How do I Override Windows XP?

[cellis]

I have a friend who has an older compaq laptop. Someone (who should have known better, not me) put XP on it. The laptop only has a 6 gig hardrive and needless to say it does not have enough room to operator.

I was going to change the system to WindowNT2000 because it takes up less space on the hard drive and I have had it on my desktop for 4 years and never had a problem with it.

When I tried to install the program, XP over rode the installation and keeps telling me there is a newer version of Windows available and will not let me install 2000.

I have tried everything I know and cannot override XP. Is there someone who can help me with this?

 

[Bert Notorius]

Sounds like you'll need to re-format your hard drive using a win 98 boot disk. Clean installs are generally better anyway.

 

[cellis]

Sounds like you'll need to re-format your hard drive using a win 98 boot disk. Clean installs are generally better anyway.

That would be fine but I don't have a Win 98 boot disk and neither does he.

 

[temp256]

Use Fdisk to delete the partition.

 

[SuzeL]

That's valid enough advice, but make sure you know exactly what you are doing first - you could totally screw the computer if you FDISK wrong!

If you don't have a Windows 98 bootdisk, they are readily available for download - Google will be able to find you one. If you don't have the Windows 98 CD either things could be more difficult.

 

[Weird Harold]

When I tried to install the program, XP over rode the installation and keeps telling me there is a newer version of Windows available and will not let me install 2000.

I have tried everything I know and cannot override XP. Is there someone who can help me with this?

Is the version of Win 2K a full installation disk -- i.e. meant to install on a clean computer and not upgrade an older version of windows or restore the factory configuration of a proprietary computer like an HP or Compaq?

If you have a full installation version of Win 2K available:

If you have a floppy on your system and the laptop can boot from a floppy, make a Win 2K emergency boot disk on your machine and boot from it, other wise, reboot while holding the CTRL key down to get the boot menu and choose "boot to MSDOS."

Once you're booted to DOS, run FDISK /MBR to unlock the master boot record -- it won't appear to do anything, just returning OK.

Run Format C: /U andtell it yes when it warns you that doing so will destroy all data on the fixed disk. That will reformat the hard-disk with an unconditional FAT32 format.

Reboot from the instllation disk and it should install Win 2K without a problem.


HOWEVER, ...

Since it's a Compaq, you may need to find a copy of the Restore disk for that particular model of Compaq -- Some models of Compaq require an operating system specifically modified for that specific model of Compaq and will NOT run with a general MS version.

 

[cellis]

Is the version of Win 2K a full installation disk -- i.e. meant to install on a clean computer and not upgrade an older version of windows or restore the factory configuration of a proprietary computer like an HP or Compaq?

If you have a full installation version of Win 2K available:

If you have a floppy on your system and the laptop can boot from a floppy, make a Win 2K emergency boot disk on your machine and boot from it, other wise, reboot while holding the CTRL key down to get the boot menu and choose "boot to MSDOS."

Once you're booted to DOS, run FDISK /MBR to unlock the master boot record -- it won't appear to do anything, just returning OK.

Run Format C: /U andtell it yes when it warns you that doing so will destroy all data on the fixed disk. That will reformat the hard-disk with an unconditional FAT32 format.

Reboot from the instllation disk and it should install Win 2K without a problem.


HOWEVER, ...

Since it's a Compaq, you may need to find a copy of the Restore disk for that particular model of Compaq -- Some models of Compaq require an operating system specifically modified for that specific model of Compaq and will NOT run with a general MS version.

Thank you Wierd Harold. I have done this in the past but just could not seem to find these instructions.

I will give this a try and see if I can find at least a Win 98 disk.

 

[Weird Harold]

Thank you Wierd Harold. I have done this in the past but just could not seem to find these instructions.

I will give this a try and see if I can find at least a Win 98 disk.

Go to your control panel and click on add/remove programs -- the rightmost tab should be "start-up disk."

Click that tab and follow the instructions to create a Win 2K bootable startup disk that has fdisk.exe and format.exe on it.

 

[cellis]

Go to your control panel and click on add/remove programs -- the rightmost tab should be "start-up disk."

Click that tab and follow the instructions to create a Win 2K bootable startup disk that has fdisk.exe and format.exe on it.

Thank you.

 

[xfwas]

If you can reboot notebook with windows98 cd, you can format your hard driver first.Then install windows 2k.
compaq is very complex to set bios.

 

[SubNebGuy]

compaq's can be tricky. last one i tried to do, wouldn't boot to the OS after installation.

turns out it had to be formatted a special 'compaq' way, which basically required the original system restore disk...or a second compaq computer where you could slave the drive and format it, then put it back in and install windows.

 

[Snowman5933]

If you are sure you want to install 2000 go ahead, but I have an alternate solution for you to think about.

If hard drive space is the only issue and the laptop has usb ports, why not get an external hard drive. I got an external hard drive enclosure for $25 and picked up a seagate 120gb hard drive for $40 with an instant in store rebate. My laptop came with a 40gb internal hard drive so now I have 200gb of storage.

Snowman

 

[Cathleen]

I can't help but when I saw the title my first response was ... Only God can override Windows.

I hope you have success.

 

[cellis]

If you are sure you want to install 2000 go ahead, but I have an alternate solution for you to think about.

If hard drive space is the only issue and the laptop has usb ports, why not get an external hard drive. I got an external hard drive enclosure for $25 and picked up a seagate 120gb hard drive for $40 with an instant in store rebate. My laptop came with a 40gb internal hard drive so now I have 200gb of storage.

Snowman

That would be fine, but this only has a 4 gig hard drive. There is not enough space for the system to operate. I may have to end up putting Win 98 back on it.

 

[cellis]

I can't help but when I saw the title my first response was ... Only God can override Windows.

I hope you have success.

Thank you! I think you may be right about god...

 

[cellis]

compaq's can be tricky. last one i tried to do, wouldn't boot to the OS after installation.

turns out it had to be formatted a special 'compaq' way, which basically required the original system restore disk...or a second compaq computer where you could slave the drive and format it, then put it back in and install windows.

Right. My son was a level 2 tech for compaq a few years back. He suggested the same thing.

 

[cellis]

If you can reboot notebook with windows98 cd, you can format your hard driver first.Then install windows 2k.
compaq is very complex to set bios.

Actually that was my next step. I am just waiting for him to bring me the boot disk.

 

[10dhtem]

hey -

seen your post the other day, but just got a chance to respond...sorry. i THINK the issue is that you have service pack 1 or 2 installed on your XP operating system. Right-click on 'my computer' and select 'properties'. It should state which system you have: mine shows 'Microsoft Windows XP Professional Version 2002 Service Pack 1'. If it shows that you have service pack 1 or 2 on it, you need to go into your 'add/remove programs' in your 'control panel' options. You may need to scroll down to see it, but if you have a service pack installed -- you can uninstall it here...it will uninstall the service packs that are installed, then you should be able to put the cd in and boot. GL -- i hope this helps...do this at your own risk, i got enough problems. -- if that dont work, to get your service packs back - go to microsofts website. i will check back to see how it went.

 

[Snowman5933]

That would be fine, but this only has a 4 gig hard drive. There is not enough space for the system to operate. I may have to end up putting Win 98 back on it.

I'll pray for you.

 

[cellis]

I'll pray for you.

Prayers and alms are always accepted.