Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7 on my new Optimus IV laptop.

[edwkel]

Hi all,

I just ordered a new laptop and in error ordered it with windows 8 rather than windows 7. I know i am a fool. Is there anything i can do to downgrade to windows 7? I received the laptop yesterday and i am absolutely raging with myself. I have no need or desire to learn Windows 8. I was sure i had ordered windows 7 but when i checked the pdf i had obviously clicked windows 8. I was so looking forward to my new laptop now i dont know what to do with it. I havent registered windows 8 yet.

I am in the ROI so i prob cant send back to PC specialist. Is there anyway i can downgrade it myself? I am raging with myself over this. Please help a foolish man.

Thanks

 

[steaky360]

Hi all,

I just ordered a new laptop and in error ordered it with windows 8 rather than windows 7. I know i am a fool. Is there anything i can do to downgrade to windows 7? I received the laptop yesterday and i am absolutely raging with myself. I have no need or desire to learn Windows 8. I was sure i had ordered windows 7 but when i checked the pdf i had obviously clicked windows 8. I was so looking forward to my new laptop now i dont know what to do with it. I havent registered windows 8 yet.

I am in the ROI so i prob cant send back to PC specialist. Is there anyway i can downgrade it myself? I am raging with myself over this. Please help a foolish man.

Thanks

Not sure, might be best to give PCS a call to ask them. I wouldn't be too hopeful though. Windows 8 isn't too bad!
0844 499 4000
Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm (Saturdays 9am - 1pm)
Call Waiting Times Here: http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/call-waiting/

 

[Grimezy]

To be honest I'd give Windows 8 a try. It really isn't that critical. I personally was ordering my desktop just as 8 was coming out and I'd heard bad things so I didn't bother with it. I had it in mind to upgrade for £15 with microsoft's offer but I haven't done yet. I wouldn't mind giving it a go though, heard pretty good things about it now the initial creases have been ironed out. Might as well stay modern ey? I don't think it's worth sending back over.

 

[vanthus]

What steaky said plus,to install windows 7 as it stands,you would probably need to have a retail version your not using on another computer or buy a retail version.
Not sure if PCS could help or not as the windows 8 OS will be OEM and tied to that computer,but no harm in asking.

 

[edwkel]

What steaky said plus,to install windows 7 as it stands,you would probably need to have a retail version your not using on another computer or buy a retail version.
Not sure if PCS could help or not as the windows 8 OS will be OEM and tied to that computer,but no harm in asking.

Thanks for the replies. I am so annoyed over this.

This is the Operating system i received with the laptop. Genuine Windows 8 Standard Edition 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence (£79

I don't know what to do, I no it's my own fault but I am so disappointed with the laptop now! If I just bought a new version of windows 7 could I uninstall 8 and install 7 glitch free?

Could I use 8 again in the future or sell it on to someone else as I haven't registered it?

 

[vanthus]

You can install windows 8 later after installing windows 7,but as I said the windows 8 dvd will be OEM and tied to your computer.

 

[edwkel]

You can install windows 8 later after installing windows 7,but as I said the windows 8 dvd will be OEM and tied to your computer.

Can you explain what oem and tied to my computer means? Is it basically this copy can only be used with my laptop?

 

[vanthus]

Can you explain what oem and tied to my computer means? Is it basically this copy can only be used with my laptop?

According to the microsoft EULA,I believe that's the case legally.

 

[edwkel]

Is Windows 8 very bad? Is it worth trying out? How does iTunes, google chrome, programmes like AutoCAD, arcGis run on it?

 

[vanthus]

Is Windows 8 very bad? Is it worth trying out? How does iTunes, google chrome, programmes like AutoCAD, arcGis run on it?

According to a lot of reviews windows 8 is really good,you may have some teething problems with drivers but should be able to sort them out.

 

[edwkel]

According to a lot of reviews windows 8 is really good,you may have some teething problems with drivers but should be able to sort them out.

