Of the two approaches to downgrading Windows, the first is more convenient, as it doesn't require you to wipe your hard drive. You will need a genuine Windows XP installation CD; if all you have is a recovery disc, use the "Start from Scratch" process that follows.

Before you proceed, make sure you have several gigabytes of free space on your boot drive (usually C:\). Take a moment to back up your entire hard drive; if you have Vista Business or Ultimate, you can do so with the Complete PC Backup and Restore tool, making it easy to get back into Windows should this process hit a snag.

The following is what I do directly after a clean install of Windows Vista . This does not mean that everything I do will work for you. Keeping that in mind, ensure you are fully aware of the risks of tweaking your system before doing so. Several of my performance tweaks "reduce" the default functionality of Windows and removes some built in security features. If security is a top priority for you or you are a new user to Vista, refrain from disabling any functionality noted as a security feature.

I found a great tool that we use here in the IT Department to remove all that nasty bloat-ware, vapor-ware and spy-ware that ships with your new desktop and/or laptop.

Simply download and run, select the programs you want to uninstall and it will handle the rest all at once!

It's a lifesaver and thought i would share with everyone.

PC Decrapifier

Download: http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/files/pc-decrapifier-2.0.0.exe