Downgrade To Win 7 Pro

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Xaerie

Xaerie

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TL;DR: Brand New Laptop. Downgrading from Windows 8 Pro to Windows 7 Pro but I don't know how, can you please help? Assuming all the drivers are good as I paid extra and iit came with the DVD for Windows 7 Pro.

Not doing this via the Downgrade Rights (unsure what that is or how it works)

I want to do things right the first time and have no experience creating backups or images...etc, and fear of messing things up.

Brand new laptop - came with Windows 8 Pro. I paid extra for it to include Windows 7 Pro DVD's so I could downgrade to Windows 7 Pro. The PC didn't come with a CD/DVD drive, and although I'm sure I could have put the contents of the Windows 7 Pro DVD on a USB, I bought an HP USB External DVDRW Drive.

So I'm sitting here with the laptop open (never been turned on) with the external DVDRW drive plugged in. What next?

Is it as simple as, turn the laptop on, pop in the CD, and go? No... it can't be, because when you turn the laptop on it's going to boot Windows 8 Pro right? So then do I allow it to boot the OS or do I press a key to allow me to choose my boot options, boot from CD/DVD drive, and go from there? Do I need to do something crazy like allow it to boot Windows 8 Pro, go through the motions of setting up, partition or something and then insert the CD, let it load... idk!?

Again, I have no experience doing this, I want to do it right the first time, and I'm terrified of screwing something up. The laptop came with 5 DVD's.

1. Application and Driver Recovery DVD ROM - Contains software and drivers already installed. For software reinstallation and repair only. This disc contains software for Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 8.

2. Operating System DVD ROM Windows 8 PRO - Contains software and drivers already installed. For software reinstallation and repair only. This disc contains 64-bit software

3. Application and Driver Recovery DVD ROM - Contains software and drivers already installed. For software reinstallation and repair only. This disc contains software for Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 7.

4. Operating System DVD ROM Windows(R) 7 Professional SP 1 - Contains software and drivers already installed. For software reinstallation and repair only. This disc contains 32-bit software

5. Operating System DVD ROM Windows(R) 7 Professional SP 1- Contains software and drivers already installed. For software reinstallation and repair only. This disc contains 64-bit software - This is the disc I will be using.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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All the 'downgrade' means is that you can install Windows 7 Pro without buying a new license.
It is a full reinstall

(but you already paid for it)

But why do you want to downgrade to Win 7? I know all the complaints about Win 8/8.1, but in reality, the change to 8.1 fixed just about all of that.
A couple of small config changes (already built in), and it looks and acts a whole lot like Win 7. I have Win 8.1 Pro, and have seen the Metro interface maybe twice this year. No need for Win 7.

You can if you want to, but it is a full reinstall.
 
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J

jitpublisher

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I have not ever had a PC with Windows 8. But if the pattern is the same, you would simply boot to the DVD Win 7 is on, use the format and partitonig utiltity that is given as an option during the beginning of the set up process, format and repartition the drive. Then proceed with the fresh install. Keep in mind that you may need some addtional drivers for the laptop after Win 7 is installed.
 
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Eximo

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Quite a few programs don't work in Windows 8.1 64bit as compared to Windows 7 64bit, but it is fairly rare that a vendor won't offer a new version that does. If you are doing this to gain compatibility with older 16bit applications, you are out of luck.

With an OEM recovery disk it is basically a system image. You don't go through the normal installation steps, it just kind of does it and you have a branded OS with all the annoying bloatware installed.

Pop in the #5 disc and put your disc drive as the first boot option in the BIOS, or find out what your boot options shortcut is. It should give you the option for a "Full Restore"
 
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Eximo

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Generating that list would reveal a bit much about who I work for and the software we use.

Not to say they don't install, just certain hardcoded API calls that don't behave right between the two kernels. 99% of the issues were solved by vendors and the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit.

More about support then anything else as well. We can install all kinds of things in Windows 8.1, but vendors won't provide support for anything but Windows 7 right now. (Or XP for that matter, sigh, so many VMs)
 
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Xaerie

Xaerie

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It's not for me, I could care less between Windows 7 and Windows 8. I own both, it was frustrating at first because I couldn't find squat on Windows 8 so I had to do everything via the cmd line - but a week or two of 1 hour per night got me using it just fine. Anyway - it's not for me. It's for a client of mine. I'm frustrated they have to have Windows 7 because I don't know how to downgrade.

So it's a "full reinstall." My main question here was how do I even go about doing that... I have the laptop open with the external DVD reader (because the laptop didn't come with an internal one)... Is fastboot going to keep me from booting from the external DVD thing?
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Well, OK. If you have dodgy software with hardcoded API calls....that's different.
I've not come across a regular commercial application that works in 7 and doesn't work in 8/8.1.

Exact same thing happened between Vista and 7, or XP and Vista....and on down the line.


But that is different that "Quite a few..."
 
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Xaerie

Xaerie

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LOL.. yes /sigh - so many VM's. For months I've been transitioning our XP VM's to Windows 7. Glad I'm not the only one suffering.
 
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Xaerie

Xaerie

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Do you know if fastboot prevent me from booting to the DVD? If it does - does that mean I'll have to configure windows 8 first just to turn off fastboot?

I have no idea what this format and partitioning utility tool is you speak of. I trust that it will be there when I begin this process... but even then, "format and repartition the drive." ? I understand how to format a drive, but if I'm booting from the DVD and installing Windows 7 over 8 why would I format the drive? Also I know nothing of repartitioning other than a couple articles I've read about people who would partition their HDD so that there's all system/data files on one partition and everything else on another for better performance. What I really need is a step by step process... can you help? I was following you up until you said, "format and repartition the drive..."

So, assuming fastboot won't screw with me, I boot from DVD, and it'll open a utility tool, then...?
 
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Xaerie

Xaerie

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Do you know if fastboot is going to prevent me from changing the boot order? Do you know which button I press to choose the boot order? F8? F12?
 
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