HP Compaq 8710P - downgrade XP Pro

Hello!

I just recieved my HP Compaq 8710P ( GC102EA).
I want to share the experiences I had with this laptop and the downgrade process: Vista Business to XP Pro.

Reference Sheet - Windows Vista Downgrade Rights (PDF)
Downgrade Rights Chart (DOC)

First, I charged the battery one night

After that I finished the initial setup and backup for Vista. I made the recovery DVD's (to protect my activated Vista factory-install).

I made a second (extra) backup with the content of OSS_TOOLS partition and the C:\SWSETUP folder (simply packed and burned that content to dvd).

I've downloaded everything (drivers, patches, firmware, software) for XP pro for this modell from hp.com (997MB ).

Next, I had an issue with my XP Pro setup, with the sata harddrive drivers. I've played around with BIOS settings, but in the end I had just one option: to make a copy of the original XP Pro setup CD (OEM from my desktop) and include the sata drivers (downloaded from HP, and unpacked) in the installation CD with nLite. This way the XP setup was ok, I've deleted all partitions, made a 15GB partition for the XP and installed it with my genuine desktop serial number. (no network connection at this time for security reasons)

After setup completed, I've called Microsoft Activation and completed the activation process (no big deal, my activation id was accepted by the "robot", activation completed in notime).

After activation I had a fresh and genuine XP pro install.

I've started the driver installation with the chipset drivers (inf). This step is important to start with first.
Next, I've installed video and audio support. No problems with video support. With the audio drivers I had an issue with the HD driver. I installed it first (as it is a requirement for the sound-driver), but the sound driver setup didn't found it. After googling around I've found out that update-ing the HD driver from Device Manager (automatically) resolves this issue. So, the audio setup was OK.
The modem driver also requires the HD driver to be installed.
I continued to install every driver (input devices, network, printer, storage). The firmware was already updated. I've installed the Operating System Enhancements and QFEs, Security and System Management Tools.
At the multimedia section a had an issue with WinDVD. What I downloaded from hp.com was just an update for the initial install. So I installed the oringinal and initial version if WinDVD from the previously backed-up SWSETUP folder and after that, I applied the update.
I continued with the Solutions section. I accidentally installed the HP Backup and Recovery Partition Patch first. This made the HP Backup and Recovery Manager for Microsoft Windows XP install to stop with an error. I've managed to solve this with deleting the reported folder from command-prompt (C:\WINDOWS\COMPARE -- if I remember it correctly -- not visible from Explorer, but "deletable" from command-prompt)

Start - Run... cmd

Code:

cd C:\WINDOWS
del COMPARE [or whatever the name was -- see error window]
exit

So, after deleting the "error-causing" forder, I installed the HP Backup and Recovery Manager for Microsoft Windows XP. After a necessary reboot, I applyed the patch.

Just before making the HP backup, I cleaned the registry and the harddrive, and defragmented the registry and the C: partition (c-drive defragmentation was done in safe-mode ).
This was only my personal option .

After making the HP backup, I rebooted into a third-party backup-manager CD, and made a extra C-partition backup onto 2 DVD's (just in case,...)

And that's the end of the story
Now I have the factory-installation of Vista backed up on DVDs.
I also have a fresh and good XP pro installation activated and backed up on DVDs.
Everything works just fine.

Good luck to everyone doing this, I hope my review helps

 

Thanks fo your guide so far.
This of course does also apply to hp 8510p and 8510w
if some other people would post their experiences with xp pro installatations and problems here, i would vote for a stickie

cheers

 

I forgot to mention, that I also backed up the HP wallpapers and copied them into XP install (if I recall correctly, the path was C:\Windows\Web\Wallpapers).

Next thing I will do is a linux installation (I guess Gentoo Linux will be fun), so for those interested doing this I want to point out a really useful WIKI:

HP-Compaq 8710P linux Wiki

(PS: forgive me for my english mistakes )

 

This is good for people who are downgrading. Excellent post

 

I just gave up on the SATA drivers.
Other then that though, installing XP on my 8510w was a piece of cake.

 

I guess i´ll make a start and show what i´ve found concerning the downgrade from Windows Vista to XP Professional. If you think something is wrong or some topic needs to be extened please feel free to tell me, and i´ll correct it.


1. Sata

Why should i slipstream the sata driver into my Xp Professional CD ?

