I have Windows 8.1 and want to switch to Windows XP. How can I do that?

synnchan · Nov 5, 2016

Hi, everyone. I have Windows 8.1 on one of my laptops and want to switch to Windows XP. In order to do that, I need to reformat it and do a clean OS reinstallation, right?

This is what I currently have on the laptop:

As you can see, I have exactly 4GB of RAM, so that means Windows XP would be able to handle it. But my question is: how can I do the reformatting and OS reinstallation process? I'm clueless and need someone to guide me step by step.

USAFRet · Nov 5, 2016

Switch to XP?
Why?

You'd need to purchase (from who knows where) an XP install and license.
Boot from that, install. Wiping the whole drive as you go.

But why XP?
Maybe there is some other method to get o what you seek.

13thmonkey · Nov 5, 2016

will xp even have drivers for that processor/socket?

synnchan · Nov 5, 2016

I want XP cause Windows 8.1 demands too much power from my laptop. CPU usage is always high even when I'm doing nothing. That's because of a bunch of useless apps that came from the factory. I've already reseted it once while keeping 8.1, but it's still rather slow. So I want a less powerful OS for better performance.

USAFRet · Nov 5, 2016

synnchan :

You just need to divest the system of all those useless 'apps'.

Uninstall is your friend.

13thmonkey · Nov 5, 2016

synnchan :

fix the problem, don't just sweep it away and replace it with dozens of other compatibility problems.

synnchan · Nov 5, 2016

@13thmonkey

Can you give me some examples of "dozens of other compatibility problems" ?

USAFRet · Nov 5, 2016

synnchan :

1. Does your hardware actually have drivers for XP?
If it came with 8.1 originally, probably not.

2. XP is long out of support. No more security updates

3. XP or 8.1....little actual OS overhead, once you get rid of the factory preinstalled junk

4. Moving forward, what do you use this thing for? Some current applications do not play well with the outdated XP.

I have a couple of similarly low power systems.
They work just fine with 8.1 or Win 10, once you get rid of that factory junkware.

13thmonkey · Nov 5, 2016

synnchan :

As per USAFret

Are there CPU drivers & mobo drivers for XP? GPU driver?
USB support on XP was poor.
Your touchpad? Supported? (maybe/maybe not if it is internally routed through USB)
Any SD slots?
Network card? Wifi (especially the faster types)
It didn't play that well with multiple cores, can it manage the power states of that processor.

Never mind the lack of support and updates.

And you'll lose some of the RAM too as it'll be 32bit, 64 bit was flawed.

That's 30s worth of thinking about it, there will be more.

synnchan · Nov 5, 2016

Ok, I'm convinced. But I will need you guys' help on something.

It seems like I found what's consuming so much of my CPU. It's "Service Host: Local System". Below is a screenshot:

It keeps at around 30% the whole time. How can I make it stop/disable it or at least make it consume less power?

USAFRet · Nov 5, 2016

You're looking in the wrong area.

Start with investigating what applications may be running.
I've seen brand new laptops brought to their knees (XP, 7, 8.1, 10) from the manufacturer preinstalled crapware.

So...what junk is automatically running when you start it up?
Norton or McAfee, some sort of "PC Doctor", some manufacturer toolbar launcher thingy, some Health Fixer, etc, etc...

All that take up a LOT of resources.

13thmonkey · Nov 6, 2016

If anything download the ISO for 8.1, extract your OEM key (may not be needed) and reinstall 8.1 from a clean HDD, that will do all of the above, can't recall how the key works for 8.1 though.

synnchan · Nov 6, 2016

Thanks for the tips, guys. And I think I found out the problem. The programs Superfetch and Windows Update were the ones causing high CPU usage. I disabled them and deleted all the factory crapware. Now my performance has increased a lot.

USAFRet · Nov 6, 2016

synnchan :

Exactly.
Identify the problem (too much junkware), before applying a solution (switch to XP).

ChaoticWolf · Nov 6, 2016

I'm not sure if you still want to do this after reading the previous comments, but incase you do:

It's not that hard to do.

