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- How Do I downgrade from Windows 7 to Windows XP on HP 64 bit...

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07-05-2020 11:18 AM
I have a 64 bit HP Pavilion Elite HPE-210 which has a windows 7 operating system which I want to replace with Windows XP. I want to do this because I have a lot of older but expensive software and some excellent printers and scanners which won't work at all on windows 10 and which were very "glitchy" on Windows 7 but it all worked perfectly on XP. Since I have windows 7 on one laptop & windows 10 on another, I want to switch the desktop to XP. I've used the unit's recovery discs before but I've never installed a different operating system - there is a video on YouTube with a step by step tutorial on how to do this. I've emailed HP and asked if they have any other recovery software or installation software to do this but I think I know the answer. If someone would be so kind, would you please tell me if either of these two products are the software I would need to install ... I know they're both 64 bit with activation keys but I'm no pro at this. Thank You
https://www.ebay.com/itm/323469227888?ul_noapp=true
07-05-2020 11:23 AM
Just to get our terms straight -- Upgrade means to change the OS to a new one while retaining the existing apps, data, settings, and accounts. MS typically allows that between one OS and the next version. But there is no such equivalent for Downgrade -- there is no way to retain ANYTHING; instead, you have to do a clean install and lose everything in the process.
Additionally, HP does not supply any WindowsXP recovery media, so you would have to find such media on your own, and you would also have to figure out how to acquire a license for the same, as there is no way to reuse your existing HP license.
And finally, I can locate no XP drivers for your model PC. And without those, you are likely to run into major issues.
I am a volunteer and I do not work for, nor represent, HP
07-05-2020 11:52 AM
Hi, @zudzig
If you get XP installed on your PC, let me know and I will give you the links to the XP drivers you need for your model.
It should run XP just fine, but as WAWood indicated, you will need to obtain XP installation media, a valid XP product key, and neither HP nor we, can help you with that.
07-05-2020 11:55 AM
@WaWood thank you for the reply. I know this can be done, I've known others' who've done it. If I can't figure it out, I'll just have to bring it to some computer place and have it done but I do need to do this because I've got thousands of dollars and perfectly functional old but top of the line equipment sitting under a sheet collecting dust because I can't use it (**bleep** that "planned obsolescence" stuff!!). Thanks