Replacing Vista with another OS

[Zorchenhimer]

I've read and heard in some places that when you downgrade Vista to XP the hard drive will fail.  Where would I be able to find out if a specific computer/hard drive model does this?

I ask because I'm helping some one out with computer issues, and she really hates Vista.  I don't want to do anything more to her computer that will harm it, or have her spend more money on it (long story, issues with roommate and changing the pass and deleting a bunch of stuff).

Any help is appreciated.

[Spook]

I've downgraded a computer from vista home to xp with no problems. All I did was delete all the partitions and files from the harddrive and just ran the xp installation CD.

[Zorchenhimer]

Yea, I know it can be done easily.  But there are some HDDs that physically fail when Vista is removed.  I'm just wondering if I have anything to worry about with this computer.

[KnacK]

That is rubbish.

There is nothing in Vista that would perpetuate a hard drive failure if another OS was installed on a hard drive that had Vista on it.

[Spook]

Seems quite hard to wreck a HDD by deleting files off of it. Meh, maybe what you read was from someone who deleted their harddrive with a magnet.

[Zorchenhimer]

That is rubbish.

There is nothing in Vista that would perpetuate a hard drive failure if another OS was installed on a hard drive that had Vista on it.

Just making sure.  I have heard of a IT class that tested this, and had them fail.  Although, I don't know how valid that is.  Thanks.

[lekky]

Worked fine for me

[zimtstern]

disable "native mode" in bios and reinstall it

[mewa]

are you sure about your term "physically fail"? like knackwak said, rubbish. but im sure theres plenty of ways to make a downgrade unsuccesful, and have to reformat.