Wdw8 back to Wdw7

[monkey44]

As some who followed M44 blasting the Wdw8 OS for a month or so, and watched him pluck his last hair in misery with the Wdw8 program, and finally found a trash can large enough to throw it in, I got my new Wdw7 OS delivered today. Ahhhhhhhhh 🙂 🙂 Can't wait!

But, have the OS now, what? Do I somehow delete the Wdw8, then load the Wdw7 Disc, and then simply load it up and use it?

Last time I did this with a LT, I bought a new, faster HD, installed it in the Dell LT, then installed Wdw7 on a clean, new HD.

This one has Wdw8 on it - so, do I do something different to get Wdw8 off it, or does the Wdw7 'erase' it and give it to me clean when I launch / install it... thanks

I don't want any tricks, like hide Wdw8 behind a partition, or over-ride Wdw8, or turn it off, or any tech trick that can be monitored by tech folks. I want Wdw8 GONE, GONE, that is NOT HERE, and only Wdw7 on my LT - that's it. Nothing else, no special ideas, not tricks, nothing. Just Wdw8 gone forever, Wdw7 on my new laptop.

Laptop is Toshiba Satellite Intel i5 ... thanks M44

And if it takes 'steps' please list step x step, don't say, "Just load the thigimagin in the ashloole and you'll be fine. That doesn't help - non tech step x step language (words) is great....

[monkey44]

strollin wrote:
On a new computer, I get all the latest updates installed, remove any unwanted bloatware and install all my "must have" programs. Once I have everything set the way I want it, I then make a system image. I periodically make new system images after major OS updates or I've installed additional software.

In addition to making a system image, I also create a boot CD that will allow me to boot the computer and do a restore using the system image I made.

I personally use Acronis but there are a number of good, free drive imaging packages out there such as: DriveImageXML Backup Software

Doing a restore from the mfr supplied restore partition or disks will bring your computer back to the way it was when it left the factory and force you to put in lots of effort to get the system back to the way you want it.

That's basically what I did with my last LT - bought Wdw7 and a new HD, installed only Wdw7 and my programs. Never had a problem with it until the charging connector failed. Major hassle to have that redone, so decided to buy a new LT ... could only find Wdw8, and that's when the fun began. So, will delete/uninstall every thing on this one, and just install the new Wdw7 and my programs again and hope it will act like it should.

I believe all that extra 'free' cr...p we get only interferes with an OS working properly. For me, this is the last time I buy from a 'outlet' - will have it built from scratch and leave out all the junk.

[strollin]

On a new computer, I get all the latest updates installed, remove any unwanted bloatware and install all my "must have" programs. Once I have everything set the way I want it, I then make a system image. I periodically make new system images after major OS updates or I've installed additional software.

In addition to making a system image, I also create a boot CD that will allow me to boot the computer and do a restore using the system image I made.

I personally use Acronis but there are a number of good, free drive imaging packages out there such as: DriveImageXML Backup Software

Doing a restore from the mfr supplied restore partition or disks will bring your computer back to the way it was when it left the factory and force you to put in lots of effort to get the system back to the way you want it.

[burlmart]

dryfly wrote:

burlmart wrote:
someone correct me if I'm off base, but when I reset an '07 gateway xp laptop to factory settings, it took 'hours' of updates to bring the old XP back to 2013 ststus. W7 will require some time since it is at least 4 yrs old.

also, for days after, special timed updates from MS need to occur

we have cox cable hi speed internet

What do you mean by "reset"? Are you referring to the using the restore disks usually furnished by the manufacturer? These take the computer's HD back to the original status when it was purchased.

Yes. A Restore to factory settings rhat used a recovery partition on the HD (no extra disks). I should look into something like what 1492 is saying for the W8 Dell which also had no separate disks.

[dryfly]

1492 wrote:


I also do make a separate full system image backup with all apps, settings, and files are in place, and incrementally update on a regular basis, which for the most part is done automatically.

Good practice! I do the same using Acronis. Saves time on re-install. I even reserve the first 75 GB partition on my HD (which is my data drive) so I can install all OS files in case my SSD goes down. Simply restore drive C: to this reserved partition, make the HD the boot drive in the BIOS, and I'm back up and running within an hour.

