[fleshhold]

Hey Guys, My friends Laptop runs 32-bit Vista, we have both come to the conclusion we are going to reformat his Laptop and Change the OS to XP aswell as clean out the drivers and re install the latest of each. We both have experience with PC's, and roughly know our way round it. Could I get a quick run down on the steps i need to make to do this? I know it's lengthy but his laptop is really not working out.

FleshHold.

 

[vegasplayer]

you would of coarse need a windows xp disk and boot it up with it and there should be a option to format the drive, and make sure to have a drivers disk just incase the wireless or ethernet port needs a driver b4 you connect to the internet (of coarse make sure that all the drivers will work for xp cuz some only work with vista and no other o.s ) you can get a driver disk at mininova.com or any other torrent site (use utorrent to download torrents)

 

[pat mcgroin]

The best place to get drivers is from the Manufacturers web site, not from a torrent.
Torrents can be handy but you cant be sure what is in them and with a system rebuild I wouldnt take a chance.
Also try to get the installer for any anti virus that you intend to use so that you can install it before you get online.

One other thing to consider.
If the computer has a sata hard drive be sure to have the sata driver on a disk as you may need it to install XP.

 

[fleshhold]

ok so i boot up with the xp cd first, re format... and then install...

install my anti-virus software

then install drivers?

 

[pat mcgroin]

I would put the drivers and the AV on the same cd.
Then put the drivers in first.
I like to put the system drivers in without the AV running just because they work at a very low level in the system and the AV could complain.
Its always best to do it step by step so if a problem does occur you will know
the last thing that you did is likely the possible cause.
After the AV is installed get online and the first place to go is to update the AV.

When you are done put the both of the CDs in the same sleeve in case they are needed again.

 

[hitech]

Hi
Find your xp drivers first,save them on a cd. Give the make and model of laptop and post in the drivers section of this forum for help on drivers if need be. In other words, you know what your hardware is now, so finding drivers first, if possible is the way to go. There are so many things to consider, like mother board drivers, sata hd drivers,etc.