Problems downgrading from Windows 8 to Windows 7

[onuit]

I recently purchased a Toshiba Satellite L955-S5370 that came with Windows 8 pre-installed and I decided I didn't like it. I would like to completely get rid of Windows 8 and install Windows 7. I first tried to boot from my Windows 7 cd to do a fresh install but after it went through the "windows is loading files..." progress bars it goes to the "Starting Windows" animation screen and gets stuck. I tried this with several windows 7 cds and none will load all the way. I then booted up Windows 8 to just make a new partition and install Windows 7 on that. After making the partition I ran the windows 7 cd from within windows 8 and it appeared to install correctly. When I restart it gives me the option to boot windows 7 or windows 8 as it should. When I select windows 7 it starts to load but then gets stuck on the "Starting Windows" splash screen again! I cannot figure out how to make it fully load the installed windows 7 or the windows 7 install disc. I even tried putting a blank hard drive in the laptop to just do a clean install on that and the windows 7 cd still freezes when loading. Any help would be extremely appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

Genuine 7 Dvd (with hologram etc) ?

Or a copy disc ?

All the best Brett

 

[weaselman]

Hirens boot cd.

Its a self booting CD that boots into a lot of options /programs and very handy Google it..
Far as i can remember it can allow you to format the drive.
Just be aware it is likely the HD drive is partitioned into about three parts.
one will for the OS currently running/booting to, the other will be and HD ISO image of windows 8 Factory restore/recovery put on by Toshiba if you were not given the Windows Dvd.
The third partition is likely to hold all of the drivers for the hardware of the laptop, and any third party add in software Toshiba put on at the factory.
so be careful what you do.
A partition manager may be best to format the drive, partition with the working windows 8 on.
There are longer ways, more complex to do. but if you want to know then i will be only to happy to explain how its done ok.

Hope this helps best of luck.
Shaun.

 

[onuit]

Yes, I tried to use 3 different genuine discs. One Windows 7 professional from Microsoft academic alliance (I am a student), one windows 7 ultimate upgrade (provided my my university), and one legal windows 7 volume ultimate license (I work for the schools IT department and we are supplied with these). None of these dvds would load. I have used them all before successfully also. Also the windows 8 that came on the computer is 64 bit as are all the windows 7 dvds I attempted to use. Let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks!

 

[onuit]

Thank you for your reply. I will try this and let you know if it works. I am a little confused though because as mentioned in my first post I attempted to do an install from a freshly formatted hard drive and the disc still would not load. Am I missing something? Is there something that this cd will do to the boot precess to make the install dvd fully load?

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

The point is >>> HOW did you format the drive ?

All the best Brett

 

[onuit]

I plugged it into another laptop as an external hdd and used windows disc management. I usually just use the windows disc to format it under the advanced options but I resorted to this since the disc didn't work. Is this method incorrect?

 

[The_Prophecy]

Check the BIOS in the Toshiba for a Secure Boot option and turn it off. 99% sure this will let you install 7, as 7 may not know how to deal with Secure Boot when it is turned on.

Also @ weaselman,

Last I checked, the Hiren's disk contained an unlicensed copy of Windows XP (or a PE-like environment derived from XP). As such, please do not recommend the Hiren's disk going forward unless that issue is resolved. Alternatives like the Ultimate Boot CD (http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/) can be used to achieve the OP's objective here.

 

[onuit]

Thank you very much for your reply. Unfortunately when I first tried the install dvd it wouldn't load at all so I have already disabled secure boot. This and the boot order are the only settings in the BIOS I have changed though. Is there a possibility that there is some other setting? I thought it was weird also that after I partitioned the hdd it recognized both windows 7 and 8 but got stuck loading windows 7. It still loads windows 8 fine. I have done many installs of 7 and never had any problems like this before. Thanks again!

 

[onuit]

Also, I have head about making a bootable usb device to install windows 7. I am wondering is this legal if you use your own copy of windows to make the device and is there any chance it would help?

 

[The_Prophecy]

Absolutely legal... go right ahead. Not sure if it will help actually get it installed, but it will run faster. Will save a bit of time on each attempt if nothing else

 

[onuit]

Thanks! I will attempt this and check back in

 

[onuit]

I tried this and everything else I could think of. I am just going to exchange it for a laptop with Windows 7 already on it. Thsnks to every one for your help though!

 

[microgrooves]

If you go in the BIOS to Advanced>System Configuration and Change the boot mode to CSM Boot, it will fix the hang up problem as the windows 7 load is starting. The load then works fine.

 

[pygowsky]

If you go in the BIOS to Advanced>System Configuration and Change the boot mode to CSM Boot, it will fix the hang up problem as the windows 7 load is starting. The load then works fine.

You are my absolute hero right now. I've had somewhat of a similar problem to the OP that I've been working on for weeks here and there when I have time. It's been one problem after another but with what you just said, I am finally able to fix this laptop thank you so much!!!

