Comments | 55andraining: Wiping Windows

55andraining

Wiping Windows

Feb 22, 2008 10:48

I am so fed up with Windows Vista. Not only does it constantly lose my audio driver, now it has slowed to a crawl on my internet connection, and I don't know why. My mac is running perfectly fine on the same Wireless Router. And Vista tries to update itself online but it fails every time.

I want to wipe my computer and install Windows XP from an ( Read more... )

Comments 12

rminct February 22 2008, 20:02:59 UTC

A "conservative" approach would be to stop at the local computer store and pick up a new hard drive - they're fairly cheap now. You can get an 80GB drive for ~$50 and up to 500GB for ~$100. Then remove the drive on your computer, set it aside and put in the new one. That way you can install XP on a fresh drive. If things go badly, you can always put the old drive back and limp along with Vista until you solve any problems that may arise while installing XP. I find the most annoying and time consuming part is not installing XP, but having to reinstall the dozen or so non-MS applications I have. Once you've got XP up and running for a while and are satisfied you have everything you need, you could install the old drive as a second hard drive and just scrub it and use it for extra storage.

55andraining February 22 2008, 20:56:14 UTC

Wow, that's a good idea! Is it easy to take drives in and out of computers? I did that with my RAM but never with my hard drives...

rminct February 22 2008, 21:51:51 UTC

If you have a desktop (that's what I assumed in quoting the price range above), the hardest part is figuring out how to get the cover off. The drive is fairly obvious and usually removing 2-4 screws will set it free. It will probably have a power cable (3-5 wires) and a data cable (flat multi-conductor) that can be unplugged. Reverse the process to install the new drive ( ... )

55andraining February 22 2008, 22:16:33 UTC

Any local nerds out there willing to help? Aaron?

Thread 5

rminct February 22 2008, 22:59:08 UTC

getting the drive letters to line up right
Yeah, that's why I suggested totally removing the old drive and starting fresh on the new one. Once that's up and running then you can try making the old drive a second drive if you want the storage space. Just make sure all your important stuff is backed up before you begin.

55andraining February 23 2008, 01:32:21 UTC

The other complication is, apparently I have "SATA" interfaces on my hard drive, so I need "SATA XP Drivers" but I don't have these. And I can't load them very easily--I'll need them on a CD that I can insert into my other drive. This is so complicated! Maybe the geek squad is required...

(The comment has been removed)

55andraining February 23 2008, 17:23:19 UTC

Windows XP won't even install. I keep getting the blue screen of death when I put it in and tell the BIOS to boot from the CD ROM

Thread 5

radi0actv February 23 2008, 06:44:05 UTC

Why in the name of god did you actually install Vista? :/ I guess you missed all the awful press about it. Or used the technology section of the paper for the cat box.

55andraining February 23 2008, 17:22:43 UTC

It came preinstalled. :(

rminct February 24 2008, 04:40:30 UTC

Ouch! Does the place you bought the computer offer an XP option? If so, you could try getting lawyerly with them and insisting they give you the XP CD's for your computer. If they don't offer XP as an option then you need serious geek help.