By Leo Notenboom
At present, I’m running Windows 7 and find it really complicated. Is it
possible to change back to Windows XP Home Edition which is easier to use?
Yes, it’s possible.
It’s a bit of work and I’ll review what it means to do that.
But…
I’ll also share with you my thoughts on why I believe doing so would be a
mistake.
Windows XP – Back to the future
Reverting any machine capable of running Windows XP back to it – known as
“downgrading” – is actually very simple: get a copy and install it.
And, if your machine is capable of running Windows 7, then it’s probably quite capable of running Windows XP.
However, that “get a copy and install it” glosses over a lot of
work. In more detailed steps:
-
•Get a copy of XP: You might have a copy lying around that
you’re not using anymore. OEM discs don’t count, as they’ll typically only
work on a specific manufacturer’s machine and they’re often legally restricted
to only those machines. If you don’t have a Windows XP install disc that you
can use legally, you’ll have to purchase one. You might find Windows XP on the secondary market, some retail stores, auction sites or more. For the record, you’re not
“entitled” to a copy of Windows XP if you don’t like Windows 7; you’ll have to purchase or acquire a separate, legal copy of Windows XP. -
•Back up: Installing Windows XP from scratch
will typically erase everything on your computer. The only thing that you can do is back up everything first. Make sure that you do this to avoid losing valuable
data. -
•Reformat/Install: Install Windows XP by using the reformat
operation to clean off the hard disk as part of the installation. How do I
reformat and reinstall Windows? has the process. -
Reinstall applications: Reinstall all of the applications that you
had that were separate from Windows. You’ll need their original installation
media and/or downloads. -
•Restore data: Copy all of the data that you’d been keeping on your computer prior to this operation from your backup or any other convenient storage place that you used.
That’s it. You’re running Windows XP. Welcome to 2001. 
Why this is a mistake…Article continued here
This post is excerpted with Leo’s permission from his blog.
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