Installing XP with pre-installed Vista.

[Zanz L. Barre The 3rd]

Just picked up a new laptop; had Windows Vista pre-installed but picked up Windows XP Home Edition. I keep getting an error message when I try to install XP. Any suggestions?

Edit: Oh lawdy, now this little poopface won't read discs. I may need driver updates? Ugh, I don't even know where to begin :3

[viperlasson]

Restart your computer with the disk in the drive, see if it asks if you would like to boot off the CD / DVD. If it does ask, press a button and go through the windows installer, delete your Vista partition, format the disk, install XP. If it doesn't ask if you want to boot off the XP cd when you restart go into the BIOS by pressing some key while your computer is just starting to turn on (it should say it really fast on the screen when you power on). Then move to a Boot tab and move your CD drive to the top.

Get all of your drivers for XP too, should be on manufacturer's website :3

[levish]

you will want to shrink the vista partition 1st (disk manager is what will let you do it) since it's probably using up the whole drive give up around 30-40gb for win xp depending on what you plan on doing with it

then insert your win xp disc and set it to install on the free partition following the onscreen prompts

oh yes and definately get your xp/vista drivers beforehand and stick them on a usb drive or cd

If you can start off fresh by
1.backing up your files
2.deleting all partitions
3. loading up XP on one partition (make it less than the full drive and only as much as you think you'll need)
4. loading up vista on the other partition)