Why can't I buy a new laptop without Vista?

[davidt1]

I have been looking for a 17'' laptop. It seems that the new computers only come with Windows Vista. I play with some of these laptops at my local Fry's a few times, and they seem very slow (these have 1gb of ram). Many of the things I do with one step in Windows ME now requires more steps in Windows Vista. In short, I don't like Windows Vista.

Is there a way to buy a new computer without Vista? Thanks.

[jm1647]

Ya mighta waited a lil too long. I got one from frys in mid December that had XP. I dunno if the license is downgradeable to run XP it might be worthwhile to check on it.

[Chewy]

http://www.xtremenotebooks.com/

many custom online laptop dealers ship without os or with xp

[Alien Bay]

Or you could format the drive and re-install XP.

[davidt1]

Or you could format the drive and re-install XP.

No, I couldn't. I am as dumb as doorknob when it comes to computer stuff.

[doctorhardware]

It is highly unrecommended to downgrade vista to xp. It is cause another ball of worms.

[Alien Bay]

What? Formatting the hard drive and re-installing XP is hardly a "downgrade". It's more like a re-start.

[doctorhardware]

Yes I know that XP is better but there is also certain hardware, that from what I understand checks for Vista. If you look at Vista wrong it will corrupt the OS. Just had 2 Gateways lockup and corrupt the Vista OS tonight at work. We just sent the two desktops back to Gateway.
But that is how Microsoft sees it.

[Alien Bay]

but there is also certain hardware, that from what I understand checks for Vista. If you look at Vista wrong it will corrupt the OS.

Not sure I'm following you. Are you saying that if you format your drive and install XP, that certain hardware will be looking for Vista and corrupt XP if it doesn't see it?

[browneye]

the only problem i see is maybe finding drivers for certain hardware manufactured for Vista only and that is most unlikely. Vista will lock up if your hardware config has changed Substantially and you try to update. Win WGA says you are un-registered even if you are valid

[MisFire]

If you like HP stuff, I just purchased a 17" wide screen laptop w/xp pro. Go to HP's website and check it out.

[kkern54]

I have XP which I love because I was a victim of Windows ME. Talk about a nightmare system. I got XP and thought I was in computer heaven. Now since I hear complaints about Vista, I am thinking it is another horrible OS like ME was. I am staying away from it as long as possible. I am thinking Microsoft will scrap Vista eventually like it did with ME.

[NightbladeXX]

how uninformed are all you about Vista

I am uber-ultra-heavy-super-duty-mega-user and I have been running Vista since August when I did a fresh install of home premium 32, and set up a triple boot with XP pro SP2+, and Unbuntu Fiesty

I didnt like Vista at first and i mumbled and groaned thru it like all of you, but my customers were using vista and i was undfamiliar with it so i decided it was time to try it and learn it

and after a month of cursing as the layout of everythign is DIFFERENT but after evaluating it after a month you start to see why its better

we are all USED TO XP, 2000, 98/Me's goofy foot layout and menus that VISTA's seem IRRATIONAL but really they are laid out ALOT better

even my stubborn father who is 67 and not prone to change admits that Vista is better now, took him a while too

VISTA is alot more stable, yes you need better hardware mainly RAM but RAM is cheap and we cant run old machines for ever

Computers are like Dog Years every 1 year is like 7 years in computers' lives

if our system is 3 yrs old and you didnt get a higher end system its basically 21 years old would you be driving a 20 year old car with out updating (Read REPAIR)??

XP is not the answer VISTA is the future and the more you fight it the longer you will remain in misery

NOTE: I have XP Pro SP3 (MSDN) and I rarely ever now boot into it and what Unbuntu I have completely forgot about that too

I have trashed VISTA and I can guarantee the XP will lock up well before Vista does

The driver issues are dead now, and dotn blame Vista if HP doesnt make a driver for your 3 year old printer/scanner/ or whatever device

HELL you can even try VISTA for like 90 days on your system for free now!

give it a month and I guarantee you say XP what?

[Chewy]

Right now I am running a lower mid level 2+ year old setup, my ram was a lucky find,
I tested some matched 512's but video conversions were faster with my 256's ultra low latency, xp tweaked still leaves me over 300 megs free for video work and about 180 megs paged. I have been running from 25-40% overclock for 2 years and xp has been ultra stable, this is by far the longest I have ever gone without a clean install and I have tested a lot of software. It would cost me an arm and a leg to put matching 512's in my system to even run Vista and I would really be in trouble on my system hard drive, it's a 3 year old 35 gig raptor, with only 15 gigs for a system partition.

If I was building a new system and using 2 gigs of ram and a dual core, it would run Vista fine but since all the new games specify higher minimum requirements(cpu/ram/video card) if the OS is vista over XP then it's pretty obvious you are taking a performance hit with vista. For what?

[blutach]

Computers are like Dog Years every 1 year is like 7 years in computers' lives

if our system is 3 yrs old and you didnt get a higher end system its basically 21 years old would you be driving a 20 year old car with out updating (Read REPAIR)??

No, but I wouldn't be kicking my dog out into the street, either.

I hope XP lasts for many more years.

Regards