I've wanted to install XP on my G73 for a while now, mostly for some old school gaming that isn't impossible on win7 but is just so much easier on xp. So as I figured everything out I decided to make this guide on how other people could do it as well. There is no real need to be tech savvy or anything like that to do this, it is very straight forward and simple. I would like to say that the accompanying downloads are simply drivers for windows xp, along with a modified ISO of windows XP SP3 with the SATA drivers built in, there is no serial key included nor are their any cracks. If you want a crack or a serial please do not ask for one.

Download added below
DOWNLOAD UPDATED AS OF 16/11/201

http://www.mediafire.com/download/y4ru73347wv7mob/XP_Drivers.rar

These instructions are included with the download hosted on media fire.

Introduction wrote:
It took me a few days to find all the drivers necessary, and a lot of trial and error with installation methods. At first I was going into the BIOS to change the SATA settings to emulate IDE, which let windows install without the Intel SATA drivers, however this meant I would have to change the setting every time I wanted to boot to 7 or xp. eventually I figured out which drivers were needed for the SATA chipset in the G73JH (Intel 5000 series which can also be found for other OS's on intel's site here http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&ProductFamily=Chipsets&ProductLine=Laptop...). After that everything was really very easy. I just used NLITE to make the ISO with the drivers built in and that was it.

Step 1 wrote:
1. a. Make a partition for your windows xp installation. To do this from windows 7 open your start menu and type "forma", then click on "Create and format hard disk partition". Right-click on the drive you would like to partition (I chose C:\) and select shrink volume. Select how much you would like to shrink the volume by (I chose 30GB or 30720MB) but you may select more or less. Then it will ask you to format, select ntfs and quick format. I recommend assigning it a drive letter because this will make it visible from your windows 7 installation and your XP installation as the same letter (F:\ in my case).

b. Burn the winlite.iso file to a blank disc, making sure to use a program that can make it bootable (deepbuner is a free solution).

c. Create a windows 7 repair disc if you do not have one by following this guide http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/windows7/Create-a-system-repair-disc . This disc will let you fix your startup later because xp overwrites windows 7's boot loader. the recovery discs you make when you start your G73 the first time may or may not work, I don't know, so play it safe and make one.

Step 2 wrote:
2. Insert the cd into your disc drive and reboot your computer, when it asks you to press any key to boot from the cd, do just that. Run through the install process and make sure you select the correct drive! otherwise you could end up wiping all of your data, and just select to leave the filesystem in tact. go through the install and you can either enter your serial key during or after the install (to install iwthout a key just click next and then no).

Note: When installing these drivers they may ask you to restart after they are done, feel free to do so, or say no and restart after your done installing all drivers in a given zip file.

Steps 3 wrote:
3. Once booted into windows install the networking drivers located in the "1 - Networking.zip" file. This includes Wifi, Ethernet, and bluetooth drivers

Step 4 wrote:
4. After that Connect to a network and run windows update until there are no more updates (this may take several reboots). THIS STEP IS VERY IMPORTANT! THE VIDEO DRIVERS WILL NOT INSTALL PROPERLY IF YOU DON'T DO THIS!

Step 5 wrote:
5. Install the rest of the drivers in the "3 - The rest.zip" file, and then restart your computer.

Step 6 wrote:
6. Finally install the graphics drivers and get your beautiful 1920x1080 resolution!

Step 7 wrote:
7. a. Insert a windows 7 recovery or install disc and let it load up, then select startup repair and it should fix itself in a few seconds. then reboot and remove the cd, you should see a screen asking you if you want to boot into win7 or xp, there is a 30 second countdown and the default option is windows 7.

b. If you want to shorten the timer go into windows 7, opent eh start menu and type "msconfig" then press enter. select the boot tab at the top, and on the right hand side there ius an option called "Timeout:" Change the value to however many seconds you want the computer to wait before selecting th edefault option (I set mine to 5).

c. If you want windows XP to be the default boot option download EasyBCD from http://neosmart.net/downloads/software/EasyBCD/EasyBCD%202.0.2.exe . open it up and select edit boot menu, uncheck windows 7 and check xp as your new default. You can also adjust the default countdown timer here. click save settings and your done!

Step 8 wrote:
8. I've included the XP SATA drivers in their own zip file should you already have an XP iso and want to save some bandwidth by not downloading mine. I didn't slipstream any of the other drivers because I wasnt sure how the ones that had acompanying software would work.