installing XP after Vista

Hi guys

I brought a Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop which came preloaded with Windows Vista Home Premium.
Now i want it to install Windows XP. But when put the (original) windows, the Setup Windows Option comes disabled.
Its a bootable disk, when I restart the computer with the cd, no option comes to boot computer with the disk.

What should I do to install Windows XP,without unloading Vista first.

does your Dell have a Recovery Partition???

If yes, forget 'bout installing XP, if you install it, it'll return this NTLDR Missing error.

I have a first hand experience with that error

on my HP Pavilion Desktop

& do you have the Vista Installation DVD (Recovery Disks), if not then make one using the Dell's inbuilt feature.

Go to bios and set the cd-rom priority first and then save the settings.Now you can boot the WinXP CD.

eggman i'll again WARN you about this error, coz repairing the XP Installation wont help you out of that error untill unless you delete/format that recovery Partition :wink:

s18000rpm said:
does your Dell have a Recovery Partition???

If yes, forget 'bout installing XP, if you install it, it'll return this NTLDR Missing error.

I have a first hand experience with that error on my HP Pavilion Desktop

& do you have the Vista Installation DVD (Recovery Disks), if not then make one using the Dell's inbuilt feature.

yes i do have.

So you mean, I can't install XP???

you can install it but as i said you will NEVER be able to Boot into XP.

read my experience with that NTLDR.
here -> Installing XP NTLDR error

so if you really want XP, then you have two options,
1- get rid of the Recovery Partition. - it'll be a big pain in the back side

, if something goes wrong in Vista.

2- Ask the Registry guru's here for hiding that Partition from "XP Setup". - doin this very thing is a big pain in the back side

btw why do you wanna De-Grade your system to XP now.???

as a thumb rule its best to install the older os first.

btw i am contemplating buying the same lappy too ! howz it ?

that not a problem i will help u how to install it but u dont let me do it on ur laptop.tell me wen i should cum. after gettin ntldr error it can be corrected & i hav done it millions of times.

^dude did you read the post in the link i gave

here ->Installing XP NTLDR error

As long as the RECOVERY PARTITION stays in the HDD, you CANNOT resolve the NTLDR error. :wink:

i tried all the possible methods (copying ntldr frm XP CD, repairing XP...) to resolve it but that error always came.

it vanished as soon as i Deleted the RECOVERY PARTITION.

I can't even go to the BIOS in dell
F12,DEL,ESC.......nothing works

try F1