[Frostarixium]

Today I used an installation disc to downgrade from Windows 10 to 7. I greatly regret doing it but my router doesn't work and all it says is it doesn't have a driver. It and my internet formerly worked fine. It's a custom change so It's basically a new computer. What do I do?

[Advertisements]

Hi Frostarixium and welcome to our forums,

 

1 If you performed a "clean install" of Windows 7 using a Microsoft Windows 7 installation disc (rather than the 30 day "go back" facility under windows 10) then it will have cleared everything that was previously on your hard drive and as you say you will need to treat it as a new installation on a new computer.

 

2 Windows 7 includes a basic only, set of drivers to help get your machine working,  but you still need to download the usual drivers from the website of the computer manufacturers (or motherboard manufacturer if its' a custom built machine) and you want full functionality.

 

3 Its best to install the drivers in the correct order, start with installing the chipset drivers ( this is important) and that may get your Internet working, but if not you will need to download and install the driver for your network adapter card(s)

 

4 You can check in "Device Manager" to see if the network adapters are working OK.... there should be no Yellow or Red flags against their name and if you right click on each adapter fitted and click on "Properties" you should see if its working OK

 

5 (you may need to expand the entries against your network adapters.by pressing the + box near to the adapter concerned (in Device Manager) and generally you should see at least one network adapter card for your wired (Ethernet Card).... if you have in the past been connecting wirelessly then there will be a second adapter for this.

 

6 Once you have completed this work you will need to complete all Windows updates, before accessing the Internet for anything other than the updates.... there are likely to be several hundred on them and depending on the speed of your Internet connection it may take a day or so ( a full day  to download and install them all) you will need to keep rebooting and searching for more Windows updates until you have two consecutive "startups" where a search reveals that no further are available)

 

7 Microsoft have recently issued two items that may be of interest to you   they allow just 2 downloads that can install a whole host of Windows Updates at one go! the total download for these are less than half a Gig, you can search for them or ask and I'll send you a link. ( this may be a quicker process than installing each update individually via Windows Update)

 

8 You should of course have your anti virus product installed during the course of this, and you can make sure its updating itself correctly, so its providing good protection. If you do not have a third party firewall installed then you should switch on (via control panel) the Windows firewall.

 

Post back if you need clarification or amplification on any of this.

Regards

paws

[paws]

Hi Frostarixium and welcome to our forums,

 

1 If you performed a "clean install" of Windows 7 using a Microsoft Windows 7 installation disc (rather than the 30 day "go back" facility under windows 10) then it will have cleared everything that was previously on your hard drive and as you say you will need to treat it as a new installation on a new computer.

 

2 Windows 7 includes a basic only, set of drivers to help get your machine working,  but you still need to download the usual drivers from the website of the computer manufacturers (or motherboard manufacturer if its' a custom built machine) and you want full functionality.

 

3 Its best to install the drivers in the correct order, start with installing the chipset drivers ( this is important) and that may get your Internet working, but if not you will need to download and install the driver for your network adapter card(s)

 

4 You can check in "Device Manager" to see if the network adapters are working OK.... there should be no Yellow or Red flags against their name and if you right click on each adapter fitted and click on "Properties" you should see if its working OK

 

5 (you may need to expand the entries against your network adapters.by pressing the + box near to the adapter concerned (in Device Manager) and generally you should see at least one network adapter card for your wired (Ethernet Card).... if you have in the past been connecting wirelessly then there will be a second adapter for this.

 

6 Once you have completed this work you will need to complete all Windows updates, before accessing the Internet for anything other than the updates.... there are likely to be several hundred on them and depending on the speed of your Internet connection it may take a day or so ( a full day  to download and install them all) you will need to keep rebooting and searching for more Windows updates until you have two consecutive "startups" where a search reveals that no further are available)

 

7 Microsoft have recently issued two items that may be of interest to you   they allow just 2 downloads that can install a whole host of Windows Updates at one go! the total download for these are less than half a Gig, you can search for them or ask and I'll send you a link. ( this may be a quicker process than installing each update individually via Windows Update)

 

8 You should of course have your anti virus product installed during the course of this, and you can make sure its updating itself correctly, so its providing good protection. If you do not have a third party firewall installed then you should switch on (via control panel) the Windows firewall.

 

Post back if you need clarification or amplification on any of this.

Regards

paws