If you didn´t get the XP Cd from Hp and you do use your own copy of XP Professional you will have to integrate the SATAdriver for your notebook into your XP-Installation-CD.
Why do i have to do it ? I can also disable native Sata and install XP in IDE-mode. Thats true, but when disabling native sata
in bios you will be loosing some sata features like hotswapping and NCQ ( native command queuing ).
Most people don´t even need the hotswapping feature, especially not for the internal notebook hdd. But NCQ will speed up access times.
To set this feature aside for a notebook will most likely cost you some performance. ( you´ve probably heard of this : it´s only as fast as it´s slowest part)

Code:

If you do want to integrate the SATA-Driver in your XP-CD you have some
options, but for me the most easy way was to use Nlite. This little program
let´s you integrate any driver onto your cd.
You even have some more options with this program, you can create
unattended installation cd´s or preconfigure Windows XP.
You´ll find the program here : http://www.nliteos.com/

If you don´t want to do this kind of work you may try something over a user at HP-forums described :

Code:

he seems to have found out how to get native sata support after
installing windows. If this does work i don´t know, but his procedure was
something like this :
switching off native sata support before windows installation

- Download the Intel Matrix Storage Manager software from HP's website,
it is currently

- Run it, by default it will save some files to C:\swsetup\SPxxxxx before it
run setup and tells you that the software is not supported on your chipset

- Now open up a command prompt, go to C:\swsetup\SPxxxxx\ and run the
following command to extract the CAB files:

setup  -A -P C:\swsetup\SPxxxxx\

- Accept the license agreement, it extracts some files.  The files you're
interested in are now at C:\swsetup\SPxxxxx\Driver\ and include the following:

iaahci.cat
iaahci.inf
iastor.cat
iastor.inf
iastor.sys
TXTSSETUP.OEM

- Now go to Device Manager, under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers you should
see: Intel xxxxxxx Serial ATA Storage Controller

- Right-Click on that and select Update Driver
- Say no to connecting to Windows Update to search, hit Next
- Select Install fro a list or specific location (Advanced), hit Next
- Select "Don't search.  I will choose the driver to install", hit Next
- Select Have Disk
- Browse to C:\swsetup\SPxxxx\Driver and highlight the iastor.inf file, hit Open
- Select OK
- Now you should have a list of controllers, choose the correct sata controller
- You'll get warned that installing the device driver is not recommended, click
Yes to continue installing
- Click Finish
- Click Yes to restart your computer

When your computer boots up, you need to hit F10 to enter the BIOS. 
Change SATA Native Mode to Enabled, save changes and exit.

After you log into Windows, your computer will find the "new" hardware.  Wait
until you get the popup message to restart your computer, say Yes to restart
one last time.

That's it.

thats how he managed to get the sata driver installed after windows installation, if this really works, i don´t know, but always worth a shot if you don´t have a slipstreamed XP cd or a floppy drive for you notebook.



2.

Driver installation - what should i install first ?

After you have windows installed most of the drivers need to be installed manually. Try to do it in this order :

Code:

Intel Chipset
graphics driver ATI or Nvidia, depending on what you have
Microsoft UAA Bus Driver
then the other drivers for sound 
Ethernet drivers
Conexant or Agere Modem Driver
Intel or Broadcom Wireless NIC
Bluetooth
Wireless Assistant
Media Card Driver
High-speed SD Card Driver v1.0.0.0a (read Release Notes first!)
Mobile Data Protection System
Authentec Fingerprint Driver (if applicable)
ProtecTools Security Manager
SmartCard Module for PT v5.00d (if SCM is installed)
JavaCard Security for PT v1.00B (if using JavaCard)

after that you can install the additional software provided by HP

HP Battery Check
Synaptics Touchpad Driver
Help and Support Center
WinDVD Player
LightScribe Host Software ( if applicable )

3. After installation there are still some devices unknown :

Typical problem is : i´ve downloaded all the drivers from HP, but there are still some unkown devices left !!
Here´s what i´ve found so far :


this is for hp 8510p, but devices on other machines like 8510w, 8710p ... will most likely be the same

Code:

ACPI\HPQ0006\2&DABA3FF&0        		HP Quicklaunch buttons

ACPI\HPQ0004\3&B1BFB68&0			    HP 3D DriveGuard	

ACPI\IFX0102\4&374CCB25&0			    Infineon TPm Driver

PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2A07&SUBSYS_....              most likely Intel chipset

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_1002&DEV.....	       Microsoft UUA Bus Driver

This is of course not complete and i don´t claim it to be absolutely correct, it´s just what i´ve found concerning this matter.
Hope you like it and it helps out when you have a problem. If you do have any additions, please feel free....

cheers

 

UUA bus-driver wasn't installed through the HP installer, but if you go to Device Manager, and update the driver manually, let windows search for the driver, it will find it...
If the UUA driver isn't installed, you cannot install modem driver neither, so after installing UUA driver, try the modem driver installation also (hp setup, or manually)
The other devices I don't know, but you always can try uninstalling an incorrectly installed device from Device Manager, reboot and see if Windows can find the driver automatically...

Hope this helps, good luck!

