Windows 8 to Windows 7

[philp]

This has probably been asked before, but my search turns up nothing. I want to buy a new HP computer that comes preloaded with Windows 8. I want to install Windows 7 over it. Does anyone know what exactly need to be done? I have found conflicting info on Google searches so I thought I would ask the experts.

 

Thanks in advance.

[ybnrmalatall]

Uhmm, you could build one?

I think some computers are OS locked with windows 8 now lol

Or so I heard :/

If not just get a windows 7 disc and format the drive the OS is on and install it?

and if you are asking how to override a windows 8 locked os, I have NO clue on what you would do other then format the drive and I have NO clue on what would be preventing you from just up and doing that since I haven't bought a computer that wasn't in parts for YEARS

 

 

Possibly give some more detail? 

Or am I just over thinking this? 

 

 

The best bet would be posting the exact model you want and I could do some research for you?

Edited May 20, 2013 by ybnrmalatall

[TriRan]

Not sure how they can lock an os like that when you can always use gparted to completely wipe a hard drive clean os included as far as installing 7 over 8 you can't just downgrade you'll have to boot into the Windows seven disc and format the hard drive to remove the old os then do a fresh install of Windows 7 with a quick Google search of 'how to do a fresh install windows 7' should pull up the steps

[philp]

Thanks for the replies. I really don't care whether Windows 8 lives or dies, I just want Windows 7 on the machine. I've read articles like this and wonder if that's all there is to it: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2417361,00.asp

[TriRan]

Thanks for the replies. I really don't care whether Windows 8 lives or dies, I just want Windows 7 on the machine. I've read articles like this and wonder if that's all there is to it: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2417361,00.asp

you sir have done your homework that's all there is to it

[CA3LE]

Thanks for the replies. I really don't care whether Windows 8 lives or dies, I just want Windows 7 on the machine. I've read articles like this and wonder if that's all there is to it: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2417361,00.asp

 

I feel sorry for anyone stuck on Windows 8.  

 

Yeah, that should work for you.  Windows 8 takes control over the BIOS, one of my biggest beefs with that OS.   ... uh, geeze, leave my BIOS alone! What the hell are you supposed to do if if totally crashes?  What, you have to put windows 8 on first, just to take control of your BIOS? ... then install what you want, what a headache! What are they going to do next, try to run everything off the cloud and take away my ability to store local files?!   (don't laugh, it could happen... even CPU power could be taken out of your control and processed across the net. Devices could get really, really small in return... basically a display with a connection. But we'll lose our computing freedom. If that happens, the powers that be would have too much control in my opinion. Whole different subject.)

 

Once you disable UEFI and enable legacy boot you can then boot up off your install media and install like normally, format your drive and install Win7. If you want the ability to use the recovery partition for windows 8 and go back later... don't format the whole drive, only format the partition that's booting windows 8. In other words, leave the recovery partition.

 

Good luck!  Welcome to TestMy.net by the way!

[ybnrmalatall]

As much as I hate windows 8

I lovvvvvvvvve how much smoother it is (on the real desktop part)

and I love the look 

but I hate that metro ui or modern ui wtf ever they call it

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good luck!  Welcome to TestMy.net by the way!

 

xD!! he looks like he has been here longer then me! haha

more like, welcome back? 

Edited May 20, 2013 by ybnrmalatall

[philp]

Once you disable UEFI and enable legacy boot you can then boot up off your install media and install like normally, format your drive and install Win7. If you want the ability to use the recovery partition for windows 8 and go back later... don't format the whole drive, only format the partition that's booting windows 8. In other words, leave the recovery partition.

 

Good luck!  Welcome to TestMy.net by the way!

 

Thanks for the reply, CA3LE. That's exactly what I want to do.

 

Thanks for the welcome, too, but I have been a registered member for many years. I've just been on a very long hiatus for personal reasons.

[tommie gorman]

I feel sorry for anyone stuck on Windows 8.  

 

Yeah, that should work for you.  Windows 8 takes control over the BIOS, one of my biggest beefs with that OS.   ... uh, geeze, leave my BIOS alone! What the hell are you supposed to do if if totally crashes?  What, you have to put windows 8 on first, just to take control of your BIOS? ... then install what you want, what a headache! What are they going to do next, try to run everything off the cloud and take away my ability to store local files?!   (don't laugh, it could happen... even CPU power could be taken out of your control and processed across the net. Devices could get really, really small in return... basically a display with a connection. But we'll lose our computing freedom. If that happens, the powers that be would have too much control in my opinion. Whole different subject.)

 

Once you disable UEFI and enable legacy boot you can then boot up off your install media and install like normally, format your drive and install Win7. If you want the ability to use the recovery partition for windows 8 and go back later... don't format the whole drive, only format the partition that's booting windows 8. In other words, leave the recovery partition.

 

Good luck!  Welcome to TestMy.net by the way!

Yes the username sounded familar from a way back. Welcome back.

 

I hope they never exert that much control. To me it will ruin the entire experience. Next thing you know a build would not be possible either. Sounds a bit like china to me. Too much control. I have a feeling the RIAA is in there somewhere. Trade group that claims to represent the U.S. recording industry. More like American SS to me.

[CA3LE]

Thanks for the reply, CA3LE. That's exactly what I want to do.

 

Thanks for the welcome, too, but I have been a registered member for many years. I've just been on a very long hiatus for personal reasons.

 

I knew your screen name looked familiar.  Welcome back!   -- Guess I should have clicked your profile, then I would have seen that.

[coknuck]

Partition your hard drive and install W7 on the new partition and dual boot! The first thing I did with this laptop (sometime back) was run Darik's Boot And Nuke and wiped Vista right off this thing when W7 came out. Now I don't even do that. Duel boot is easy to do and faster!

