Thread: Dual booting XP home on Vista HB preinstalled Compaq laptop

Whether XP will work on your hardware depends on whether or not the manufacturers have produced windows XP drivers for it. As for dual booting, there are many free and open source applications out there that can act as your boot manager. I don't run windows so can't give you personal anecdotes, but a quick Google search should reveal at least a half dozen.

Originally Posted by chaucolai

I don't know whether mine has XP drivers though D: how do I find out?

I guess some explanation is in order. Your hardware was packaged by a single OEM, usually a Tier 1 brand like Dell or HP. They might have customized some of the parts included, so if possible, get the drivers from them. In other words, since you have a Compaq branded laptop, check Compaq(now owned by HP)'s website. If not, you can find out who made each individual component that makes up your laptop as a whole and see if the component manufacturer provides drivers for XP.

Originally Posted by chaucolai

Thanks for the dual booting thing. I was trying to do it all manual like.

Not a problem.

Originally Posted by chaucolai

ALSO: As I have several COAs that aren't in use and my friend has a MacBook trying to install XP on Boot Camp.. will it work using one of those?

COA?

Originally Posted by Anti-Trend

I guess some explanation is in order. Your hardware was packaged by a single OEM, usually a Tier 1 brand like Dell or HP. They might have customized some of the parts included, so if possible, get the drivers from them. In other words, since you have a Compaq branded laptop, check Compaq(now owned by HP)'s website. If not, you can find out who made each individual component that makes up your laptop as a whole and see if the component manufacturer provides drivers for XP.

Not a problem.

COA?

COA= Code of Authenticity. It has been removed from the OEM version of XP I have but it's stuck on the bottom of some old laptops that no longer work.

I know about the drivers but I don't know where to find out whether I have the XP drivers. I'm guessing not however but the HP website only has very few drivers for XP for the laptop. HP's Driver Download site.
However on the General XP Downgrade post on the website it's listed as "Moderate" but as I'm not downgrading, I'm dualbooting, I don't know whether I need them and if I do how to install them. My laptop doesn't have a floppy drive and tho it has eSATA I have nothing to go into it.

ALSO: What happens if I dual boot Windows XP and one of the drivers is missing?

Thanks

EDIT: Sorry, it says it's Difficult, not Moderate. Just my luck.