 

After downgrading to XP as a mentioned above, I experienced weird things...
Since then I reinstalled XP in cleaner mode...
Read about these at: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=185930

 

Reading this I conclude you did find the correct SATA drivers from HP and that the slipstreaming was suc6full. I tried it several times but I always recieve the same error that no HD is found.

Can you maybee mail the correct drivers and explain how to slipstream them, for the slipstreaming i used the nLite tool you recommended...

 

you didn´t find the sata drvers at HP ?

for the 8710p take a look here :
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...sId=3369264&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=1093


the file you need to download is :
Intel SATA AHCI Controller Driver (sp37005.exe)

if you have winrar installed, just right click the file and extract to a specific folder.

now you will have a folder named sp37005, in there is an .exe file and another folder named "files" in there you will find the needed files.

When using n-lite you should choose the option to add a complete folder at the driver imlementation. choose the folder named "files"
if you did, and the driver is implemented , just write the image and burn.....
and yer ready to go.....

 

I had an issue, too, with the sata drivers, but that was just my bad...

First I downloaded the Sata drivers from hp.com for my latop:
for HP Compaq 8710P use these.

I unpacked them. There is a folder, named "Files". In that folder are all the necessary files for SATA.

Code:

SP37005:
  [Files]
      |- iaahci.cat
      |- iaahci.inf
      |- iastor.cat
      |- iastor.inf
      |- iastor.sys
      |- license.txt
      |- readme.txt
      |- txtsetup.oem
   f6flpy32.exe

(If not, you should find an executable, that makes a floppy - use other PC to make the floppy and copy all files written...)

No problem 'till this point.

When I tried to slipstream the drivers (include just one driver -- select iaahci.inf or iastor.inf), nLite asked me for what hardware should the driver be listed for...

Code:

"Intel(R) 82801FBM SATA AHCI Controller"
"Intel(R) 631xESB/632xESB SATA AHCI Controller"
"Intel(R) 82801GR/GH SATA AHCI Controller"
"Intel(R) 82801GBM SATA AHCI Controller"
"Intel(R) 82801HR/HH/HO SATA AHCI Controller"
"Intel(R) 82801HEM/HBM SATA AHCI Controller"
"Intel(R) ICH9 SATA AHCI Controller"
"Intel(R) EP 80579 SATA AHCI Controller"
"Intel(R) 631xESB/632xESB SATA RAID Controller"
"Intel(R) 82801GR/GH SATA RAID Controller"
"Intel(R) 82801GHM SATA RAID Controller"
"Intel(R) ICH8R/ICH9R SATA RAID Controller"
"Intel(R) 82801HEM SATA RAID Controller"

First, I was afraid to select all, but that was the cause of my problem (when I booted my modified XP cd, my hdd wasn't recognised)
So, after this mistake, I selected the whole listing for that driver and everything worked fine.

Hope this clears the situation...

Good luck!

 

Can't we just order ready-to-go disk from HP? I have Lenovo has something like that.

 

Guys, I think it can be so much easier. I simply switched my 8510p to normal IDE mode and could install Windows XP without any controller drivers.

 

The problem with that is (I did it too and was all happy at the time, believe me) you can't re-enable SATA mode after you begin the installation. The only way to turn it back on is to wipe the HDD and start again. I've tried to find out how much of a performance difference SATA vs IDE mode makes but no one has a very straightforward answer

So I just kept Vista and SATA mode for now.

 

I don't think it will be much of a difference. The main difference would be the possibility to use NCQ. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Command_Queuing) The performance increase will only be noticed in multitasking situations. The controller, the driver (especially in Windows XP) and the harddisk must support it.

 

Hi!
I've installed XP on the 8510W, everything is OK, but I've still a problem!
I can't choose the battery mode, I don't find how to install it!
Can someone help me?

Ps: The good sata driver, the one to choose, is the:
"Intel(R) 82801HEM/HBM SATA AHCI Controller"

Thanks

 

duplicate post.

 

hi, think hp does have the OSCD with the driver included..
mine come with it i think.. cos i installed the XP without any problem with the driver issue..

 

I followed all the steps through nlite and intergrated the drivers but mine hangs during setup when the screen is blue and it says Setup is starting Windows it just sits there. I have even tried to push F7 during the text part of setup. Did any of you have this problem?

 

Hello everyone!

I am new to this forum and I don't know if I am posting correct response here - my apologize first!!! I am using hp8510p but I delete the "OSS_TOOLS partition" without backing the content up, so now I can't access to the winRE and memory diagnostic tool etc after recovery from the disc created. The OSS_TOOLS partition is lost.
pentagram: can you show me the content of content of the "OSS_TOOLS partition" so that I may have a chance to restore it? And any help would be appreciated. Thanks guy~~~

 

thanks . both will come i handy !