The Smart Way To Rip And Replace Vista With XP

Many integrators are faced by an unexpected challenge created by Microsoft's latest operating system, Vista. The problem solution providers are finding is that, while Vista comes pre-installed on new systems, many customers don't want it.

That leaves integrators with unenviable task of ripping Vista off of new systems and replacing it with the customer's operating system of choice, in most cases Windows XP. While that process is far from an impossible task, it does come with complications, ranging from expending time, to locating drivers, to sorting out licenses.

What's more, integrators shouldn't attack the rip-and-replace issue without some forethought. Most importantly, there may be a time in the future when the customer wants to switch back to Vista, which could be problematic since the typical rip-and-replace procedure starts by relegating Vista to the netherworld via a drive formatting.

One of the first things an integrator should consider is how to preserve Vista for future use, because the day will come when Vista will be the rule rather than the exception on the corporate desktop.

The starting point should be backing up the PC's "as delivered state." Most of today's PCs and notebooks come bundled with a backup application that creates the factory install disks. The idea behind the technology is that upon completion of the initial setup of the system, a backup application is used to burn a DVD or CD that contains the initial state of the system. That is usually done using some form of imaging software.

Most manufactures offer that capability in lieu of shipping operating system and application CDs or DVDs. The higher-end products out on the market include name-brand backup and restore applications such as PowerQuest Drive Image pro or Symantec Norton Ghost. Lower-end units commonly offer low-end equivalents or no imaging applications whatsoever. Either way, backing up the original state of the system could be, at the very least, a billable service or, better yet, an opportunity to sell some backup software.

For this example Channel Test Center engineers selected the second option of using a third-party add-on product to back up the system. There are two major reasons to choose this path: first, software can later be installed to back up the new system; and second, third-party products offer additional imaging options that can speed the process and eliminate the need to complete the initial Vista setup before performing a backup.

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