Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7

Downgrade Windows 8 Preinstalled to Windows 7

How to Downgrade Windows 8 Preinstalled to Windows 7​

This tutorial will show you how to downgrade your Windows 8 Preinstalled with or without Secure Boot to Windows 7.

We always assume you have made your Factory Recovery Discs using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC, and made a Startup Repair CD/DVD/USB.

• Recovery Drive - Create with USB Flash Drive in Windows 8
• System Repair Disc - Create in Windows 8

Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?

You can order OEM Recovery disks from your OEM manufacturer's website.

You can use the Windows system image.

System Image - Create in Windows 8

Recovery Drive - Create with USB Flash Drive in Windows 8

System Repair Disc - Create in Windows 8




1) Open an elevated Power Shell in Windows 8.

2) Type confirm-SecureBootUEFI






If TRUE, your uEFI BIOS is set to Secure Boot, go to step 3 below.

If FALSE, your uEFI BIOS is not set to Secure Boot, NO need to reset uEFI BIOS. Go to step 4.



3) Reset BIOS to default, and reboot to BIOS make sure Secure Boot is disabled.
NOTE: Check your manufacturer's uEFI/BIOS firmware manual for settings.

   Note

You may also need to
Make sure CSM is ENABLED, & set to UEFI boot.

enable Boot Menu.

enable BIOS password.

Technical Note: UEFI BIOS vs. Legacy BIOS - YouTube

On some OEM manufacturer's the CSM setting are

UEFI = Windows 8 only
Legacy = All OS.
UEFI & Legacy = All OS.



To install in Legacy Mode:
SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation - Windows 7 Help Forums
Clean Install Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums

Startup Options Menu - Boot to in Windows 8
Secure Boot - Enable or Disable in UEFI

   Note

How to reset your UEFI Bios Firmware from Windows 8


Toshiba How-To: Resetting your UEFI Bios Firmware on Windows 8 - YouTube





NOTE: Example above, uEFI-BIOS is from a Fujitsu P400.

New AMI Fujitsu uEFI-BIOS, plus other OEM manufacturer's.




AMI | American Megatrends Inc. : Aptio® V Launch Hardware Showcase

American Megatrends Presents Showcase of Windows® 8-ready Hardware with Aptio® V UEFI BIOS Firmware at “Touch the Future with Aptio V” Launch Event

On Friday, October 5th, 2012

4) Boot from your UEFI 64-bit Windows 7 DVD or USB using the one time boot menu.

   Note

If you do not have a UEFI 64-bit Windows 7 DVD or USB, then you can create a UEFI USB using the tutorial below.

UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

5) press enter on the UEFI DVD drive




6) Follow this tutorial:


UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with - Windows 7 Forums

   Note

For PC's with the 32gb MSATA IRST acceleration cache.
Install Windows on MSATA (SSD) Drive - Windows 7 Help Forums
Install Windows on System with MSATA and ISRT - Windows 7 Help Forums

A) Delete all partitions. (in Drive Options)





B) Remake partitions. (in Drive Options)


How to Clean the HD Drive, using Step one in this tutorial:
SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation - Windows 7 Forums





& than Reboot PC to install.







All Done.

DO NOT ENABLE SECURE BOOT AFTER INSTALLING WINDOWS 7, WINDOWS 7 WILL NOT BOOT.​

   Note

When dual booting with Windows 8 Preinstalled & Windows 7

Follow Step one to five in this tutorial:
Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7

   Warning

If you shrink a partition before deleting the OEM Recovery partition, the partition & the new partition may be converted to Dynamic partitions.

Than follow this tutorial: (installing in uEFI mode.)
Dual Boot Installation - Windows 8 and Windows 7 or Vista

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Enable or Disable Secure Boot in UEFI
• How to Do a Clean Installation with Windows 7
• How to Do a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 8 and Windows 7 or Vista
• How to Delete "Windows 8" in your Dual Boot with Windows 7 or Vista
• How to Delete "Windows 7" in your Dual Boot with Windows 8
• How to Upgrade from Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, or XP to Windows 8 or 8.1
• How to Do a Clean Install with Windows 8 Upgrade
• How to Do a Clean Install of Windows 8 or Windows 8.1

 

[Andi82]

Hi there,

I also run into troubles installing Windows 7 on my new ASUS UX31A. The Ultrabook was shipped with Windows 8 and has two USB 3.0 ports (no USB 2.0 port).

