Starting Dental School. Need Notebook with Windows XP...Help

S

Swiss82

New Member
So, I start Dental School next month. I just checked on the computer requirements... They want us to use Windows XP Pro...

I'm really confused. Just about all new computers now come with Vista or 7. I called HP and they dont sell any with XP anymore and said it is not easy to downgrade from Vista/7 due to combatibility issues. Lenovo basically said the same thing, but if you buy windows Vista business then you can downgrade...

I called Microsoft and they said it would be easy to downgrade; they said I can just buy any new notebook i want and get a copt of XP pro to install... (but computer companies dont seem to agree)

My school said they stuck with XP instead of switching to Vista (for obvious reasons) So i HAVE to use XP, vista or 7 is not an option.

My other question is: i want XP Pro 64 bit because it can use more than 3gb or ram correct? i am under the impression that XP Pro 32 bit can only use up to 3gb...

The other requirements are at least:
2.0ghz processor
2gb RAM (I would want more as per question above)
NVIDIA or ATI 256mb graphics card
120gb hd
screen has to have at least 1280 x 800 resolution
VLC reader

So i am most concerned about getting a new computer with XP on it... Please help, and I will call the dental school computer dept and go over this again with them tomorrow
 
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I just got my parents into a laptop. I tried to get them into a Macintosh but they wouldn't have it. They said they didn't want to spend the money but by the time they found the PC laptop they wanted it was only $150 cheaper, anyway I am digressing a bit...

The Sony laptop my parents chose actually had a license to both Windows Vista Business and Windows XP Pro. So you could install and run either. A lot of business class laptops do this. You may want to take a look at business class laptops and not consumer ones.

I am sure they are running an active directory network with group policies and such which work great in xp and are probably broken to hell and back in Vista.

Like if you click on this link and I drilled through a ton of crap on HPs site so it may not work

http://h71016.www7.hp.com/dstore/Mi...=2820&BaseId=27334&oi=E9CED&BEID=19701&SBLID=

But do you see where you can check the box to add in the Windows XP Pro recovery disk for $5? That is because I think the license for Vista Business allows you to run either or but you gotta pay the $5 for the disk.

See you were most likely talking to people that were selling consumer laptops, but I would double check with a sales rep first.

I am only helping you because I want you to go easy on people when you are dentist. I gotta go get a few crowns and I have my temp ones in right now and my dentist drilled the crap outta me. Luckily he prescribed me painkillers, the good kind, but I am about to run out :(
 
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Check out this response I just gave somebody... almost identical to yours.
http://www.computerforum.com/157879-help.html

But, I personally would go customize a dell laptop and find a computer geek friend and see if he just happens to have an extra copy of XP Pro
legal of course ; )

A dell studio laptop I think for you would be good. Just need a screen size. And, you'll spend less than a grand.

Or if you go for the inspiron (using the link I gave above) You can get something that you're looking for... for under 500.
 
thank you guys,

Tlarkin,
So you think the best bet is going to be to find a notebook running vista business and then I should be able to downgrade easily because it comes with Xp cd and because its already configured to run XP...?

Egamerhdk,
I actually have a copy of XP pro here. I think its only the 32 bit and not the 64... Im under the assumption that I want the 64 bit because its able to make use of more RAM; is that correct? Also, are you saying that a decent consumer notebook, such as the Dell or the HP Dv6t, will be relitively easy to downgrade using an XP Pro disk?
 
Swiss82 said:
thank you guys,

Tlarkin,
So you think the best bet is going to be to find a notebook running vista business and then I should be able to downgrade easily because it comes with Xp cd and because its already configured to run XP...?

Egamerhdk,
I actually have a copy of XP pro here. I think its only the 32 bit and not the 64... Im under the assumption that I want the 64 bit because its able to make use of more RAM; is that correct? Also, are you saying that a decent consumer notebook, such as the Dell or the HP Dv6t, will be relitively easy to downgrade using an XP Pro disk?
Click to expand...