I haven't had a chance to read up on it much. I thought I had ordered seven. A lot of people seem to be saying it is more suitable for touch screen devices? Is it just as suitable for a Optimus IV? Thanks for all the replies. In a bit of a panic over all this!

 

[pobishere]

I don't have Windows 8 - soon will have - but my understanding from watching a few YouTube videos on Windows 8 is that it has two faces: a Windows 7-ish face and the new Metro face. You can flip between the two. Metro has been developed for touch screens but you should be able to use the track pad to swipe up, down and sideways with two fingers. I'm sure you can get around its interface via keys, too. Windows 8 looks to me like a widget/live app hub with shortcuts to apps and other software.

The other face is the Windows 7-looking one. You can modify this screen to bring it to an almost complete Windows 7 look and feel by downloading some software to bring back the Start button and a few other things. I'm not sure, but I think it might be possible to use this interface without ever having to worry about Metro.

But as the others say, downgrading from Windows 8 isn't possible. You'd need to do a complete install of Windows 7.

I'm hoping that I can have Metro on one monitor and its other interface on another. Does anyone know if this is possible?

 

[Skylinefx]

I have installed Windows 8 on my Optimus II and so far I love it. Switching between the Metro and desktop is really fluid and easy, in fact using windows itself becomes much quicker after you get used to it. Uses less RAM and my games run 5-10fps better. I'll connect my laptop to the TV and see if I can have the metro on one screen and the normal desktop on the other.

EDIT: You sort of can. I didn't explore other options and settings, but you can have the 'extend' two monitor mode. I can open the Metro UI on my TV and have the desktop on my laptop, but if I click anything on the laptop screen, Metro UI changes to the ordinary desktop on the TV.

 

[Pagey]

I've been using Win8 for a while now and actually like it, I was a bit unsure at first but it's grown on me. I only use Metro for apps that I use but not all the time, I've also found that the Metro apps themselves can be pretty naff and tbh it's not even worth having any installed, but that's just my opinion. Metro apps should be left for low specced tablets, medium-high power laptops have no need for Metro apps from the store.

Sorry I waffled there, in answer to the question: Keep Windows 8 and try it for a while, you'll like it and it saves you spending more money on Windows 7. In the event of you ever deciding to go back to Windows 7, which tbh wouldn't be an awesome idea, you'd need to do a clean install of Windows 7.

 

[pobishere]

@Skylinefx. Thanks for the info. It's not a big issue if it doesn't work, but I thought it would be nice if that set-up was possible.

@Pagey. It's early days for the Metro apps. I hope they improve, but it might be a couple of years before they reach the same quality and quantity that we expect from Google and Apple.

 

[Pagey]

The thing is with Metro apps is that they're just "dumbed down" versions of their desktop counterparts. Take the Windows Mail app for example: It has considerably less features than the Windows Essentials version, so in my opinion the apps are just extremely simplified bits of software. It's good for newbies, but impractical for people who know their way around a PC.

 

[Jimmm]

I am raging with myself over this. Please help a foolish man.

I agree, you are foolish. If you think win 7 is better than win 8, you surely are!

Please do yourself a favor and see a few benchmarking tests. Windows 8 is way ahead that win 7 is all aspects, after all it's an upgrade! It's okay you have not liked the metro but seriously there is nothing as such in 7 which is better than win 8.

 

[Tom DWC]

I've been using 8 for a few weeks now, you won't have any trouble running programs, pretty much everything that works on 7 will work on 8, much like the Vista to 7 transition.

As Vanthus has said you might have a few teething problems with a few drivers, this is normal. But support for Windows 8 is already very good indeed because the BETA has been available for so long.

In terms of performance it really does outperform 7 noticeably, which is saying something. The jury is still out on "Metro" and honestly you probably won't use it much on a laptop/desktop but you really aren't made to and don't need to.

It is the biggest learning curve for a new Windows OS in a long time but I would at least give it a good go, you might just find you don't need 7 anymore and save the extra cash.