I created a UEFI bootable Windows 7 64x USB installation stick. I disabled "Secure Boot" and "Fast Boot" within UEFI. However, the USB stick does not show up within the boot options. In order for the USB stick to show up I have to enable "Launch CSM". Only then I am able to boot from the USB stick and to install Windows 7.

To my understanding, it doesn't make sense to do a UEFI Win 7 installation enabling "Launch CSM", since using this mode there is running some kind of BIOS emulation in the background. I mean, what is the point of using UEFI if BIOS is emulated in the background... As for know, I end up not being able to use important features like Intel Rapid Start, since as far as I know this feature demands for the "Fast Boot" option to be enabled.

Has anyone succeeded in doing a proper UEFI Windows 7 installation WITHOUT enabling "Launch CSM"? If so, what is the procedure I have to follow?

Thanks in advance for any replies!

Edit: I just tried to work around this problem by enabling "Launch CSM" for installation of Windows 7 and by disabling it after the installation. However, the boot sequence gets stuck at the Windows 7 boot screen ("Windows 7 is starting") then. So this workaround doesn't seem to be adequate...

 

[theog]

Has anyone succeeded in doing a proper UEFI Windows 7 installation WITHOUT enabling "Launch CSM"? If so, what is the procedure I have to follow?

You have two options

1) ENABLE CSM, so Windows 7 can install.

2) Leave CSM DISABLED, & still with Windows 8.

Edit: I just tried to work around this problem by enabling "Launch CSM" for installation of Windows 7 and by disabling it after the installation. However, the boot sequence gets stuck at the Windows 7 boot screen ("Windows 7 is starting") then. So this workaround doesn't seem to be adequate...

As you have no USB2 ports, boot the Windows 7 x64 DVD in UEFI mode.

 

[Franklin90]

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?

Hi, did you manage to fix this problem? Or would you keep windows 8 on it if you had the chance?

I actually am trying to install windows 7 on my HP Envy sleekbook 4 but at the step "where do you want to install windows?" I get a message saying "no drives were found. Click load driver to provide a mass storage driver for installation"

If I then try to load a driver, I get the next error: "No signed device drivers were found. Make sure that the installation media contains the correct drivers, and then click OK."

I did all steps including making the USB UEFI bootable with Rufus, later I found out that I can only start the installation with Legacy mode enabled. Maybe this has something to do with the error I get?

 

[theog]

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?

Hi, did you manage to fix this problem? Or would you keep windows 8 on it if you had the chance?

I actually am trying to install windows 7 on my HP Envy sleekbook 4 but at the step "where do you want to install windows?" I get a message saying "no drives were found. Click load driver to provide a mass storage driver for installation"

If I then try to load a driver, I get the next error: "No signed device drivers were found. Make sure that the installation media contains the correct drivers, and then click OK."

I did all steps including making the USB UEFI bootable with Rufus, later I found out that I can only start the installation with Legacy mode enabled. Maybe this has something to do with the error I get?

Welcome to EightForums.

HP ENVY Sleekbook 4-1047tx Product Specifications | HP® Support

Looking at the HP specs, the unit comes with Windows 7.

To reinstall Windows 7 boot the HP Recovery disk.

 

[Franklin90]

Thank you, that's the older version of the HP Envy 4, mine came with pre-installed windows 8 unfortunately
(HP envy 4 1170ed)

 

[theog]

Thank you, that's the older version of the HP Envy 4, mine came with pre-installed windows 8 unfortunately
(HP envy 4 1170ed)

Do you have the version with 32gb IRST acceleration cache?
If yes.

1) Remove the 32gb MSATA.

2) Set the SATA controller in the UEFI/BIOS firmware from IRST to AHCI.


For YES & NO.

3) DISABLE Secure Boot.

4) Set boot mode to Legacy.

5) Install Windows 7 in Legacy mode.




First check for all the Windows 7 drivers for your hardware on HP web site.

 

[adam p]

Hello, thanks for this TUT. I have a problem, after installing windows 7 and then trying to install windows 8 to dual boot from usb recovery for windows 8 I made as per TUT, there is no setup.exe on the thumbstick to install windows 8 now. any workarounds or am i stuck with windows 7 only, thanks.

 

[SIW2]

Did you look in the sources folder?

OEM'S may not all do the same, but it is likely you are expected to install from boot with that thing created from the recovery partition. I am assuming you did this ?

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5132-recovery-drive-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html

 

[theog]

Or did you the Toshiba disks.

How to make Toshiba Recovery disks.

