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change Vista for XP on X61s

Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 6:18 am
by zuul
Hello. Anyone know Lenovos policy on the subject ? Bought X61S with Vista, thinking that "it cannot be bad" but it just is not working for me. Was thinking maby there's a possibility to change the operating system and the installation partition to Windows XP pro ? Any ideas how would be the easyest way to do it ;)

Thank You ahead

Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:19 pm
by ZaZ
This might be of interest. Vista Disk Manager includes a partitioner.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Downgrad ... 5607.shtml

Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 3:02 am
by zuul
hmmm, seems that i have a chance :) I also wrote to local IBM-Lenovo center and asked about the problem .. hopefully I will get an answer on monday. Was thinking, that as they make the same model thinkpads with XP and Vista is downgradeable then just maby I can get the system changed.

ty for the answer

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:19 pm
by floydw
My X60 came with XP. IBM sent me the Vista Business disk. I did a fresh install of Vista, found that the X60 hardware had issues when resuming from sleep or hibernate. I sent a note to IBM asking how I could get XP back onto the system. I expected a reply via e-mail. However, within about 3 days, to my surprise, in my postal mailbox I found a set of CDs, including a Rescue&Recovery CD, for XP. I wiped out the disk, put XP back on there, and have had no problems since. Maybe you'll get a set of discs soon.....

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:30 am
by codek
floydw wrote:My X60 came with XP. IBM sent me the Vista Business disk. I did a fresh install of Vista, found that the X60 hardware had issues when resuming from sleep or hibernate. I sent a note to IBM asking how I could get XP back onto the system. I expected a reply via e-mail. However, within about 3 days, to my surprise, in my postal mailbox I found a set of CDs, including a Rescue&Recovery CD, for XP. I wiped out the disk, put XP back on there, and have had no problems since. Maybe you'll get a set of discs soon.....
did you order the vista disks? or did it just come?

New Hard Drive

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 1:44 am
by rkanazawa
Perhaps this is not the most cost effective solution to changing from Vista to Xp. On my wife's X61s I decided to install Xp Pro onto the 100gb drive that shipped with the laptop. I had to make sure to not overwrite the hidden partition so when she is ready for Vista I can easily transition back.

On my recently ordered x61s I did somthing a little different. I ordered it with an extra hard drive. Took the Vista Pre-loaded hard drive out and then slipped in the new empty hard drive. Installed Xp and figure that in a year or two years time when I need to change the hard drive for a new one I already have it handy.

Vista To XP

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:44 am
by rkanazawa
When you install Xp you have to make sure you find all of the drivers that you need to install. Lenovo announced on the 15th they are now selling Xp recovery disks. I ordered a set of these to install it on a new laptop at the office so I don't have to fool with looking for all the drivers.

Re: Vista To XP

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:07 am
by macuser
rkanazawa wrote: so I don't have to fool with looking for all the drivers.
That is exactally what I am looking for....

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 1:33 pm
by sgmidf
I have an X61s and just saw the info about "downgrading" to XP. What does Lenovo charge for the recovery disks?

Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 3:47 am
by ryengineer
sgmidf wrote:I have an X61s and just saw the info about "downgrading" to XP. What does Lenovo charge for the recovery disks?
$45 excluding state tax and shipping.

Recovery Disc

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 12:34 am
by rkanazawa
I received my set of recovery cd's and very easily switched from Vista to Xp. I would like to revert back to Vista at a later date so did not want to erase the hidden partition when restoring Xp. I ordered an identical drive from Lenovo and installed the recovery set directly to the new drive. Had everything up and running and downloading the newest updates from Lenovo and Microsoft within about thirty minutes.

Re: Recovery Disc

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:43 am
by mazzer
rkanazawa wrote:I received my set of recovery cd's and very easily switched from Vista to Xp. I would like to revert back to Vista at a later date so did not want to erase the hidden partition when restoring Xp. I ordered an identical drive from Lenovo and installed the recovery set directly to the new drive. Had everything up and running and downloading the newest updates from Lenovo and Microsoft within about thirty minutes.
With the recovery disk version of XP, are you able to use Fn+F5 to turn on/off wireless? This is the only functionality I am missing after downgrading to XP myself.

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:43 am
by zuul
recieved te recovery CDs with XP pro lately. Easy process of system reinstall and happy owner :) fn+F5 works as asked in last post :)

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 2:33 am
by Wangta
Would it be illegal to download a copy of these XP recovery disks for the X61s? I bought an X61s with Vista Business and am not very happy with it - would love to roll back to XP.

Also - how much RAM is supported with XP?

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 12:45 pm
by wackydan
floydw wrote:My X60 came with XP. IBM sent me the Vista Business disk. I did a fresh install of Vista, found that the X60 hardware had issues when resuming from sleep or hibernate. I sent a note to IBM asking how I could get XP back onto the system. I expected a reply via e-mail. However, within about 3 days, to my surprise, in my postal mailbox I found a set of CDs, including a Rescue&Recovery CD, for XP. I wiped out the disk, put XP back on there, and have had no problems since. Maybe you'll get a set of discs soon.....
They aren't supposed to send you the Vista Disks for a system that shipped with XP... Violation of licensing ala Microsoft. You got lucky....