[benk]

how can i downgrade win 8 to win 7 on my laptop

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Was Windows 8 on the laptop when you bought it?

[Wolfeymole]

Was Windows 8 on the laptop when you bought it?

[admin]

Is it because of the start menu? There are some free and cheap options to restore it. Here's one: http://www.iobit.com...tstartmenu8.php

However, Windows 8 has a number of performance and security enhancements. I'd encourage you to give it a little longer. Even the new start menu will grow on you once you start to customize it.

[Macboatmaster]

1.What may also assist you is the number of shortcut keys, many especially introduced for windows 8

A brief post from me explaining these

http://www.geekstogo...oard-shortcuts/

no great find by me, simply Help and Support on Windows 8.

2. Many people have also struggled to find advanced boot options, of course you only generally need them if something is amiss

Another brief post from me

http://www.geekstogo...art-up-options/

3. Also on the tiles, that is Windows key from the desktop, some people do not immediately realise that you can drag and drop to the position you wish.

Also by pressing windows key from Desktop and typing, although there is no place to type, it immediately opens the search bar and then for instance typing cmd.

if you then click on Applications if that is not already the search area, and then right click on cmd prompt, that appears on the left, you will then see your options, and the same with anything else you wish to configure.. And then Windows key twice will take you back to desktop.

And the nice part is that you can go there from a browser screen, or whatever else you had open, and simply return to where you left off.

As Admin (Founder Geek) says, give it a little time.

IMHO it is quite amazing in some respects when you get a little more use to it.

Good luck with it.

If you do decide to return to 7 and 8 was preinstalled it is a UEFI firmware system rather than the traditional BIOS.

Returning to 7 is not impossible but may I offer you this for your consideration.

1. . Microsoft have dictated that all computers, sold with 8 pre installed as the operating system AND bearing the Microsoft certified for Windows 8 - label (this is the OEM computer such as Acer HP Dell etc) and with UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) must have secure boot enabled. This has implications for the install of 7 and indeed UEFI and the attendant GPT have an effect on what the computer can use as a bootable medium - even without considering the 7 issue.
UEFI cannot boot from NTFS it must boot from FAT32.

2. Whilst the installation of 7 on those computers is quite achievable it is NOT easy. For instance the disk is formatted to what is known as GPT - GUID Partition Table and not to MBR as it was in the traditional BIOS . UEFI is the replacement for the BIOS that we all are so familiar with.

3. 32 Windows will not install to a UEFI firmware it can read from GPT but cannot boot from it. So if you are thinking of installing 32 bit Windows 7 - you must install in what is known as legacy mode - basically that configures UEFI to run as BIOS. There is another mode on most UEFI - known as CSM and that can be set to various configurations.

4. If it is 64 bit Windows 7 it will install in UEFI on a GPT partition formatted drive.

5. There are many more considerations to installing 7 on a computer you have bought with 8 pre-installed
A. Check before you even consider it that drivers are available for that computer for 7.
Some OEM`s have stated that they will not be making 7 drivers available for computers sold with 8 pre-installed
B. Ensure you have the means to fully recover back to 8 - not of course merely the recovery partition on the hard drive - that will not be available after you install 7,.


6.. Be aware that if the install of 7 does not work out and you have attempted installing to the original drive the support from the supplier or OEM will be very SLIGHT in assisting your recovery to 8.
Indeed some OEMs have issued warnings that if you do install another operating system - and then require support for a problem, they may insist on the install of 8 before that support is offered, under the terms of support when the computer was sold.

UEFI - Unified Extensible Firmware Interface - the modern BIOS

GPT - Globally Unique Identifier Partition Table - as against the previously used - MBR

Edited by Macboatmaster, 26 February 2013 - 04:20 PM.

[Ztruker]

How to Downgrade Windows 8 Pro to Windows 7

How to Downgrade Windows 8 Preinstalled to Windows 7

If you do not have a Windows 7 installation DVD, you can download a legal copy with SP1 integrated from here: 2.1 Microsoft Windows 7 Official .iso Download Links

Make sure you get the same version you have, Home Premium, Pro or Ultimate and 32 or 64 bit. Note that Basic or Starter is not available.

I recommend using ImgBurn at 4X speed (or the slowest available) to create the DVD from the downloaded .iso file.

You can do this on any computer capable of burning a DVD.

YOU MUST HAVE A VALID KEY TO INSTALL THIS .ISO. The one on the COA sticker on your computer will work.

You can also create a bootable USB Flash drive (4GB or larger) to install Windows 7 from.

• Download and run Universal USB Installer – Easy as 1 2 3
• Select Windows 7 from the first drop down list, all the way to the bottom
• Select the downloaded Windows 7 iso file
• Select your USB flash drive
• Click Create

For techies or folks who work on computers: Create Windows 7 Universal ISO With All Editions Selection On Install with ei.cfg Removal Utility.
This will fit on a 6GB flash drive or can be burned to a DVD.