Downgrade from Vista to XP Pro

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simbapanthropunk

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#15133 6-Aug-2007 14:20

I just downgraded my Vista to XP Pro but didn't think to research if the drivers were even going to work after I did the downgrade. I was able to successfully install XP Pro but now the drivers don't seem to be installing. I have a Toshiba Satelite that I just bought this year and the disc that it came with for the recovery and drivers is for Vista. It seemed to be installing the drivers without any problems or errors but the display adapters and other devices drivers are still not installed and I can't get on the internet. Does anyone have any tips for me? How I can get the wireless card driver working? I am fairly new to all this still. Thanks

lurker

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Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#81288 6-Aug-2007 15:05

I'd recommend you find a way (maybe a friend's PC?) to visit the official Toshiba website and download the XP drivers manually. Burn them to disc or use a memory stick to transfer the files to your laptop.I think there's something like an "Ask Iris" section on the Toshiba website where you can specify your laptop model and then select "Downloads" or something similar.

http://www.askiris.toshiba.com

simbapanthropunk

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#81292 6-Aug-2007 15:13

Thanks so much. I will give that a try. I am crossing my fingers here.

rscole86

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#81293 6-Aug-2007 15:27

Toshiba may not provide you with XP drivers, as they intended that PC for use with vista.

If you cannot find them on Toshiba's website you may need to have a look around for generic drivers, which will let you use the device, but not necessarily to its full potential.

If your USB ports work, which they should, you may be able to get your hands on a USB to RJ45 (ehternet) adapter, which will let you connect to your cable/ADSL modem/router, assuming you are not using dial up. This way you will be able to access the internet yourself and find out on the spot if your drivers will work.

lurker

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Ultimate Geek

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#81294 6-Aug-2007 15:28

Another (cumbersome) thing you could do is to use the Recovery CD to go back to Vista, get the drivers & burn them to disk, then go through the downgrade again. If you have any trouble, or you're not sure what to download, post back here again with your laptop's model number.

Regs

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Snowflake

#81303 6-Aug-2007 15:57

which model exactly?

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simbapanthropunk

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#81310 6-Aug-2007 16:43

Can I use the recovery CD when I chose to format the HD and install XP Pro?

simbapanthropunk

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#81311 6-Aug-2007 16:45

I have the Toshiba Satellite A135-S4467

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sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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#81316 6-Aug-2007 17:15

lurker: Another (cumbersome) thing you could do is to use the Recovery CD to go back to Vista, get the drivers & burn them to disk, then go through the downgrade again. If you have any trouble, or you're not sure what to download, post back here again with your laptop's model number.

That's no good if the recovery CD only has Vista drivers. Some new laptops coming out with Vista pre installed don't have drivers available for XP or any earlier OS.

lurker

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Ultimate Geek

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#81334 6-Aug-2007 19:37

sbiddle:
That's no good if the recovery CD only has Vista drivers. Some new laptops coming out with Vista pre installed don't have drivers available for XP or any earlier OS.

Sorry, that post wasn't as clear as it could have been - I gave that suggestion as a means of achieving the goal without a friend's help as per my first post. Basically, if I didn't have access to another PC I'd go back to Windows Vista using the Recovery CD, then using this stable environment I would then scour the internet for information/drivers. Then when I'd collected everything I needed, I'd downgrade to XP again and this time I'd have the drivers needed to make everything work. Again, cumbersome compared to just obtaining the drivers using another PC and fixing what Desiree has at the moment.

I looked up the model number on Toshiba's website and indeed there are no official XP drivers offered for this particular model.
But other users have been downgrading already, a bit of Googling will help here:

http://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&q=toshiba+a135+windows+xp&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

A few threads there with some hopeful news (for various variations of A135):

http://laptoping.com/toshiba-satellite-a135-s4499-a135-s4467-a135-s4427.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=129243

In one of those threads is a Rapidshare link for a driver bundle. Use at your own risk etc etc.

I'm sure from what I've read, it's achievable - just not that easy. Whether or not you attempt this depends on your own abilities/confidence. If it were me, I'd back up my documents, do the research, and start playing :)