Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7

theog · May 31, 2013

HealeyDoc said:
Thanks Shawn,

iso file is downloaded. All I had was a Flash Drive. I hope that'll work. Ran Windows 8 Recovery disk and the machine is pretty much ready for me to go at it again. Not sure what to do with the iso file or when I will use it. Any encouraging words? Should I go to the links Theog provided me or back to the original instructions on downgrading WIN8 to WIN7?

If Using a USB Pendrive on a PC with a uEFI BIOS.
USB Pendrive need to be formated to FAT32 as in
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html
Take note of Step 11 for Windows 7.
Also you will need to use a USB 2.0 port, as there are no USB 3.0 drivers in Windows 7.

HealeyDoc · May 31, 2013

Thanks Theog,

So Sorry. I'm afraid I am getting confused.

I have in my possession a 16GB Flash Drive.
I also have WIN7Pro 32-Bit OEM System Builder on a DVD that I want to load on to this machine.
The Machine I spoke of yesterday is back to Windows 8.
Yesterday I downloaded the iso file Shawn recommended onto the 16GB flashdrive/pendrive. I did not format it to FAT32 beforehand.

Are you saying I need to format this flashdrive/pendrive to FAT32 making sure to follow the http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html instructions and then download the iso file onto the flashdrive/pendrive?

What is the iso file I am downloading? a Full 64 Bit version of WIN7 PRo? ( i cant imagine since it is 3.1GB) or a file that will somehow let me change my current 32 Bit version to 64 Bit?

If it is a support file, when do I use it in the process of loading the WIN7 PRO disk? Before? During? After?

I'm not sure what I am supposed to be loading onto the machine now, and in what order with all the downloadable instructions. I am ready to follow your lead.

Jeff

theog · May 31, 2013

Hi HealeyDoc

If the USB Pen Drive is NOT formatted to FAT32 for Windows 7/8 x64, the USB drive will not boot in UEFI mode.

Can you remove the Diirect ISO link from your post, as MS do not like us posting Direct links.

HealeyDoc · May 31, 2013

theog said:
Hi HealeyDoc

If the USB Pen Drive is NOT formatted to FAT32 for Windows 7/8 x64, the USB drive will not boot in UEFI mode.

Can you remove the Diirect ISO link from your post, as MS do not like us posting Direct links.

Will do....Done!

So it looks like this ISO file is the 64 Bit version and I just use my Product Key from the 32 Bit version I purchased, to activate.

I'll go ahead and re-format that USB Drive and load the ISO file on it.... Thanks Theog

dileep83 · Jun 18, 2013

Not booting from DVD

Hi,
I have tried all the given steps. After loading the default settings and disabling the Secure boot, my laptop not allowing me to boot from DVD. I have also set the boot priority to DVD first, still it's not allowing me. Please suggest. My laptop is Lenovo G580 which came up with Windows 8 OS. I bought this laptop in UK.

Please help me in installing the Windows 7 OS.
Thank you,
Dileep.

theog · Jun 18, 2013

dileep83 said:
Hi,
I have tried all the given steps. After loading the default settings and disabling the Secure boot, my laptop not allowing me to boot from DVD. I have also set the boot priority to DVD first, still it's not allowing me. Please suggest. My laptop is Lenovo G580 which came up with Windows 8 OS. I bought this laptop in UK.

Please help me in installing the Windows 7 OS.
Thank you,
Dileep.

Welcome to EightForums.

1) Windows Boot Manager, should always be first boot device.

2) Set CSM to UEFI (or UEFI & Legacy)

3) Boot the Windows 7 x64 DVD in UEFI mode.

Windows 8 Downgrade-006 SB for posting.PNG

bob12603 · Jul 8, 2013

Thanks for this. If I can just screw up my courage to the sticking point it will be very helpful. (I have no restore disk from Lenovo so turning back will not be easy!)

