<Windows Vista Versus XP Problem>

[deltaforce666]

I just wanna know why my computer won't let me install windows xp. Everytime I try to, my Hard Drive is not detected except my external but you can't install an operating system onto an external. The hard drive is read when I turn it on with the operating system it came with, Vista Premium. I'm really confused by this, I need help, maybe the bio system setup is not set right, I just wanna have windows xp service pack 1 and 2 that I have instead of Vista that screws up on a lot of projects I do. Would anyone know about this?
Conclusion: I think when i sent it back to Gateway for repairs, they replaced my hard drive because that was the problem, it crashed and died on me. I think who ever set the bio system, messed with it, like they are all about vista world and not about xp world, that's just what i think with how little i know about computers.
Note: Vista is has great features but it's quality and compatibility and performance is highly poor. And it's got glitches and it's really bugged that my projects i do just about is always lost and screwed with, I movie edit a lot...maybe i should get a mac.

[Monty007]

Hi John, You must boot from the cd to format the hard drive. Go into your bios and select boot order cd then c: second.
How to format and install xp http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348

[Disk_Contented]

First off, If it's a raid setup may need drivers installed at the start of the install, where it says press F6. (Needs a floppy.)

you can't install an operating system onto an external.

You can, and boot from it. I've done it on a lappy with a busted HD connector, but the problems were many.

If the bios settings prove to be ok, I think Vista will be the problem with the hard drive detection. Or maybe the thing is fixed so only Vista will work on it?

Find out who made the HD via the control panel and go to their site for the HD installation disk.

[pip22]

One important consideration if switching to XP on a machine that was originally a Vista one: If you find some device drivers missing when XP is installed (ie if XP CD doesn't have that particular driver), you may have problems finding a driver since most system builders (eg Gateway) only supply drivers for the original pre-installed OS. Some of those drivers are often compatible with both XP and Vista, but some are not.

[deltaforce666]

Your right pip22,
I even completely formatted and reformatted my hard drive and still, no hard drive was detected. So I just reinstalled vista, with vista you don't even go to partitioning or anything like that on my PC Tower. And the serial number, you don't have to enter it in because now it's automatic on the cd or there is no such thing with vista.
When I tried putting xp on my hard drive after formating, it got me to hard drive selections, but no hard drive is detected, on all hard drive slots A-E (No Hard Drive) or something like that is said next to it. When I pressed arrow key down, a blue screen came up and had an error message (computer shuting down to prevent damage), it's a lot longer than that, but that sums it up for the message. After shutting down the computer to prevent damage, I put in my vista cd and everything installing worked perfectly fine. I think it's stupid that gateway didn't have the driver to install xp on the computer and only have vista driver ,os driver. Would you happen to know if I can get a driver to install xp on the computer?