FAQ - How To Downgrade to XP

[fauxpas]

OK, I've successfully installed xp twice using a USB stick using 2 slightly different methods...

Problem is I don't like the added menu bit at the bootup. Is there a method of removing this or a different system of installing from usb?



SOLVED! -> http://www.hp2133guide.com/forums/vi...339&highlight=

[carvethename]

HOW DO YOU:

Open a command line and navigate to your physdiskwrite folder


help

[carvethename]

HOW DO YOU:

Open a command line and navigate to your physdiskwrite folder


help

[MikeyBee]

Start menu..
then select Run...
then type cmd in the box and click OK

Then assuming you have put your physdiskwrite folder on the desktop then type

cd Desktop
cd physdiskwrite

Hope that helps

Mike

[gregw]

MikeyBee, I tried your method, but the "boot disk" always ends up as "Non-system disk" and cannot boot. I've tried 3 different USB devices, one 2GB USB stick, one 2GB SD card, and one 1GB SD card. I've also tried doing the actual "writing" with physdiskwrite on two separate PCs, both running Windows XP pro.

Any ideas? The image I downloaded is wxpboot.exe, and it looks like it's the correct image right?

[MikeyBee]

Hi Greg,

Can you confirm you have expanded the wxpboot.exe file to wxpboot.ima using WinRAR, and are using wxpboot.ima as the input to physdiskwrite, not wxpboot.exe?

physdiskwrite -u wxpboot.ima

Mike

[gregw]

Mike, I was trying your method to load XP Pro on my SSD in my new 2140 and it doesn't work as I keep getting the "Non-system disk" error. I've now moved my SSD back to the 2133 and your method now works just fine..

I'm very glad I haven't returned the 2133 yet as I haven't had any luck at all in trying to load XP Pro with a USB stick or even a USB CD reader on the 2140. I tried installing SP3 with a USB CD reader and it can't find the SSD. I tried installing SP2 with a USB CD reader and just as it says "starting Windows", it dies with an error on a blue screen.. I'm starting to get a feeling that my Samsung SSD is somehow not compatible with the 2140.. :roll:

I'm hoping that using your method, I can then move the drive to the 2140 before doing the install... Crossing my fingers that this will work..

-edit-
Nope... It still dies with an error on a blue screen when it tries to start the install... :x There is definitely a compatibility issue there.. :roll:

[MikeyBee]

Hi Greg

Have you tried installing XP Pro on the 2140 using a standard HD, or did yours come with a SSD?

Mike

[gregw]

It comes with a 160GB 7200RPM HDD. I just tried it with the HDD instead of the SSD, loading from the USB CD reader and I encounter the same error... So, it's not a compatibility problem with the SSD, but probably a bug somewhere.. It doesn't even work with the original HP XP Home SP2 Recovery CD either as it dies at exactly the same place.. Hmmm... Seems like no one at HP actually tried the XP Home SP2 Recovery CD to see if it would actually "recover" the HDD.. :lol:

-edit-
I finally managed to install Windows XP Pro. The only way I could do it is to upgrade the Windows Home with an Upgrade XP Pro CD. There was simply no way to actually install Windows XP from scratch on this machine.. :roll:

[laptopsbattery]

I just found a post about " how to Install XP on Asus Eee PC from USB flash drive" here .

But I dont know it is useful for my HP 2133. Just this.

So I will try this : How to Install XP on the Mini-Note .