[mudmanc4]

Remember discussing this some time ago, not sure it got too much attention. If i remember correctly this went in front of the US congress as some of the FSF affiliates raised suite against MS.

 

Here is the article on FSF http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/

 

>To respect user freedom and truly protect user security, computer makers must either provide users a way of disabling boot restrictions, or provide a sure-fire way that allows the computer user to install a free software operating system of her choice.<
strong>

Microsoft has announced that if computer makers wish to distribute machines with the Windows 8 compatibility logo, they will have to implement a measure called "Secure Boot." However, it is currently up for grabs whether this technology will live up to its name, or will instead earn the name Restricted Boot.

Please sign our statement to show your support!

When done correctly, "Secure Boot" is designed to protect against malware by preventing computers from loading unauthorized binary programs when booting. In practice, this means that computers implementing it won't boot unauthorized operating systems -- including initially authorized systems that have been modified without being re-approved.

This could be a feature deserving of the name, as long as the user is able to authorize the programs she wants to use, so she can run free software written and modified by herself or people she trusts. However, we are concerned that Microsoft and hardware manufacturers will implement these boot restrictions in a way that will prevent users from booting anything other than Windows. In this case, a better name for the technology might be Restricted Boot, since such a requirement would be a disastrous restriction on computer users and not a security feature at all.

The potential Restricted Boot requirement comes as part of a specification called the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), which defines an interface between computer hardware and the software it runs. It is software that allows your computer to boot, and it is intended to replace the traditional BIOS. Most Lenovo, HP, and Dell computers ship with UEFI, and other manufacturers are not far behind. All Apple computers ship with EFI and components from UEFI. When booting, this software starts a chain which, using a public key cryptography-based authentication protocol, can check your operating system's kernel and other components to make sure they have not been modified in unauthorized ways. If the components fail the check, then the computer won't boot.

The threat is not the UEFI specification itself, but in how computer manufacturers choose to implement the boot restrictions. Depending on a manufacturer's implementation, they could lock users out of their own computers, preventing them from ever booting into or installing a free software operating system.

It is essential that manufacturers get their implementation of UEFI right. To respect user freedom and truly protect user security, they must either provide users a way of disabling the boot restrictions, or provide a sure-fire way that allows the computer user to install a free software operating system of her choice. Computer users must not be required to seek external authorization to exercise their freedoms. Further, he or she must be able to replace the bootloader and firmware altogether. The coreboot project is an example of a free software alternative to proprietary BIOS and bootloaders.

The alternative is frightening and unacceptable: users would have to go through complicated and risky measures to circumvent the restrictions; the popular trend of reviving old hardware with GNU/Linux would come to an end, causing more hardware to be tossed in landfills; and proprietary operating system companies would gain a giant advantage over the free software movement, because of their connections with manufacturers.

We will be monitoring developments in this area closely, and actively campaigning to make sure this important freedom is protected. Our first step is to demonstrate that people value this freedom, and will not purchase or recommend computers that attempt to restrict it.

[philp]

Ok, I tried it last night and got nowhere. I guess I need compatible drivers first? Here are the specs for the machine: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=c03639067&prodSeriesId=5330773

 

Any help is greatly appreciated, as always.

[TriRan]

Ok, I tried it last night and got nowhere. I guess I need compatible drivers first? Here are the specs for the machine: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=c03639067&prodSeriesId=5330773

 

Any help is greatly appreciated, as always.

 

you didn't get past changing the bios settings? 

[philp]

I got past the BIOS changes, but when I tried to install the software, it told me that I could not install it on any of the drives. I clicked the "load drivers" radio button and it tried to search the Internet for drivers, but did not find any. I guess I need to try and find them for each device, download them to the computer and install them when I install Windows 7?

[TriRan]

Have you tried making an empty partition prior to trying to install? Windows installer has always been pretty crappy at tasks like that

[philp]

I have not tried that, but I really am not a big fan of partitions. When I tried installing Windows 7, a window came up and asked me where I wanted to install Windows but no matter which one I selected, it said "Windows can't be installed on drive 0 partition 'x' ". When I click the load drivers button, I get a message about amd ahci compatible raid controller drivers. On AMD's website, the drivers are the same for the 9 series chipsets for 7 or 8 so I really don't know what drivers it wants.

[mudmanc4]

You might try changing AHCI to IDE within the BIOS - or another option. But never change that setting after a successful install, it will render that install useless.

[TriRan]

I have not tried that, but I really am not a big fan of partitions. When I tried installing Windows 7, a window came up and asked me where I wanted to install Windows but no matter which one I selected, it said "Windows can't be installed on drive 0 partition 'x' ". When I click the load drivers button, I get a message about amd ahci compatible raid controller drivers. On AMD's website, the drivers are the same for the 9 series chipsets for 7 or 8 so I really don't know what drivers it wants.

 

typically you want a different partition for each install of windows due to the filesystem structure it puts into place, you will not be able to have a working windows 8 and windows 7 install on the same partition one will overwrite the other

[philp]

I just want to be able to install Windows 7 and get rid of Windows 8. I don't want my computer display to look like an android phone. It appears as if HP has partnered with Microsoft to make my task as difficult as humanly possible. I have looked on the Internet trying to find HP specific instructions and have found nothing I can use. Does anyone have any information?

[mudmanc4]

Outside of a BIOS flash for the specific board number.  Can you open her up and grab that ?

[philp]

Outside of a BIOS flash for the specific board number.  Can you open her up and grab that ?

 

There's a sticker in the middle of the mobo that has "M3970CM" on it.