The current OS is Vista Premium and I wish to install Win Xp Home. I have
change the bios to boot from cd-dvd/hdd/disabled. Upon reboot and hit the
'enter key' Windows will do the setup. When asked to hit 'enter' to install
the xp, I get a message that it cannot find the hdd. But the hdd is there as
I can start Vista and do what ever I want. Vista in the pc is a complete
working system, so there is no problem with the hdd.Any idea what is
preventing the xp from been installed? Thanks for your help

Likely your PC has a SATA mass storage controller. Most BIOS have
a operational mode setting for the controller. If set to AHCI then XP
does not have the capability to see/use the controller and it's drives. It
requires changing the SATA to a "Legacy" mode.

"lengrass" <lengrass@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:757FD7F6-9AA5-46C2-8A6D-769C8FD84F32@microsoft.com...
> The current OS is Vista Premium and I wish to install Win Xp Home. I have
> change the bios to boot from cd-dvd/hdd/disabled. Upon reboot and hit the
> 'enter key' Windows will do the setup. When asked to hit 'enter' to
> install
> the xp, I get a message that it cannot find the hdd. But the hdd is there
> as
> I can start Vista and do what ever I want. Vista in the pc is a complete
> working system, so there is no problem with the hdd.Any idea what is
> preventing the xp from been installed? Thanks for your help

And prior to dumping Vista you have checked that your HW has drivers for
winxp havent you? Not all new large OEM PC's have drivers for xp where Vista
has been installed

"lengrass" <lengrass@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:757FD7F6-9AA5-46C2-8A6D-769C8FD84F32@microsoft.com...
> The current OS is Vista Premium and I wish to install Win Xp Home. I have
> change the bios to boot from cd-dvd/hdd/disabled. Upon reboot and hit the
> 'enter key' Windows will do the setup. When asked to hit 'enter' to
> install
> the xp, I get a message that it cannot find the hdd. But the hdd is there
> as
> I can start Vista and do what ever I want. Vista in the pc is a complete
> working system, so there is no problem with the hdd.Any idea what is
> preventing the xp from been installed? Thanks for your help

=?Utf-8?B?bGVuZ3Jhc3M=?= wrote:
>
> The current OS is Vista Premium and I wish to install Win Xp Home. I have
> change the bios to boot from cd-dvd/hdd/disabled. Upon reboot and hit the
> 'enter key' Windows will do the setup. When asked to hit 'enter' to install
> the xp, I get a message that it cannot find the hdd. But the hdd is there as
> I can start Vista and do what ever I want. Vista in the pc is a complete
> working system, so there is no problem with the hdd.Any idea what is
> preventing the xp from been installed? Thanks for your help

You'll have to delete the partion and or use a zero fill util first.















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