 

[joelpoel]

If you go in the BIOS to Advanced>System Configuration and Change the boot mode to CSM Boot, it will fix the hang up problem as the windows 7 load is starting. The load then works fine.

I got a ASUS S56 with Windows 8 preloaded and am hoping to downgrade to Windows 7 Professional (like above, I have access to several versions on Windows from my university). I'm just doing some research before I install Windows 7 (with USB).

I've disabled Safe Boot but have no "System COnfiguration" option in my BIOS > Advanced. I have a "Launch CSM" option under my "Boot" menu. Is that the same thing as mentioned above?

Thanks in advanced.

 

[Troqnec Nqmam]

In BIOS Select Security tab and set the Secure Boot to Disabled. Select Advanced tab and go to System Configuration.
Set the Boot Mode to CSM Boot. After this settings win 8 will not boot.

 

[David Topicz]

Yes, I tried to use 3 different genuine discs. One Windows 7 professional from Microsoft academic alliance (I am a student), one windows 7 ultimate upgrade (provided my my university), and one legal windows 7 volume ultimate license (I work for the schools IT department and we are supplied with these). None of these dvds would load. I have used them all before successfully also. Also the windows 8 that came on the computer is 64 bit as are all the windows 7 dvds I attempted to use. Let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks!

go in to the bios and disable the secure boot and change it to cms boot to boot from cd rom

 

[David Topicz]

Yes, I tried to use 3 different genuine discs. One Windows 7 professional from Microsoft academic alliance (I am a student), one windows 7 ultimate upgrade (provided my my university), and one legal windows 7 volume ultimate license (I work for the schools IT department and we are supplied with these). None of these dvds would load. I have used them all before successfully also. Also the windows 8 that came on the computer is 64 bit as are all the windows 7 dvds I attempted to use. Let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks!

go in to the bios and disable the secure boot and change it to cms boot to boot from cd rom

 

[David Topicz]

Yes, I tried to use 3 different genuine discs. One Windows 7 professional from Microsoft academic alliance (I am a student), one windows 7 ultimate upgrade (provided my my university), and one legal windows 7 volume ultimate license (I work for the schools IT department and we are supplied with these). None of these dvds would load. I have used them all before successfully also. Also the windows 8 that came on the computer is 64 bit as are all the windows 7 dvds I attempted to use. Let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks!

go in to the bios and disable the secure boot and change it to cms boot to boot from cd rom

 

[David Topicz]

Yes, I tried to use 3 different genuine discs. One Windows 7 professional from Microsoft academic alliance (I am a student), one windows 7 ultimate upgrade (provided my my university), and one legal windows 7 volume ultimate license (I work for the schools IT department and we are supplied with these). None of these dvds would load. I have used them all before successfully also. Also the windows 8 that came on the computer is 64 bit as are all the windows 7 dvds I attempted to use. Let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks!

go in to the bios and disable the secure boot and change it to cms boot to boot from cd rom

 

[David Topicz]

try to whipe your hdd out with a clean install that should fix the problem

 

[yvonatron]

I believe I may have found a solution to this or at least to a similar problem.

In your bios settings (you can enter by pressing f12) > Advanced, go into system setup and in you should see something similar to boot method. I changed this setting to a lower one for legacy systems and I was able to get back the frozen 'starting windows' logo. This of course will may work with a dual boot though.

I also disabled a couple of other things for now, external monitor and web cam until I get the drivers. I have a Toshiba Satellite laptop.

Cheers. Yvonatron

 

[Clint101]

I recently purchased a Toshiba Satellite L955-S5370 that came with Windows 8 pre-installed and I decided I didn't like it. I would like to completely get rid of Windows 8 and install Windows 7. I first tried to boot from my Windows 7 cd to do a fresh install but after it went through the "windows is loading files..." progress bars it goes to the "Starting Windows" animation screen and gets stuck. I tried this with several windows 7 cds and none will load all the way. I then booted up Windows 8 to just make a new partition and install Windows 7 on that. After making the partition I ran the windows 7 cd from within windows 8 and it appeared to install correctly. When I restart it gives me the option to boot windows 7 or windows 8 as it should. When I select windows 7 it starts to load but then gets stuck on the "Starting Windows" splash screen again! I cannot figure out how to make it fully load the installed windows 7 or the windows 7 install disc. I even tried putting a blank hard drive in the laptop to just do a clean install on that and the windows 7 cd still freezes when loading. Any help would be extremely appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[Clint101]

This one is fairly straightforward. The best way of doing a reinstall from any OS to another is to wipe the hard drive clean before installing the new one. 'Darik's boot & nuke' "DBAN' is available online (you will need ISO software such as Nero) to copy it to cd. It is also available for fairly cheap on ebay. Set your BIOS to boot first from cd and follow the screen prompts, will take a couple of hours depending on your drive size but it gets rid of absolutely EVERYTHING on the disk. After that you should be able to do a fresh install hassle free. Hope this helps.