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Hello, I was just trying to downgrade from vista to xp on my HP desktop. So I turned the sata hdd off in bios so xp could install but now the computer wont get past the post screen and I cant access the bios either to restore the settings? Any ideas on what to do? Thanks in advance for any help.

Try resetting the CMOS. Little button battery thingy, take it out wait 5 minutes, put it back.

Computers with restore discs instead of Windows installation discs, (a store bought copy of Windows) tend to be really tempermental about accepting anything other than the discs supplied with the machine. You will lose a lot of work on a "destructive"(full) restore, So the best thing to do is install your HDD in another computer, copy all your files, then go back to experimenting.
XP needs SATA drivers installed to complete an install. So, if you manage to get back into BIOS, set the HDD (s) to "run as IDE", that way XP will pick up the drives correctly.

I hope you've seen the old TV series "Kung Fu", otherwise the title may not make sense. Oh hell, who am I kidding, it may not make sense anyway.

BTW, there are still a few "eccentrics" around, such as myself, who actually still believe the XP is an Upgrade from Vista.

Thanks for your help. I got xp installed now, the problem now is I have no internet or sound. I know the ethernet driver isnt working and I'm not sure exactly which driver I need for it. Any ideas on what drivers I may need? I know the computer is a presario but I'm not sure exactly what model it is off the top of my head. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Here you might have to improvise a little. You are absolutely missing the sound and LAN drivers. I don't know which chipset/motherboard is in your box, but browse the manufacturer's site to see if your box was ever shipped with XP, and download those drivers. The sound drivers you might find at Realtek's site as most onboard sound cards are supplied by them. As they say. look before you leap-slash-install drivers, see what you can find out and get back to us.

You have no system specs published, and "the computer", you would have to agree, is a bit vague.

You should be able to get all the necessary internal details of your PC by installing a system-descriptor type program like belarc advisor, everest home edition, sisoft sandra etc. Download the install executable on a friends computer and copy via usb port. From the full hardware description it is a lot easier to find the proper drivers for your own PC, but yes, in my wide experience, sound drivers are worse, but network drivers usually are simple.

The quickest approach is to get the exact description of HP presario model from the model stickers on the case. Then the HP site will provide all necessary drivers for XP, often in a place hard to find, but they are there somewhere. If your exact model is not shown, a set of drivers for the next proceding model almost always work fine.

i recommend that you install a new copy of windows xp..!

Thanks for the help and suggestions, I used cpu-z to find out the mother board and it came up as an Asustek Leonite. I dled an ethernet and sound driver for it but they wouldnt install, not sure why.......alright the computer is a Presario Sr5000. Any ideas on where to get xp drivers for this computer I havent had any luck finding them. Thanks again for all the help.

here is the UK start page. http://h20180.www2.hp.com/apps/Looku...x=5&submit.y=9

inputting 'presario sr5000' gives 69 products. You need to get a bit closer. Click on the nearest and there are XP drivers for many but not all. Remember lots of these things will have the same drivers. My recommendation would be download whatever you think is nearest, but only try the sound and lan drivers.

Failing that, Everest for example, will tell you the network chipset (even if integrated on the motherboard) is e.g. Via VT6102 Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter. Then get the driver from the Via site.

It may be your nic is Intel PRO/100 VE which comes up in connection with 'Asustek Leonite' in google.

From a working PC go here and download PCI32.ZIP

members.datafast.net.au/~dft0802/downloads.htm

Run it and it will tell you what hardware you have in your system and then you can get the correct drivers.

for any hardware you can't install, you should check your hardware ID in device manager and google it...I installed almost every laptop and desktop computer that came with vista successfully with XP...

Thanks for all the help everyone. I finally got the right drivers with a little trial and error. Now I know to do some research before jumping into a project no matter how simple it seems.

Well I would still highly suggest downloading and keeping a copy of the program. It really comes in handy to see and know what the hardware is.


PCI Dectect

This program is also available right here at Techspot. > http://www.techspot.com/downloads/15...stem-info.html
It's pretty much the same thing, there's no install, just run an .exe file, it polls everything

Well it's not the same but is also a very good utility for locating data to help in situations like a new install.

Nothing at all wrong for a home user. I like the PCI detect as it does not install a toolbar or even offer to like SIW does and it's scriptable from command line which comes in handy for Corporate use.

I would suggest to UNCHECK the toolbar for SIW


SIW Home Page


Download without installer: SIW Downloads

I have on older version of SIW (V. 1.64), and it doesn't even offer the tool bar. I'm not a big fan of people foisting toolbars off on me, (I can barely use the ones that come with Windows itself), so by all means, feel free to disregard this new version.

Sometimes decent free software seems to "evolve" to a situation where ads come with it. For example consider "Daemon Tools".

Well they do offer a free stand alone that you just click and run. No installer, no toolbar.

http://www.gtopala.com/download/siw.exe