Reverting Back to Xp from Windows 7
 

Hello: I miss Windows XP! After a lot of repairs (and repairmen) I now have Windows 7 and DON'T care for it.
How do I revert back to XP? Can I revert to XP? I am familiar with W7 now and can navigate it ok. I just don't like it.
I have a WD My Book ext HD with 2 or 3 tb and I still have my XP disc. I just don't want to lose everything again.
Thank you in advance for any assistance.

There's really no way to revert. You have to reinstall.

To not lose your files, I'd back up the whole hard drive first.

What don't you like about it? Somethings can be changed with third-party software. Classic Shell is very popular, and I use it here. See http://www.classicshell.net

Personally, I don't care for 7 either. 8 is terrible. But XP doesn't work with my new laptop, and it was 6GB of RAM. I'd lose that if I usede Win XP, as it only see about 3.5GB of the RAM. I'd be downgrading my hardware.

Windows 7 is safer than Windows XP, if you're one of those malware magnets like my parents used to be. They were moved to Xubuntu Linux, and nary a problem since!

Good morning Lordsmurf:
I was just SO comfortable using XP. The speed, the response, the location of everything. Never a complaint.
I hate the new mail in 7. Just hate it. The layout sucks. Procedure sucks. I lost most of my addresses in the switch. Even copyright images were accessible through XP.
I recognize the need to move forward these days, especially with tech stuff but if something works and WORKS WELL, why fix it?
So, to back up the whole hard drive do I just drag and drop/cut and paste everything onto 'MY BOOK' ext HD? And then drop in my XP disc?

been a month, so I dont know if you're still looking for advice.
One option is installing XP in a "virtual" environment within W7 (pc within a pc). However, you might need actual retail XP disc - I dont know if a basic re-installation disc would work. Also, the virtual program I tried essentially wont allow basic access. I installed Virtualbox, installed XP, but it freezes up when I run an antivirus program, so I cant go online with it. Also to access cd/dvd drives, you have to select a "Passthrough" setting, again basically freezing up the system. Those connections have to be handled by W7. Other virtual programs (VMware, or the one from Microsoft) might work better; possible I'm doing something wrong in Virtualbox.

I installed Classicshell, as well as resized the font and icon sizes to get an XP look (right-click on your screen, click "personalize", click "Window Color" Window Classics, then select the "items" to change). It helps since I couldnt read the text. Some things I got accustomed to, like the folder icons.

If you just wanted to run programs that were incompatible with W7, you could upgrade to W7 Professional, and install "XP Mode." You'd still be running W7, but with the option to run programs in XP.

Thank you for taking the time to assist. I appreciate knowing the option is there BUT I have no desire to keep Windows 7. XP in virtual mode isn't enough for me. XP did everything I want and more. Windows 7 does things I don't want it to. I have Windows 7 Professional and just want to keep my programs and revert to XP. Thanks anyway