Originally Posted by townsbg

This still pertains to the original question as to whether or not to downgrade from Vista to Xp. It just went from downgrading to dual booting.

I'm not sure that criticizing XP and evangelizing about Vista or Win7 is the way to go,but that's also a personal opinion.
You are right that the discussion evolved from downgrading to dual booting.
While I didn't initiate that suggestion, I am somewhat in favor of it since it gives you the choice.

It also falls in line with my personal thoughts about the OP's question.
I rarely recommend downgrading - IOW, in this case I would not downgrade to XP ,but rather leave Vista alone and find another way to use and boot into XP if that's what one wants.
Hence ,the dual boot scenario.

Ztruker wrote:

When I have to use XP now, it's like going back to Win 98 SE when XP was the current rage. Clunky and old feeling.

townsbg wrote:

I really hate using XP and the hours that I have to use it at work are more than enough. :-/

In your case you're right,since you have no control over the looks of XP, but I wonder if any of you have ever customized XP on your personal installations?

Apart from Win7,I still have a few partitions with XP that are customized to the point that the average observer would think that they are versions of Win7. It's only when a more knowledgeable person sees the file structure, that they suspect something different.
Aeroglass effects are possible in XP as well. I've used transparent windows for years ,well before they came out in Vista.
Using a wallpaper on 2 monitors ,whether 2 separate images or 1 image stretching across 2 monitors is something that I've done since 2001 when I got my 2 monitors.Believe it or not ,it's now one of the "features" ,haha, of Win 8. Gimme a break

Just for the record, I'm not a "fanboy" of XP or Vista or Win7. I see them as tools or toys as the occasion requires.
I use them as I see fit and expect and respect others to do as they see fit.
I just don't feel the need to force them to accept my way of thinking.

Pete

Originally Posted by Ztruker

Also a very good tutorial here: Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP ... either installed first.

hey thanks for sharing this tutorial with us, its really very helpful..

Hi soniasharma,

Did you just do a "One-Eighty" ?

hey thanks for sharing this tutorial with us, its really very helpful..

The only reason you would find this helpful, is if you're planning to install XP

Surprising after you wrote this:

window vista i far better than window xp, why are you going for xp.

Just curious

Pete.

In fact I have personalized XP but that doesn't change what I think about it. That doesn't change really anything. Yes a user has a right to use what they want (be it XP, Linux, Vista, 7, windows 3.1, Mac, iseres, z/os, etc.) and quite frankly, I don't care what others use but I throw in my 2 cents pertaining what I would do provided that it is asked. I believe that I have the right to do so regardless as to whether or not you or anyone else agrees with it. So, as it stands, I would not downgrade to XP be it plain or pimped-out, original or extra crispy, regular or unleaded, decaffeinated or not.....I am getting tired of saying it so I will not do so again!!! Also I will not change my mind as to what I think about it regardless as to who or what that offends.

As noted before, XP was designed over 10 years ago to support legacy software and hardware from the DOS era. It is old and obsolete, and most importantly, does NOT meet the security demands of today's security environment.

While it is true a fully updated XP system, in the hands of a knowledgeable, conscientious, and disciplined user, can be rendered and kept safe (for now), most "normal" users lack that discipline to continually "practice safe computing". And their systems then, become a threat to others - not just themselves - and that is the critical distinction. This is especially true if there there are multiple users of the XP system, with varied levels of security awareness, self-discipline, or safe computing practices.

Windows 7, especially 64-bit Windows 7, besides being more secure from the start, is much more tolerant of user mistakes, in terms of security (without being obnoxious about it like Vista). Of course, you still have to keep it updated, run an able real-time anti-malware solution, firewall, and pay attention to what you click/open/download, but W7 is much more capable at protecting its critical components than XP can ever be.

Since security trumps all, I have no hesitation recommending everyone LET XP GO! Or at the very least, re-purpose the XP systems to backup storage or music streaming and build a new, current system (in terms of HW and the OS) for security-critical tasks like banking and on-line shopping.

Security is the key but in most instances it is the last thing the user thinks about.