[Swede23]

hey guys

I bought a new pc a few days ago and i bought it as a whitebox Pc so no OS was installed on it when it arived to me. I did this because i got a free version of Windows Vista Buisness and i thought why not try Vista and see what the fuzz is all about.

Now i have tryed it and i want to install Xp again so i try to boot from my Xp CD but it dosent work. Instead i end up at Caldera DR-DOS.

So i think i'm in over my head here and i need some help to remove Vista so that i get a clean Pc again and then install Xp

So how do i remove Vista ?

[Elvandil]

If you have a floppy drive, boot from a Win98 floppy and use fdisk or delpart to remove the partition. Or burn a bootable 98 CD.

Win98 SE boot floppy (with large drive fdisk, unformat.exe, and delpart.exe)
Windows 98SE boot CD image (with large drive fdisk, unformat.exe, and delpart.exe)

[uhaligani]

Caldera dos autoboot disk is not an original XP install disk. But allow it to run and, in one of the DOS directories which exist on the CD, format your hard disk again, if offered, NTFS is best. I believe Caldera offes you an XP environment, that should do the trick

[Swede23]

Originally Posted by Elvandil

If you have a floppy drive, boot from a Win98 floppy and use fdisk or delpart to remove the partition. Or burn a bootable 98 CD.

Win98 SE boot floppy (with large drive fdisk, unformat.exe, and delpart.exe)
Windows 98SE boot CD image (with large drive fdisk, unformat.exe, and delpart.exe)

Is there another way to do it ?? because i have a floppy drive but no disk atm. Havent used disks for a floppy in like 4-5 years.

[Swede23]

well after i looked around in Caldera dr-dos i found that in A:\drdos i have an fdisk where i can choose to delete partitions so i think that will work.

One thing that is bodering med is that i cant seem to use the command format C: and i have checked that C: is the right drive

and what will happend in i choose to use fdisk and delete the partition will Vista be removed so i can install Xp ?

[uhaligani]

That will work fin. Keep in mind that, when you commence to reinstall XP, it will offer to reformat, which is the option you are seeking.

[Elvandil]

Vista is installed in an NTFS partition. DOS can not ordinarily "see" such disks since NTFS came out long after DOS. Fdisk can "see" the partitions, but you can't use "format" since "format" sees no drive and it won't do an NTFS format, anyway. So just remove the partitions and XP setup will do the partitioning and formatting, with options to make any changes you like, such as multiple partitions. Choose NTFS and do a full format if you go the manual route during XP setup.

[bigk]

I don't understand this, theres been two threads now on the subject asking to remove windows: Vista.

You do realize, they just released Windows: Vista less then 2 weeks ago You got to give it some time. Thats why I'm waiting a few months before I purchase my copy. That way they can work the bugs out and other company's can get software and hardware drivers out.

bigk

[uhaligani]

Originally Posted by bigk

I don't understand this,

Yes, we do realise M8. It's feedback, never harmful, and helps those who wish to make an early start. When you finally buy your copy, you will, hopefully, find all these experimental questions and answers useful. All these bug finding ripples will as with XP and Win98 before it, make big waves and be dealt with in updates or Service packs. I, like many others, am having very few problems with Vista, and am trying to pass on the experiences, good or bad, I have had.

[DoubleHelix]

I find it difficult to believe that you can't install Windows XP on a computer that has Vista without using a floppy disk. You should be able to boot with the Windows XP disk, delete the partition, and re-create it.

I haven't worked with Vista yet, but it just doesn't make sense that it renders a computer unable to boot from a Windows XP CD.

[jnibori]

i need some help to remove Vista so that i get a clean Pc again

Just a thought. What if you "wipe" the entire contents of the disk using a secure HDD cleaner like Dariks Boot and Nuke, then start fresh with a format and install of WinXP ?

Dariks Boot and Nuke (DBAN) runs from a bootable CD or Floppy disk, and securely deletes (wipes) the entire content of the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect. The program is perfect for cleaning a computer before giving it away or selling it. You will download an ISO file, that needs to be burned to a CD.

[uhaligani]

I find it more than hard to believe DH. I find it unacceptable. I have been working with Vista since it's early Beta's - I don't have a floppy drive installed! Most of the problems, which unfairly advertise Vista as being lousy, are caused by poor self briefing before hand. Several threads on this site, and many other sites, are repetitious. The solutions are already available through official MS sources or third party. For me, as for many others, Vista is easier to install and manage than previous OS's

[sunnyeagle]

Have you tried to change the order of your boot in bios. Make the CD player boot first and have you XP disk in and ready.

[TRS-80 vet]

Originally Posted by bigk

I don't understand this, theres been two threads now on the subject asking to remove windows: Vista.

You do realize, they just released Windows: Vista less then 2 weeks ago You got to give it some time. Thats why I'm waiting a few months before I purchase my copy. That way they can work the bugs out and other company's can get software and hardware drivers out.

bigk

Yeah - how 'bout that?

I wonder why I got no replies on my thread??? Maybe the words were to hard for everybody to understand...

http://forums.techguy.org/windows-vi...ta-w-xpmc.html

I'll bump, and reword with your words, if you'll indulge me.

Thanks!

[jnibori]

This is a learning topic for me, as I know nothing about Vista. So, I thought I'd reiterate my earlier suggestion. Is there some reason why using Dariks Boot and Nuke has not been considered? I've read several postings about how to remove Vista. Apparently, this is a problem for some.

Boot and Nuke is a (free) bootable CD, which reportedly wipes out the data to meet DoD standards, which should leave a clean drive.

I'm only posting again because I'm curious if I am missing something. Also, I'm only suggesting this as a work-around, as I am sure there are other ways to accomplish this task.