Yes that would be the best bet I think. Buy business class and then ask for the downgrade to XP. You may have to pay $5 for the XP disk but it will be worth it in the long run. I wouldn't fuss with XP 64 as it has driver issues. A 32bit OS can address up to 4Gigs of memory, which should be plenty for you. There are some hardware limitations on the memory controller which only allow for 3.5gigs of Memory but even then that should be enough.
 
tlarkin said:
Yes that would be the best bet I think. Buy business class and then ask for the downgrade to XP. You may have to pay $5 for the XP disk but it will be worth it in the long run. I wouldn't fuss with XP 64 as it has driver issues. A 32bit OS can address up to 4Gigs of memory, which should be plenty for you. There are some hardware limitations on the memory controller which only allow for 3.5gigs of Memory but even then that should be enough.
Click to expand...
it seems like that will be the easiest way.

question,
these business class notebooks seem to be much more expensive than consumer. Since i do have a legal copy of XP Pro, how difficult do you think it would be to get a consumer notebook that has all the specs i want (3gbs or ram or more. ect...) and wipe it clean and install XP pro on it without compatibility issues? the reason i ask is because with all the going back to school deals, it looks like i can find a non-business notebook for 400 to 600 vs 1000+ for business...
 
Swiss82 said:
it seems like that will be the easiest way.

question,
these business class notebooks seem to be much more expensive than consumer. Since i do have a legal copy of XP Pro, how difficult do you think it would be to get a consumer notebook that has all the specs i want (3gbs or ram or more. ect...) and wipe it clean and install XP pro on it without compatibility issues? the reason i ask is because with all the going back to school deals, it looks like i can find a non-business notebook for 400 to 600 vs 1000+ for business...
Click to expand...

Business class come with a three year warranty sometimes standard. they are also better built laptops usually and don't come with preloaded crap.

If you have an actual legit copy of XP Pro you should be able to install it, there may be lacking of driver support for some devices but that is something that I can't answer for you.
 
tlarkin said:
Business class come with a three year warranty sometimes standard. they are also better built laptops usually and don't come with preloaded crap.

If you have an actual legit copy of XP Pro you should be able to install it, there may be lacking of driver support for some devices but that is something that I can't answer for you.
Click to expand...
During undergrad, I was able to purchase a copy (legit) of XP Pro from my school at a discounted price. So I have had it laying around for 3 years never expecting that i would ever have to use it again...

although build quality and warrenty are important to me, im not sure if for me (when money it tight) i can justify spending twice as much for business when consumer has better specs for half the price; assuming i can get XP installed on it
-my schools computer dept will work on notebook for free, so 3 year warrenty is not a must

anyone have ideas on how to install XP on a consumer Vista machine without running into driver/ combatibility issues?
 
Swiss82 said:
During undergrad, I was able to purchase a copy (legit) of XP Pro from my school at a discounted price. So I have had it laying around for 3 years never expecting that i would ever have to use it again...

although build quality and warrenty are important to me, im not sure if for me (when money it tight) i can justify spending twice as much for business when consumer has better specs for half the price; assuming i can get XP installed on it
-my schools computer dept will work on notebook for free, so 3 year warrenty is not a must

anyone have ideas on how to install XP on a consumer Vista machine without running into driver/ combatibility issues?
Click to expand...

Get a laptop like I showed you. And install XP on it. Go into the device manager and see if anything has a yellow exclamation point next to it. If so... that means you have some kind of driver missing. Just go online and type in the model of your computer followed by the word "drivers" and download whatever you need
 
EGamerHDK said:
Get a laptop like I showed you. And install XP on it. Go into the device manager and see if anything has a yellow exclamation point next to it. If so... that means you have some kind of driver missing. Just go online and type in the model of your computer followed by the word "drivers" and download whatever you need
Click to expand...

You still run the risk of the company that made the hardware never releasing a driver for XP. I have seen it happen before.
 
tlarkin said:
You still run the risk of the company that made the hardware never releasing a driver for XP. I have seen it happen before.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but most bigger name companies like dell have had their inspiron laptops out for a while with xp so they do have the xp drivers available online.
 
PC Mag (or Pc World) did an experiment on this. Business class laptops and other computer hardware get TONS better tech support than a regular consumer class laptop. You usually talk to someone who knows what's going on and that doesn't read everything from a binder full of american sayings. These people are usually on American Soil and so you wouldn't be talking to my cousin on the other side of the world (I'm indian).

Also, shorter wait times when you are on hold.
 
Yes, business laptops have tons of perks. The thing is. Generally more expensive. If he is on a budget he will have to settle on a regular home computer.
 
EGamerHDK said:
Yes, business laptops have tons of perks. The thing is. Generally more expensive. If he is on a budget he will have to settle on a regular home computer.
Click to expand...

They aren't that much more the HPs I linked start at like $500 for a business class laptop and go up from there. You can find good deals on them.
 
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