2530p XP Professional Downgrade

Just purchased a 2530p here. The 2540p was just a bit TOO much for the config I wanted...and got 4gb, DVDRW, and 128 gb SSD..with the three year warranty...for about $600. In addition, researched and found out I could run XP as a downgrade for either machine. Given I have about $2000 in software Windows 7 won't run and I can't afford to replace, this was the way to go...

Problem is this...learned that the system shipping is very unlikely to have the XP image on it...as that was cut off in HP production in September...so looking for the XP disk image..i.e., an XP recovery disk to get this thing set up. Can anyone here help? I've seen a few sites that offer to sell a recovery disk, but somehow suspect it'll be missing a few critical things...like the proper installation of the SSD. I'd be happy to pay a modest cost for anyone who can help out. I'm at [email protected]
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How it should work:
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Obtain any non-branded OEM XP SP3 disc and install, do not enter any key during setup (it starts as 30d evaluation like Vista / Win7).

Then start the activation process, enter the Win7 key from bottom. It will not pass over the internet, choose phone activation. When you can talk to the person at activation center, explain that you are doing the XP Downgrade from win7.
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Personally I've never done that tho. I've used manufacturer-specific OEM XP discs that automatically activate in correct computer

 

Thank you. That's my understanding of the general procedure. Problem is, I think most all the XP system disks won't have a SATA driver, for example, as well as drivers for a number of other devices on the 2530p..including SSD disks. So it's likely the system won't be able to even boot, much less run without problems. I know I can download all the HP drivers for XP, and then try to construct a recovery disk, even down to doing a "hotfix" to enable multithreading processing in XP (so that both processor cores function, rather than just one)....but it seems to me, that HP must have already done this, and my chances to screw it up seem high. Thought maybe I'll find a MIS guy on here who either has one, or has worked through these issues. I know a few firms that supposedly sell recovery disks, but not sure that they will have a complete solution (one that supports all devices and is turn-key). If I didn't have thousands invested in Office, SPSS, Sigmaplot, etc..all in versions not comptaible except (big maybe) in the "compatibility box" in Windows 7...I'd just throw in the towel and leave XP.

Anyone else? I've Googled this problem to death and still getting just pieces of answers. Maybe in a fluke the box will arrive with XP on the backup partition, but that's a VERY slim chance...Microsoft allows downgrading but has forced HP to stop giving us the means to do it...

 

What you then need is a couple RW discs and nLite - Deployment Tool for the bootable Unattended Windows installation

With that you can insert sata-drivers into the install image and burn it. Then re-do it and burn again, until you make it work. That's why the RW discs...

 

Interesting...and a bit surprising. HP dealer shipped my 2530p and it had Vista installed (and no backup disks...you make your own disk image)...and XP system and XP versions of utilities/drivers on CD. So...actually was able to get up and running without jumping through hoops. Though of course unsupported.

Only glitch I've run into is a blinking drive light (same light that shows both SSD or hard disk AND DVD drive activity. But after a lot of review, I've seen the approx 1/sec pulsing is a common thing on SATA laptops, and seems to be just polling. I'm leaving well enough alone.

Thanks to those who responded...and perhaps the knowledge that some "Vista" 2530p models still out in the distribution chain are shipped like this will be of help to someone!

 

If the laptop is new "within a couple months", give HP a call and they will ship out FREE recovery media disc's
These disc's are pressed and HP originals.
I have called HP many times for all the elitebooks i have owned and not once did they not ship them out free
Be sure to call their business notebook support line

My 8440p win7 pro 64bit factory HP recovery media also worked great on my 2530p that came with vista/xp
I had to test it and it indeed self activated after the install

edit
indeed its normal for the sata activity led to blink as you stated.
My 2530p came with the hp/intel 80gb ssd and it boots from cold to full wireless lock in 14-16 seconds within win7 pro 64bit


$600 for that setup is still a very nice buy, imo