[1492]

Which is why I always make my own default restore disks. That is remove all bloatware from a new system. Do a complete OS and security update. Install a basic set of apps - AV, firewall, browser, etc. Then make my restore discs.

I also do make a separate full system image backup with all apps, settings, and files are in place, and incrementally update on a regular basis, which for the most part is done automatically.

[dryfly]

burlmart wrote:
someone correct me if I'm off base, but when I reset an '07 gateway xp laptop to factory settings, it took 'hours' of updates to bring the old XP back to 2013 ststus. W7 will require some time since it is at least 4 yrs old.

also, for days after, special timed updates from MS need to occur

we have cox cable hi speed internet

What do you mean by "reset"? Are you referring to the using the restore disks usually furnished by the manufacturer? These take the computer's HD back to the original status when it was purchased.

[burlmart]

someone correct me if I'm off base, but when I reset an '07 gateway xp laptop to factory settings, it took 'hours' of updates to bring the old XP back to 2013 ststus. W7 will require some time since it is at least 4 yrs old.

also, for days after, special timed updates from MS need to occur

we have cox cable hi speed internet

[strollin]

You have 30 days after install to activate. There are actually ways to extend that 30 days to 120 days: Extend Win 7 Trial from 30 to 120 days

[1492]

I believe you have some time before you need to actually activate Windows 7 through MS, so just need the install key for now. Windows 7 will also want to do an update which could take some time. Best to have a fast net connection.

[1775]

monkey44 wrote:

MNtundraRet wrote:
monkey44:

We have not heard back from you.

Does that mean your latest "Wind-mill" quest (converting back to Windows7) has failed?

I notice your last post/reply was 7/12/13 on a different subject. I hope that's good news.

Mark B.

I got the Win7 install disks, but have been in the boonies camping with no web service - I want to install with web service so if I have a problem, I can use my other LT to ask for help.

We're traveling the next couple days, and when we get to our destination with E and Web service, I will install the '7' disks and hope everything works.

I've tried with '8' and it simply won't do what I want - no matter, no back buttons, sometimes it flashes a photo on the screen, and it takes three clicks to get back where I was - it's also still 'damaging' my Word files. It wants me, forces me, to learn more than I want to learn - I have some pretty simple needs out of a computer, and it wants me to learn all this stuff I don't need in order to do the simple things I do need - Sayonara Win8 ...

Absolutely wait until you have good internet service to connect to. The install is going to want to go to Microsoft to be "Verified" and will not run without that unless you call by phone and get the security code. It is a lot less hassle not calling and using the online validation.

[Bill_Satellite]

Love my Win8. Doesn't force me to do anything except learn to use it, but that was true of my new Samsung phone as well. I used "Classic Shell" for awhile to keep the learning curve to a minimum and then found that 7 was not better, it was just different. I have now uninstalled Classic Shell and use Win 8 as it was designed.
Don't confuse this as criticism as it is not. I could care less what you do or why you do it. If you switch to Apple I would also not care. I am just saying that these are the experiences that I have had.

[monkey44]

MNtundraRet wrote:
monkey44:

We have not heard back from you.

Does that mean your latest "Wind-mill" quest (converting back to Windows7) has failed?

I notice your last post/reply was 7/12/13 on a different subject. I hope that's good news.

Mark B.

I got the Win7 install disks, but have been in the boonies camping with no web service - I want to install with web service so if I have a problem, I can use my other LT to ask for help.

We're traveling the next couple days, and when we get to our destination with E and Web service, I will install the '7' disks and hope everything works.

I've tried with '8' and it simply won't do what I want - no matter, no back buttons, sometimes it flashes a photo on the screen, and it takes three clicks to get back where I was - it's also still 'damaging' my Word files. It wants me, forces me, to learn more than I want to learn - I have some pretty simple needs out of a computer, and it wants me to learn all this stuff I don't need in order to do the simple things I do need - Sayonara Win8 ...

[phranc]

I put win 8 beta on a net book. It just wasn't what I was used to. So when I acquired a new copy of win 7 I chose to install it . It took a couple of tries but it took . Basically used the method that Mitchf150 used . All is now well

[1492]

Installing WIN 7 should be fairly straightforward. As already mentioned, let it create new partitions and do a clean install.