All you would need is a copy of Windows XP (an iso image or the physical one) and a purchased product key
You can buy the product key for it and then download an iso image and put in the purchased product key.

You boot up the install from a flash drive with an iso image or with the disk and you install.

But before you do install Windows XP, back up anything you may need if you have anything you want to a flash drive or external hard drive, and make sure any drivers you have installed are compatible for Windows XP.

After that, you can load the XP setup and it should format the drive and continue installing.

Just know XP is no longer supported by Microsoft anymore and if you want to continue using it, install some antivirus software, a VPN, and do the little trick where you can get security updates from POSReady 2009 in Windows XP until April 2019.
Please note that any updates from POSReady may mess up XP because it is from a different operating system and things are a little different in security between the two, so make frequent System Restore points before installing any security updates that may be released

Learn more about the trick and start doing it:
http://betanews.com/2014/05/26/how-to-continue-getting-free-security-updates-for-windows-xp-until-2019/
It's basically tricking the registry to connect to the POSReady security update server and that way Windows Update will pick up any updates

So yeah, basically back anything up you may need, make sure your hardware and what not, like drivers is compatible with XP, install some antivirus software, and do the registry trick to get security for the next 2 years

But that's up to you if you even still want to switch to XP..

13thmonkey · Nov 6, 2016

ChaoticWolf :

I'm not sure if you still want to do this after reading the previous comments, but incase you do:

It's not that hard to do.

All you would need is a copy of Windows XP (an iso image or the physical one) and a purchased product key
You can buy the product key for it and then download an iso image and put in the purchased product key.

You boot up the install from a flash drive with an iso image or with the disk and you install.

But before you do install Windows XP, back up anything you may need if you have anything you want to a flash drive or external hard drive, and make sure any drivers you have installed are compatible for Windows XP.

After that, you can load the XP setup and it should format the drive and continue installing.

Just know XP is no longer supported by Microsoft anymore and if you want to continue using it, install some antivirus software, a VPN, and do the little trick where you can get security updates from POSReady 2009 in Windows XP until April 2019.
Please note that any updates from POSReady may mess up XP because it is from a different operating system and things are a little different in security between the two, so make frequent System Restore points before installing any security updates that may be released

Learn more about the trick and start doing it:
http://betanews.com/2014/05/26/how-to-continue-getting-free-security-updates-for-windows-xp-until-2019/
It's basically tricking the registry to connect to the POSReady security update server and that way Windows Update will pick up any updates

So yeah, basically back anything up you may need, make sure your hardware and what not, like drivers is compatible with XP, install some antivirus software, and do the registry trick to get security for the next 2 years

But that's up to you if you even still want to switch to XP..

Where'd you find the drivers from? You've described how to install, but not how to make it work.

ChaoticWolf · Nov 6, 2016

Hmmm? What, no I didn't say that I found any of his drivers compatible for Windows XP or whatever you're saying, I'm just explaining to him how to switch to XP, and to back everything up if he needs anything and "Check if his drivers are compatible for Windows XP" I didn't find any drivers for him.

13thmonkey · Nov 7, 2016

ChaoticWolf :

the point is that you noted zero of the drawbacks or problems that would occur as a result of going to XP, just the really basic how to do it, which would leave the OP (if he had done it), in quite possibly an unrecoverable state (no mention of a system backup).

ChaoticWolf · Nov 7, 2016

I don't know if you read the whole thing, but I clearly stated to make frequent system restore points and backups.

13thmonkey · Nov 7, 2016

ChaoticWolf :

Not going to get into this but that was for security updates on XP.

Please note that any updates from POSReady may mess up XP because it is from a different operating system and things are a little different in security between the two, so make frequent System Restore points before installing any security updates that may be released

The fundamental backup of the whole 8.1 system was missed, and for anyone else reading this, this is a very important point if you choose to go down this route AND have hardware that XP can support, this way you can revert to your 8.1 installation if you find hardware challenges with XP that cannot be resolved.

ChaoticWolf · Nov 7, 2016

Which I somewhat stated too. I think. Don't know, but yeah.

I have Windows 8.1 and want to switch to Windows XP. How can I do that?

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