the disk (and license) I have and I have not bothered to try and make a slipstream version of it. I don't care enough. +1 to Ubuntu... but the kids complain about the games. | ||
| Macdiver |
Another vote for linux. I have an old computer (256K ram, 20 g hd) that I have been running Mepis Antix via a live CD. Antix is a "light" distro of Linux. I use it primarily as a web browser. Even with the live CD format vs. installed on hard drive, this machine is faster than my newer computer at the office. I can only imagine what a full version properly installed could do on a new machine. | ||
| B00stzx3 |
Thanks for all the advice yall. Unfortunetly for the Ubuntu/Linux tips, can't do it. I only drink one brand of beer, smoke one brand of ciggarette, drive two brands (Ford and Buell!) and will stay orthodox with keeping one OS: Windoze systems. I'mma give it another shot, just afraid to do something that can't be reversed. | ||
| Froggy |
I am not a fan of linux, infact I hate most of it. Anyway, Ubuntu lets you run whats called a live cd. The whole computer runs off the cd. Its slower and limited, but it lets you dip your feet in the water without getting wet. Just reboot, eject the cd and your back in windows. |
