downgrading Tosh laptop from Vista to XP 3

[Forscher]

Hi,
I am re-posting this query with more detail, since I think that it was maybe in the wrong section..
I have an old Toshiba Satellite laptop running Vista Home Edition. I should like to downgrade this machine to run with the XP OS.
I have a genuine, but rather old, Windows XP Pro CD with SP1. I also have downloads of XP Sp2 and SP3.
I have searched the web and understand that I need to download the latest XP9 Intel (Matrix) Storage Manager Support Package from the webpage.at

http://pc-support.toshiba-europe.com/drivers/.

I have visited that webpage and successfully downloaded the appropriate XP drivers for the laptop. However, I am unable to find (or identify) the appropriate Chipset sub-folder of the F6flpy directory, which I understand would enable me to add a storage driver from a floppy disc. To be honest, I am not quite sure how to proceed here!

laptop details: Satellite A100-02M
Model Nr.: PSAANE-04U03EEN
Serial Nr:. 372 464 64Q

Before I attempt run the upgrade, I wanted to make sure that, if all went wrong, I could revert back to Vista. Therefore, before I begin, I have tried to run the re-install program. I have held down F8 during boot-up, as instructed, and after inputting password and username have reached the screen offering me the various options. I have tried the "Restore to an Earlier Date" option and that works OK. However, when I try the "Reinstall OS", nothing happens. I have checked the HD which is partitioned with the C partition and also the hidden partition, of size 1.5G labelled "Simple Basic", "Healthy (EISA Configuration)"; the other (C) partition is labelled NTFS. As far as I can remember, when I asked John Lewis, when I purchased the PC, they said there were no back-up discs.
Has anyone any suggestions, I've been pretty impressed by responses to earlier questions..

 

[goombawaho]

You are mistaken if you think you will be able to revert to Vista if the Windows XP installation fails unless you can use plan A, B, C or D below. You need to start from scratch and assume that everything on the Vista drive will be lost - a clean install of XP. Have your data backed up to a safe location before you do anything.

The only way to assure you can get back to where you were is to:
A) Buy a new hard drive and put the old one with Vista on a shelf
B) Take an image backup of the Vista hard drive and put it on an external hard drive.
C) Have all your DATA backed up and use the built-in recovery partition to restore Vista IF your PC has it.
D) If you don't have a working recovery partition, backup your data as in C and you can download a Vista install DVD

http://www.mydigitallife.info/64-bit-x64-windows-vista-official-direct-download-links/

-------------------------------------------------

I don't think you're going to need to do the F6 / floppy driver install routine for this laptop. I didn't see anything pertaining to SATA that you could download. YES, you need to run the chipset installation software that you found, but AFTER the XP installation has finished.

 

[rclarke250]

Toshiba uses a "make your own approach" to recovery disks, as all manufacturers do these days. Check in the Toshiba folder in the start menu for a way to make recovery software. This will give you the disks to do a full factory restore, if you have an issue with the XP install. As to the F6-floppy driver, it is not needed, just install XP normally, and install the matrix driver, after the SP3 update.

 

[Forscher]

Hi Goombawaho and Rclarke250,
Let me begin by thanking both of you for taking the trouble to reply. It's easier for me if I reply to you both simultaneously. I will split up my reply into two parts for clarity.

Re-Install of Vista.
When I look at the OP manual for the laptop via Start> Toshibafolders> manual, I find instructions to do various things, including re-installing the Vista O/S. It says, "on boot-up, hold down key F8". If I do this, I get a screen that is entitled "System Recovery Options". The next page then invites me to select a keyboard layout (I select UK), I then next get a screen that invites me to enter Username and P/W. This I do and get the next page that gives me "Repair your PC". Six options/links are offered including "Windows Complete PC Restore" and "Restore Complete Windows Operating system". I select and click on "Restore Complete Windows OS", and then nothing happens, I am just returned to the previous page.
Earlier I have tried one of the other options "Restore to a previous Setting", and that works OK. Any suggestions as to why my option "Restore Complete Windows OS" doesn't work?

Goombawaho, so what I did corresponds to your option C. As I said before, I have checked the HD and see that there are two partitions on it: one is 1.5G, the other is large and the OS is on it. I assume that the 1.5G partition is the so-called hidden partition, bit of a coincidence otherwise because I have seen somewhere that the hidden partition is 1.5G in size, and if it is not the hidden partition, what is it for?

Install XP
Goombawaho I have gone to your link

http://www.digitallife.....

but (a) cannot find a download for a Vista 32-bit OS. To be honest, I am not quite sure what I am looking for. Could you be more exact?
Rclarke250 What exactly is this F6 / floppy driver install routine and can you be a bit more specific about the chipset installation. What exactly is the Matrix Driver?
Sorry to be so stupid. I hope that all this is intelligible!
Thanks again to you both.
Cheers

 

[Forscher]

Hi Goombawaho and Rclarke250,
Let me begin by thanking both of you for taking the trouble to reply. It's easier for me if I reply to you both simultaneously. I will split up my reply into two parts for clarity.

Re-Install of Vista.
When I look at the OP manual for the laptop via Start> Toshibafolders> manual, I find instructions to do various things, including re-installing the Vista O/S. It says, "on boot-up, hold down key F8". If I do this, I get a screen that is entitled "System Recovery Options". The next page then invites me to select a keyboard layout (I select UK), I then next get a screen that invites me to enter Username and P/W. This I do and get the next page that gives me "Repair your PC". Six options/links are offered including "Windows Complete PC Restore" and "Restore Complete Windows Operating system". I select and click on "Restore Complete Windows OS", and then nothing happens, I am just returned to the previous page.
Earlier I have tried one of the other options "Restore to a previous Setting", and that works OK. Any suggestions as to why my option "Restore Complete Windows OS" doesn't work?

