Get yourself an XP system while you still can
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By Scott
Dunn With Windows XP scheduled to disappear from store shelves on June 30, time is running out to buy a computer with that venerable OS preinstalled. As manufacturers stop producing XP drivers, finding hardware that still supports XP is becoming a challenge, but I've produced one last shopping guide for you before the clock runs out. |
An approach to tackling the XP shopping dilemma
Microsoft's widely used Windows XP operating system had a stay of execution a few months ago, when the Redmond company announced that it would continue sales of that OS through June 30, 2008. Sales had previously been scheduled to end in January 2008. But the new, June deadline doesn't leave much time for those who don't like Vista, but need to buy new hardware and want XP as their operating system.
To be sure, your license to use XP does allow you to remove the OS from an old machine and install it on a new one. But, as hardware manufacturers direct more resources to Windows Vista, it may be harder to find drivers for video, audio, and other computer components that support the older OS.
In addition to extending the XP sales deadline, Microsoft has also stated that buyers of Vista Business and Vista Ultimate can "downgrade" to Windows XP Professional, XP Professional x64 Edition, and Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, as reported in a Computerworld article and elsewhere.
When you buy a new computer, participating companies may (a) include a copy of XP in the box, (b) include a special "downgrade disk," which I'll describe below, or (c) make you buy XP through a completely separate ordering process. It's the manufacturer's choice, not yours.
For the moment, however, you do still have some options if you want XP instead of Vista. You can buy a computer with XP preinstalled or make sure that a Vista computer you buy comes with an XP downgrade disk.
How to buy a system with XP preinstalled
Believe it or not, most major computer manufacturers still offer systems with XP preinstalled. (The only exception, as seen in Table 1, is Gateway.) If XP comes standard on a new machine, you're pretty much guaranteed to have a system with all the necessary XP drivers up and running.
If you choose this option, here are some tips I uncovered during my research:
• Online shopping offers you a better chance of finding an XP system (or a system that comes with an XP downgrade disk) than going to your local superstore.
• It's getting harder to find desktop computers that come with XP preinstalled. You'll have a greater variety of choices if you shop for an XP notebook instead.
• In general, a Web site's home-user or small-office computers will not offer the best selection of XP machines, if the site shows any models at all in this market segment. It's very likely that you'll want to shop in the business division of a manufacturer's site.
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UPDATE
2008-03-20:
Microsoft
channel
policy
proliferates
another
pipeline for
obtaining
systems
bundled with
XP, at least
through
January,
2009.
Redmond
allows
organizations
to apply for
a "system
builder"
classification,
a category
that covers
operations
that range
in size from
substantial
box builders
to two-gearheads-in-a-garage
shops.
System
builders can
purchase OEM
versions of
Windows XP
all through
2008 for
bundling
with PCs
they sell.
See our
Mar. 20,
2008,
article. |
How to use the 'downgrade disc' option
For the best of both worlds, consider buying a system that has Vista preinstalled but comes with a downgrade disc, often called an XP recovery disc. Using a recovery disc wipes out a PC's existing operating system and everything else that was on the boot partition, but that's exactly what many people with Vista aversion want.
This is not the same as a manufacturer simply tossing a copy of Windows XP into the box a PC comes in. A truly useful XP downgrade disc is a recovery disc of XP, complete with all the necessary drivers. (Such a recovery disc will probably include some crapware programs, too, which is par for the course.)
In many cases, a PC with an XP downgrade disc will also include another disc with an image of the Vista operating system, in case you want to switch from XP back to Vista. If a Vista disc isn't included, make an image backup or a Vista recovery disc before downgrading, as described in a recent TechRepublic article.
I recommend avoiding Vista systems that merely come with a vanilla XP install disc (or the option to order one). This is the most you can expect from Dell systems, for instance.
Simply having an XP license does not guarantee that drivers are available for all the devices in your new computer. Even if working drivers can be found online, you'll have to go looking for them, as Dell notes on its instruction page for its manual downgrade process. Fortunately for Dell fans, the company still sells a wide variety of machines with XP preinstalled.
Some systems — like those from Acer, Fujitsu, HP, and Sony — include a downgrade disc in the box for some qualifying systems. Others, like Lenovo, expect you to order the disc separately for an additional charge.
Because downgrade discs that include drivers are specific to a computer system or model series, these discs are generally available only for specific models. Don't expect a company that has downgrade discs to supply them for just any system they sell.
Finding out which systems come with a downgrade disc isn't always easy. A few sites, such as Fujitsu's, have a page listing the model numbers that come with upgrade discs. In the case of Acer, you'll have to make an educated guess. You then contact either Acer or an Acer reseller, state the model number you're interested in, and inquire whether a downgrade disc is included.
The following table shows the availability of XP on various machines:
Table 1. Most manufacturers still have XP options, at least for now. (• = Yes)
|
Manufacturer |
Sells XP systems |
Downgrade disc |
How to find |
| Acer |
• |
• |
XP is an
option on
most Veriton
and
AcerPower
desktops and
Travelmate
and Extensa
notebooks. A
downgrade
disc comes
with most
Travelmate
and some
Extensa
series; call
Acer or
reseller
with model
number to be
sure. |
|
Fujitsu |
• |
• |
On Fujitsu's
Notebook
Overview
page, use
your browser
to search
for XP. See
question 2
of the
FAQ to
find systems
that include
a downgrade
disc. |
|
HP/Compaq |
• |
• |
Shop in the
small and
medium
business
site for
systems with
XP
preinstalled.
For a
downgrade
disc, look
for Vista
systems
labeled
"Smart buy." |
|
Lenovo |
• |
• |
XP is an
option on
several
models in
the 3000
family of
notebooks
and
desktops, in
addition to
the ThinkPad
family.
Downgrade
discs are
available
for Vista
Business and
Ultimate
systems; see
the Lenovo
downgrade
page. |
|
Sony |
• |
• |
Avoid
looking in
SonyStyle.com.
Instead,
shop in the
Sony.com
business
section.
Some systems
in the
subseries
SZ645,
BX740, and
BX76 have XP
preinstalled.
Models
beginning
with TX2xx
and SZ7xx
come with
downgrade
discs in the
box. |
|
Alienware |
• |
— |
XP is
offered on
all systems
except the
M15X and the
Area-51 ALX
Crossfire. |
|
Dell |
• |
— |
Enter
windows xp
in the
Keyword
Search box
to find
systems with
XP. To
downgrade
manually,
see Dell's
instruction
page. |
|
Toshiba |
• |
— |
Go to the
All
Notebooks
page and
enter xp
in the
Search for
laptops
box. |
|
Gateway |
— |
— |
Your only
option is to
buy a Vista
computer
and,
separately,
a copy of XP
(which is
still
available
from
Gateway).
You must
then
manually
reformat the
hard disk
and
reinstall
the OS. |
Be aware that the information in this article is subject to change by the computer manufacturers at any time. Confirm your desired options before making a purchase, and remember: the clock is ticking.
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