Once I complete the steps above I will have only Windows generic drivers. Right? But maybe one of the related tutorials will help me with that. And if not I can probably fumble through it on my own. BUT ... what about device specific Control Panel dialogs? If I have, for example, the manufacturer's drivers for the trackpad, will that also supply the Control Panel dialogs which support pointing device options?

Thanks, Bob

theog · Jul 8, 2013

bob12603 said:
Thanks for this. If I can just screw up my courage to the sticking point it will be very helpful. (I have no restore disk from Lenovo so turning back will not be easy!)

Once I complete the steps above I will have only Windows generic drivers. Right? But maybe one of the related tutorials will help me with that. And if not I can probably fumble through it on my own. BUT ... what about device specific Control Panel dialogs? If I have, for example, the manufacturer's drivers for the trackpad, will that also supply the Control Panel dialogs which support pointing device options?

Thanks, Bob

1) From the manual for Lenovo G480.

Lenovo said:
When the hard disk drive or solid state drive is replaced because of a failure, no
product recovery program is on the new drive. In this case, you must use the
Recovery Disc Set for the computer. Order the Recovery Disc Set and the drive at
the same time so that you can recover the new drive with the pre-installed
software when they arrive.

You can Order Lenovo Recovery Disks from here:
Lenovo Support - Home (US)
Click on Parts & Accessories.

2) Check the Lenovo web site for Windows 7 drivers.
lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon
Drivers and software - ThinkPad X1 Carbon

bob12603 · Jul 8, 2013

Hi theog,

Thanks for your reply. I knew that I could order, for a FEE, recovery disks. I should have said "turning back will not be cheap!"

And I knew that I could get Windows 7 drivers. But the question is ... do drivers provide the Control Panel dialogs which allow specification of settings for manufacturer specific hardware attributes?

Thanks, Bob

ChrisPappas · Jul 22, 2013

I'm trying to downgrade an HP H8-1414PC and I'm having a hell of a time. When I boot from the Windows 7 Ultimate 64 SP1 DVD, I get as far as selecting language and then select start installation.

After I select to start instalation, I get the following message almost immediately:

"A required CD/DVD device driver is missing...."

I'm installing from a DVD, so it's able communicate with the drive and read the DVD.

I tried my Win7Ult32 DVD and I have downloaded another copy from msft.digitalrivercontent.net, same results.

The DVD drive is an HP "Super Multi DVD Rewriter", model GH82N (A2HH).

Does anyone have any clues as to what's tripping me up here?

Thanks,

Chris

Edit: My old Windows 7 64 retail (2009) give the same results.

theog · Jul 22, 2013

Have you tried using USB Pen Drive.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html

ChrisPappas · Jul 22, 2013

No, I didn't try that. I don't have a 4GB or greater USB drive handy (I know, lame) and I was hoping to avoid a trip to go get one.

Is this a known problem and this is the work around?

Chris

theog · Jul 22, 2013

ChrisPappas said:
No, I didn't try that. I don't have a 4GB or greater USB drive handy (I know, lame) and I was hoping to avoid a trip to go get one.

Is this a known problem and this is the work around?

Chris

With a bad ISO or bad burnt DVD, yes.

ChrisPappas · Jul 22, 2013

One of the Win 7 installs that I tried was retail packaging Windows 7 Home 64, so I think that rules out a bad ISO or burn.

Chris

ChrisPappas · Jul 22, 2013

Okay, I've got an 8GB flash drive. I'll post results in a half hour or so.

Chris

ChrisPappas · Jul 22, 2013

Okay, I got it to work with the DVD. The solution in this case: The SATA emulation was set to AHCI by default. I changed the emulation to IDE and setup is underway!

Chris

irfy · Aug 20, 2013

Hello thanks for the tutorial.

I am working a HP Sleekbook which came pre-installed with Windows 8 (this laptop is for my cousin). I followed the tutorial and made the UEFI bootable flash drive, have the win 7 iso image on there. Loaded it into the laptop and it just hangs on the Windows 7 logo animation. Checked the bios settings and all seem fine. What's going wrong here? Any help.

theog · Aug 20, 2013

irfy said:
Hello thanks for the tutorial.