Goombawaho, so what I did corresponds to your option C. As I said before, I have checked the HD and see that there are two partitions on it: one is 1.5G, the other is large and the OS is on it. I assume that the 1.5G partition is the so-called hidden partition, bit of a coincidence otherwise because I have seen somewhere that the hidden partition is 1.5G in size, and if it is not the hidden partition, what is it for?

Install XP
Goombawaho I have gone to your link

http://www.digitallife.....

but (a) cannot find a download for a Vista 32-bit OS. To be honest, I am not quite sure what I am looking for. Could you be more exact?
Rclarke250 What exactly is this F6 / floppy driver install routine and can you be a bit more specific about the chipset installation. What exactly is the Matrix Driver?
Sorry to be so stupid. I hope that all this is intelligible!
Thanks again to you both.
Cheers

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

Why not just spring for a copy of Windows 7? All your Vista pain will go away.

Back you personal files, and do a fresh install. its the least painful way.

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[Forscher]

Well, I suppose that that is a thought. However, it is nice to solve these problems, not just dodge them!

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

I think Im missing something, but whats the actual problem?

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[goombawaho]

I think Im missing something, but whats the actual problem?

You need to read the actual first post hairlesssupportmonkey. (said somewhat sarcastically but not in a mean way).

Why not just spring for a copy of Windows 7? All your Vista pain will go away.

Best advice so far, BUT NOT the actual answer to the first post.

I think that A) you shouldn't worry about creating a floppy and using F6 - it will not be needed per both of our opinions to install XP. This is the least of your challenges.

Any suggestions as to why my option "Restore Complete Windows OS" doesn't work?

I don't know why it's not working , but if you had a built-in restore partition, I think one of those options would be working for you. Likely, the partition has been destroyed by someone reloading windows and blowing the partition away or else it was never part of your system OR the link to it has been broken (corresponding to when you try the "Restore Complete Windows OS" option and nothing happens).

So you tried option C and it failed. No real way to troubleshoot it unless I could see it, feel it, touch it, smell it. You have to use option A, B or D as I described.

If you need 32-bit, I sent you the wrong link. Here is the 32bit link:

http://www.mydigitallife.info/windows-vista-free-direct-download-link/

Here are instructions on how to get an install DVD made from those downloads:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...ad-links-nice-try-but-you-still-need-key.html

 

[goombawaho]

Okay, so I hadn't tested the links given and now I see that they are no longer working. Sorry. So, you cannot download your own Vista DVD. Thus, change option D as follows:

A) Buy a new hard drive and put the old one with Vista on a shelf
B) Take an image backup of the Vista hard drive and put it on an external hard drive.
D) Borrow a Vista DVD. AVOID BitTorrent. Anyone can put something nasty in the ISO.

 

[rclarke250]

If you need to download vista, try here Dell

The 32 bit version is the x86 , and the 64 bit version is the x64.

You can go Here and download, and read what the Intel storage matrix driver is, and does. Download the one that corresponds to the chipset you have. This is not the chipset driver. Download CPU-Z from Here Under the mainboard tab it will tell you what chipset you have, google the chipset number i.e 845m express , and download the drivers.

You do not need any floppy disk, or drivers from a floppy. No need to do a F6 install of drivers. Generic drivers included in windows xp will get you started till you install the correct drivers for the system. You mentioned, F6, I was just saying it is not needed. F6 during an install of windows is used to inject drivers, like a raid driver, that is missing on the install media.

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

My point would be why not go in the up direction rather than all this grief going back?

Perhaps I'm missing the OPs point here?

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[goombawaho]

IMHO, someone else deserves a star as well.

My point would be why not go in the up direction rather than all this grief going back?
Perhaps I'm missing the OPs point here?

You're missing something in that you are solving a different problem. Is that the best advice - absolutely IF I were voting. But the OP is asking the question and voting on the correct answer, as it were. AND he would have to BUY Win 7 or Win 8 whereas he would not have to spend money with his requested solution. Can you dig it?

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

Indeed - I actually did get the point, Im struggling with my own reasoning and the urge to say - just dont bother with all the pain downgrading then upgrading if it all goes wrong and just go in the right direction in the first instance!! Ooops - I said it anyway...

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[rclarke250]

I agree that windows 7 is the way to go. But the OP didn't ask for a recommendation as to windows 7 and the viability of it as a replacement to Vista. He asked how he should proceed in installing windows XP, and if he could go back to Vista if he had an issue. In this instance there could be financial issues as to the reason for not upgrading to Windows 7, or simply that the OP is more familiar with Windows XP, and therefor would like that as his operating system.

 

[goombawaho]

Yeah, come on hairlesssupportmonkey, you're being a PITA and that's my job and I don't need the competition.

I just hope after all this that the OP is not planning on installing a bootleg XP or an OEM key code from a different computer (same difference). Maybe we have scared the poster away.

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

I wasn't really intending to be a pain in the ass, simply guiding the OP to a much easier and better solution. Another point is this isn't really an end user forum and a "computer professional" might already know the answer to these types of questions!

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[goombawaho]

I know you weren't and I was just joking around, but that solution would only TRULY be better to the OP if YOU paid for the Windows upgrade.

 

[Forscher]

Hi,
Well thanks folks for all your input. The laptop is now up and running fine.

 

[goombawaho]

So you DIDN'T need to use the Floppy F6 install routine - correct?

Congratulations, you now have now traded a buggy operating system for a decent but way old operating system. I don't blame you for getting rid of Vista, it just misbehaves at times and makes you crazy.