Windows 7 began beaking down and I barely got my files off. no virus. Don't worry. I still need helpm trying to install xp as my copy of windows 7 won't install. I need to install xp. Can't figue out how to turn off ahci in the bios. Trying to search around but I have to access to the internet from a computer. Posting this from a blackberry. Please help!
Signed, Your friend daniel

Some BIOS its locked. =[

If it's InsydeH2O, just use Legacy mode, it should be accessible by default. If not, just burn another 7 DVD, XP isn't worth [censored] anymore. NT6 is the way forward.

I agree that xp is useless. I always had many various problems with it. After a little work I got the bios to show the settings. But I couldn't change anything. The bios read that all settings were correctly selected for factory installed os. - am going to buy another copy of windows 7. Money is tight right now. Wish I could get linux to work with my usb modem. Thanks for taking your time to read this post.

Thats a pretty new laptop as I only see Windows 7 drivers from XP, it would be a pain to install XP and chances are there would be hardware issues. You should be able to boot into a recovery partition and restore it to Windows 7. Your laptop should have a Windows 7 key on the bottom so there is no need to buy a new copy. I believe you can just grab an ISO for the same edition and use your key. If it doesn't activate just call Microsoft as its a legit key.

It would have been a pain to install XP. The recovery partition along with the recovery cds stopped half way through the install and replied,"Install Error. Your computer doesn't support this OS." Something like that anyway. I never thought of that. Thank you very much. Update:I searched around and it appears that what spunker88 said is right. You can use, for example, a OEM COA for Windows 7 HP x64 on a retail Windows 7 HP x64. At least that is what people have said. Once I get it (Windows 7) downloaded I will try it and then post here and tell you guys if it works. Although if somebody else posts and says that it works then we will already know. Have a nice day. Here in the American Midwest it is beautiful out after a quick rain shower this morning.

You can use a downloaded retail version of Windows 7 and activate with OEM COA. I can tell, as I've tried this more than once before.

Yet there is just one thing to notice that if you enter the OEM COA key during installation and then directly go to activation, it will say the key is invalid. Nevertheless at the time it says invalid choose 'enter a different key' and type the product key in your COA in and go on activation, then it will verify your key online and system will be activated.

That's great. I read around on other forums and found out a lot. I just hadn't had a chance to post here yet. Thanks for confirming it.