I am working a HP Sleekbook which came pre-installed with Windows 8 (this laptop is for my cousin). I followed the tutorial and made the UEFI bootable flash drive, have the win 7 iso image on there. Loaded it into the laptop and it just hangs on the Windows 7 logo animation. Checked the bios settings and all seem fine. What's going wrong here? Any help.

Some OEM manufacturers are locking end-users out of the options in UEFI/ BIOS firmware on consumer PC’s, to install other OS's in UEFI mode, so you can only install in Legacy mode, on business PC’s there not.

Windows Hardware Certification Requirements for Client and Server Systems

Microsoft said:
Mandatory. On non-ARM systems, the platform MUST implement the ability for a physically present user to select between two Secure Boot modes in firmware setup: "Custom" and "Standard". Custom Mode allows for more flexibility as specified in the following:

It shall be possible for a physically present user to use the Custom Mode firmware setup option to modify the contents of the Secure Boot signature databases and the PK. This may be implemented by simply providing the option to clear all Secure Boot databases (PK, KEK, db, dbx), which puts the system into setup mode.

If the user ends up deleting the PK then, upon exiting the Custom Mode firmware setup, the system is operating in Setup Mode with SecureBoot turned off.

The firmware setup shall indicate if Secure Boot is turned on, and if it is operated in Standard or Custom Mode. The firmware setup must provide an option to return from Custom to Standard Mode which restores the factory defaults. On an ARM system, it is forbidden to enable Custom Mode. Only Standard Mode may be enabled.

Technical Note: UEFI BIOS vs. Legacy BIOS, Advantech(EN) - YouTube

theog · Aug 20, 2013

Secure Boot (Windows 8) | HP® Support
Screenshots in the above link.

DESKTOP

HP said:
Disabling Secure Boot

You may want to disable Secure Boot in order to install new hardware or boot from a CD or DVD. Follow these steps to disable Secure Boot:

1) Turn off the computer.

2) Turn on the computer and immediately press the F10 key repeatedly, about once every second, until the Computer Setup Utility opens.

3) Use the left and right arrow keys to select the Security menu, then use the up and down arrow keys to select Secure Boot Configuration , and then press Enter .

4) The Secure Boot Configuration warning displays. Press F10 to continue.

5) Use the up and down arrow keys to select Secure Boot , then use the left and right arrow keys to change the setting to Disable .

6) Use the up and down arrow keys to select Legacy Support , then use the left and right arrow keys to change the setting to Enable .

7) Press F10 to accept the changes.

8) Press F10 again, then press Enter twice to restart the computer.

9) As soon as the computer starts, a message appears indicating that the boot mode has changed.

10) Type the four-digit code shown in the message, then press Enter to confirm the change.

NOTEBOOK.

HP said:
You may want to disable Secure Boot in order to install new hardware or boot from a CD or DVD. Follow these steps to disable Secure Boot:

1) Turn off the computer.

2) Immediately press the Escape key repeatedly, about once every second, until the Startup Menu opens.

3) Use the right arrow key to choose the System Configuration menu, use the down arrow key to select Boot Options , then press Enter .

4) Use the down arrow key to select Secure Boot , press the Enter key, then use the down arrow key to modify the setting to Disabled .

5) Press Enter to save the change.

6) Use the left arrow key to select the File menu, use the down arrow key to select Save Changes and Exit , then press Enter to select Yes .

7) The Computer Setup Utility closes and the computer restarts. When the computer has restarted, the Operating System Boot Mode Change screen appears, prompting you to confirm the Boot Options change. Type the code shown on the screen, then press Enter to confirm the change and continue to Windows.

irfy · Aug 23, 2013

I've managed to install Windows 7 on the laptop but none of the drivers are installing cause of the compatibility with the hardware, this is being such a pain, I really need to get this sorted ASAP.

Cause it's set to GPT, it won't allow me to install certain things, how do I fix this?

Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7

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