It is very common that most of the new laptop machine are equipped with Windows Vista – while users (like me) are more comfortable with Windows XP. In this case, they find many problems and bugs in downgrading from windows vista to Windows XP.
Below are the steps for installing windows XP on any laptop (on which you are unable to install Windows XP) and it gives you errors like “Hard Drive Not Found” while it is present.
Steps:
1. Know Your Motherboard Hard Drive Bus Manufacturer and motherboard model
- Right click on My Computer (while remaining in Windows Vista) and after selecting Properties and Device Manager, You can easily find the manufacturer name by click on hard drive tab.
Suppose that your hard drive bus manufacturer is “INTEL IATA ICHCM” and mother board model is Intel 965GM.
2. Search and Download
- Search for Intel 965 drivers from Google or visit support.intel.com and select Intel chipset drivers for laptops.
- From there you will get drivers for your Hard Drive it could be like IATA ICHM or SATA download the driver package file.
3. Download N-Lite
- N-lite is program, which is used to create customized copy of windows xp.
- Simply search for N-Lite through Google and you will get it free
- By Following N-Lite Steps “Add Drivers to Existing Windows XP Setup Folder”
- Burn the Windows XP Setup CD or Save it as back on your hard drive by using N-Lite
4. Install windows XP
- By following all windows xp installation steps like boot from CD ROM or first boot device CD ROM by inserting the same burn CD.
- This time it will not give you message of “No Hard Drive Detect”.
Enjoy !!!
You can do this downgraded installation by just doing some tweaks in BIOS settings.
Actually, this XP is made for IDE only hardisks. So, You go to your BIOS (normally by pressing F2 at startup) and Disable SATA drives.Save settings and Bang!!
Also, there is option in some HP Laptops BIOS which says SATA Native Support under SYSTEM CONFIGURATION menu. Disable this feature and you will get your drives detected.
Hope it work wonders for all :)
“XP is made for IDE only Hardisks.” = False
WIN XP had support for SATA drives since its launch.
If anything you only need the correct drivers.
Totally agreed.. just wrong typo :)
But Not All the laptops bios offered the SATA option facilities.
Slam to all dears Hence in my point of view window xp is best for laptop. last time i used window 7 but it’s slow down speed of my laptop.
windows Xp is made for IDE and SATA both all Laptops don’t support it but installing dos drivers of hard drive makes laptop to support windows Xp.
Its wrong to say that windows Xp can’t b installed on non supproted Laptops.
u just have to make it supported first…
:-) hoop u understand and dont mind…
hey i have hp 530 which is equiped with vista home basic
but i tried to install xp two years later and i was succeeded
but what u have to do is to download and install ahci controller to run xp on sata hard drive
any way if any one need any help regarding this, can contact me on ma mail which is [email protected]