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Install Windows XP using Vista product key?

Discussion in 'Windows - General discussion' started by ahiah9, Jun 22, 2007.

  1. ahiah9

    ahiah9 Regular member

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    I have searched, but cannot find the answer to this exact question. I found lots of info on downgrading... but I don't think that is what I'm really looking for.
    I have a friend who purchased a new PC from Wal-Mart which is running Vista. His old PC runs XP Home, so he has an XP disc. It was specially built, and has a retail edition. He is wanting to completely wipe his hard drive of Vista, and install XP Home on that one too. Er, actually, he wants me to do it. So my question is will the product key for his Vista be considered valid by the XP installation? I'm not even sure if all this is even legal to do.... He wants everything on his computer to be legit. Any help and or advice here would be great. Thanks.
     
  2. BootMe

    BootMe Regular member

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    I'm pretty sure that using your Vista Product Key will not work on an installation of any other Operating System.

    Although it's downgrading, it's still trying to use a code for something different, and shouldn't work.

    I suspect you would need to purchase a product key for Windows XP for it to install, and be legit.

    Hope this helps.
     
  3. Auslander

    Auslander Senior member

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    BootMe is dead on. your friend needs to buy a new XP key.
     
  4. ahiah9

    ahiah9 Regular member

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    Thanks you for your fast responses. Guess he'll be spending the weekend bonding with his Vista, lol.
     
  5. BootMe

    BootMe Regular member

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    No Problem :)

    I used vista for a short while, it was ok once you got all the admin and stuff setup :)
     
  6. ahiah9

    ahiah9 Regular member

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    I guess his big problem with it is that it's still new, so there is alot of apps he used on XP that aren't available yet for Vista. I'm sure he'll find others with the same functionality or his favorites will be upgraded soon enough.
     
  7. BootMe

    BootMe Regular member

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    If the programs are popular, they will be modified, or even a new version made to work with Vista.

    I know most of my programs worked with vista, but I had a problem with a couple of programs needing drivers, which vista simply didn't have.
    Thats why I went back to my XP Pro. Shame though, I liked Vista :)
     
  8. Auslander

    Auslander Senior member

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    cough cough linux cough cough specifically mandriva and xandros cough cough cough
     
  9. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    better get that cough looked at, aus.
     
  10. NicHt

    NicHt Regular member

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    Mandrake kicked my ass more than once, wouldn't want it :p
     
  11. creaky

    creaky Moderator Staff Member

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    Mandriva is just as easy as Mandrake, 2007.1 is not long out and Mandriva 2008 is out in October :)
     
  12. NicHt

    NicHt Regular member

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    Lmao, took me two weeks to install Nvidia drivers, damn hard.
     

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