Downgrading Windows Vista to Windows XP

I'm interested in upgrading my laptop to one with the newest hardware, but I don't think Windows Vista will work because I run a lot of older (32-bit) applications that will never have driver support for Vista.

Are there any problems with downgrading a Windows Vista laptop back to Windows XP?

 

Wait...What do drivers have to do with software?

 

gmb1994 you're probably confusing things. Windows Vista always works, it's the programs that are causing problems. 32bit applications (with the exception of antiviruses, firewalls and other applications that need drivers to work) work on any Vista version.

 

& in 64 bit vista you can run 32 bit apps & fade to black they need updates not drivers.

 

You guys are entertaining ... I'm pretty good when it comes to computers and that's why I'm not planning on upgrading to Vista for a while. Yes, I'm sure Windows Vista almost always works. Some of the applications I am using, however, were created in the late 1990s and may never have updates or drivers for Windows Vista. So, while Windows Vista may run certain modern 32-bit apps just fine, many of the built-in features within my older collection of apps (certain OS-specific procedure calls, etc.) will not function correctly without "Windows Vista" patches. That's the whole problem.

 

When you say plain Vista it implies the popular 32bit edition; which is actually, like XP a 32-bit OS that also supports legacy 16-bit applications. However, it is not a guarantee that all your 16-bits applications will run on 32-bit Vista smoothly. Only Vista x64 (64-bit) can’t run 16-bit apps for sure.

Updates I can understand, but what do you mean by drivers for applications ? you install drivers for devices NOT for applications. Unless you mean special virtual device drivers you need to run those legacy apps (like virtual network adaptors, CD/DVD emulators etc.)