Compaq F754LA Drivers for Windows XP

Someone brought me a Compaq F754LA notebook, and asked me to get rid of Windows Vista and put on Windows XP. A very common request these days, and perfectly understandable.

As I expected, no Windows XP drivers are published by the manufacture (HP). This is of course done on purpose and the reason why is in my opinion very childish (actually not even a child would act this way). Those of you who have been in the business of converting Windows Vista machines to Windows XP machines already know that most computer manufactures refuse to provide Windows XP drivers. It's suppose to "force" the adoption of Windows Vista, clearly something that Microsoft makes sure it's the "best interest" of the PC builder.

In case you didn't understand my subtle comment, their is no doubt that Microsoft has set forth some terms and conditions to the PC manufactures that prevents them from offering Windows XP drivers.

Anything that works in Vista will work in XP, which is exactly the case with the Compaq F754LA notebook. It took some time to search and put it all together, but I have here a complete package of all the drivers for the Compaq F7500 series notebooks. Feel free to download them below (You need 7-zip to extract them).

http://phobos.morante.net:10080/downloads/unibia/drivers/Compaq%20F754LA...
http://phobos.morante.net:10080/downloads/unibia/drivers/Compaq%20F754LA...
http://phobos.morante.net:10080/downloads/unibia/drivers/Compaq%20F754LA...
http://phobos.morante.net:10080/downloads/unibia/drivers/Compaq%20F754LA...
http://phobos.morante.net:10080/downloads/unibia/drivers/Compaq%20F754LA...
http://phobos.morante.net:10080/downloads/unibia/drivers/Compaq%20F754LA...

Here's a quick look at the hardware:

  • CPU: AMD Sempron 3600+
  • Chip set: NVIDIA nForce 610M
  • Display: NVIDIA GeForce 7000M
  • Audio: Conexant High Definition Audio
  • Wireless: Atheros AR5007 802.11b/g WiFi Adapter
  • Ethernet: NVIDIA nForce 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
  • Modem: HDAUDIO Soft Data Fax Modem with SmartCP
  • Synaptics TouchPad

Before you can install anything, you must install the nForce chip set drivers. The system will not recognize the other hardware such as audio and LAN until the nForce drivers load.

For the Audio you will need to install two drivers, the regular "Audio" and the "HD Audio". You need to install Microsoft's Universal Audio Architecture (UAA) driver to get HD audio to work properly (KB Article #835221).

Install them in the following order:

  1. UAA
  2. Audio
  3. HD Audio

Some drivers (Display, Audio, Wireless, and Modem) can't be automatically installed by Windows, you'll have to do it the "old fashion" way and select the driver manually from a list, then click "Have Disk". Windows will complain about the driver not being designed for the hardware, but that's simply not true. The manufactures change the hardware names/id's on the INF files in order to prevent Windows XP from installing the driver the "easy way" thus confusing the less informed into believing that their is no Windows XP support for the hardware.

You may come across the "Unknown Device". It's not important as this is HP's quick launch buttons. I don't include the drivers for this because it contains the nasty .NET Framework. If you want them, you can easily find them on HP's website, but I advise against it.

The computer works great with Windows XP, the drivers a very stable, and the system is very fast (I used a custom XP build with nLite). The Compaq F754LA is perfectly compatible with Windows XP, and works better with it. HP refuses to provide drivers for it by choice.

Yep, Windows Vista really is as bad as people say it is, and the fact that Microsoft and PC manufactures force it upon us, just confirms it. So, to all the "Vista Lovers" out their, I ask you if Windows Vista is so "great", why does Microsoft has to force people to buy and use it?