I recently bought a new hp desktop computer pre-installed with windows vista. I took windows vista off and tried to install windows xp. Installation goes thru but then after installing it takes me back to set up screen for installing windows xp again. What am I doing wrong?

No me, just stuff my son wants to do works with windows xp. I've actually encounted alot of people that prefer windows xp over vista.

Jenny, that's normal, people don't want to change, even if it is for the better. They are always looking back to the "old days". I once read that only 5% of the world's population create the progress we enjoy.

I'm sure there is some museum to give it a graceful resting place.

You're right on that. I could be playing there with Mdos 6.2.

Hmmm about 8 replies and only one seems to wanna help:) Ok pipo, actually I'm not the one that took windows vista off. My son did because he said he needed windows xp. So I'm not sure how he did it but we've tried several times to install windows xp from the cd and aren't gettting anywhere. After installation and waiting for files to be checked, etc., the screen goes back to setup. As if we never installed it. Not sure what to do from there. Keep in mind we're not computer whizes lol. Thanks.

Format the disc? Sorry I'm lost:) Doesn't that erase data?

oh ok, Not sure about that. I'll let my son explain later when he's home. I have no idea what he done when he removed vista. Thanks for your help.

while we're waiting, can you please fill us in on the steps that you did when you were installing xp?

please feel free to correct me or add some info, this is how i remember windows xp installs.
1. popped the installer on the CD drive and restarted the computer
2. the message "Press any key to boot from CD..." appears and pressed a key
3. windows xp setup loads the drivers and displays the drives on which to install xp to (this setup is all on blue screen)
4. after choosing a drive, a couple of more files are loaded then you're taken to a more "user friendly" screen where windows xp "shows off" its features, on the lower left side of your screen you have status bars on what's being installed
5. if i remember correctly, the screen flickers for a few times
6. then, the computer restarts and the "Press any key to boot from CD..." message appears again (you don't have to press a key this time)
7. you're taken back to the "user friendly" screen (sorry, i don't know what else to call it, lol), which shows (on the lower left side) that it's still loading/installing a few things
8. a couple of options for the timezone, computer name, user names, password pops up (not sure if that's the order).
9. the computer restarts again, "Press any key..." message displays again (still, you don't have to press a key) then you're taken to the windows xp desktop.

are these the steps that you did or were there any steps that you did differently? when you say "the screen goes back to setup," do you mean the setup screen that's all in blue or the "user friendly" setup screen?

What is the current state of the machine when you boot it up without a Windows XP disc inserted?