Toshiba How-To: Create System Recovery Media DVDs on a Windows 8 Laptop - YouTube
Toshiba How-To: Understanding Windows 8 system recovery options - YouTube
Creating Recovery Media for Windows 8 - TOSHIBA FORUMS

http://cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/con.../detailed_specs/Satellite_Pro_C640-SP4015.pdf
Toshiba How-To: Create System Recovery Media on a USB Flash Drive - YouTube

Toshiba Satellite Pro C640/C650 with Windows 8, make recovery disc, page 68

http://cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/con...8349/GMAD00253010_SatProC640-C650_10Apr09.pdf

 

[jonnynights]

I'm sort of not downgrading now since I went ahead and deleted all my partions on the HD using another computer. So now I have a HD with 7 on it and a new PC where do I start so I dont het the - The Bios in this system is not fully ACPI compliant. Please contact your system vendor for an updated Bios. 0x00000045 error?
BTW Thank so much for the help guys!!

 

[theog]

I'm sort of not downgrading now since I went ahead and deleted all my partions on the HD using another computer. So now I have a HD with 7 on it and a new PC where do I start so I dont het the - The Bios in this system is not fully ACPI compliant. Please contact your system vendor for an updated Bios. 0x00000045 error?
BTW Thank so much for the help guys!!

Still awaiting a reply in your thread:
http://www.eightforums.com/installa...-7-acer-aspire-axc-603g-uw31-i-need-help.html

 

[jonnynights]

What reply would you like? Nobody has responded with what I need. The tutorial doesn't work for me. I don't have Windows 8 at all on my HD. My Bios doesn't have many options. I'm lost.

 

[Andrew92]

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.

I'm having the same problem, booting using an ISO image on a USB, managed to get through the bios problems to then come up against this exact problem. How did you fix it?

 

[theog]

I'm having the same problem, booting using an ISO image on a USB, managed to get through the bios problems to then come up against this exact problem. How did you fix it?

If Using a USB Pen drive on a PC with a UEFI BIOS.
USB Pen drive need to be formatted 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.

 

[Andrew92]

I'm having the same problem, booting using an ISO image on a USB, managed to get through the bios problems to then come up against this exact problem. How did you fix it?

If Using a USB Pen drive on a PC with a UEFI BIOS.
USB Pen drive need to be formatted 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.

Hi, thanks for this. I have been using (both) 2.0 ports and I was pretty sure I did step 11 last time around but I went and remade my bootable USB this morning and the same message comes up when the windows 7 "install now" button is pressed there is a pause as set up is starting and then this:

 

[theog]

@ Andrew92

1) Using a USB3 port.

2) Bad installer write.

Where do you buy your DVD & Full Retail Windows 7 Product Key from?

 

[Andrew92]

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

All I ant to know is what he did here because it sounds like this is how chris fixed his?

 

[theog]

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

All I ant to know is what he did here because it sounds like this is how chris fixed his?

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

DESKTOP

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.

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.

 

[Andrew92]

Thanks again, like I said I've already done the bios faffing earlier
This final hurdle was also in the bios, I had to disable the AHCI option in the bios (rather than change it to something else like suggested earlier which gave me a problem trying to find it). Once I'd done that and rebooted it worked fine. No more windows 8, Huzzar!!
Thanks for all the help, this tutorial has been fantastic!

 

[outsider]

Hello!

Can someone help me?

I have an interesting problem with my girlfriend's laptop..... (SAMSUNG NP350V5C) She bought it with preinstalled WIN 8 but She doesn't like it.
I thought I can downgrade the OS to WIN 7 without problems...... I was wrong.

I did it with the similar method than You wrote it. But I think I did a big mistake because I didn't KNOW what is uEFI..
I just wondered where is the f..kin BIOS, why cannot open it. All the same.... I moved out the laptop's HDD to my usb mobile rack and with my PC I formatted it. Of course I deleted all partitions. I put back the HDD to the laptop. After this I could open the BIOS but the UEFI is disappeared. I didn't care. I set the secure boot to disabled and the os mode selection to CSM mode. After this I installed the WIN 7 without problem. I was happy till the first auto restart during install. I noticed the next: Since I deleted all the partitions from HDD by an other PC, the laptop has only BIOS without uefi. But not is my real problem.

The real problem is the Win 7 cannot boot automatically. Only if I use boot menu and manually choose the HDD or use boot override from BIOS. (The HDD is set to 1st priority in BIOS boot option.)I tried to re-install 3 times the OS but nothing changes.

Is there problem with BIOS or what???? I hope you can help me. Thank You!