Put Windows7 on a brand new Windows 8 desktop?

[Annie Woughman]

We are probably going to need a new computer soon, however, I tried out the
new Windows 8 on a spare laptop and have no interest in trying to run a
desktop with Windows 8. Since that seems to be the only option out there
right now, is it possible to install an older version of Windows over a new
one? I have done complete system restores before, but that was with disks
that either came with the computer or ones that I made shortly after buying
it. We have an unused copy of a Windows 7 upgrade, but have no idea if it
would work on a Windows 8 machine. If this is possible, could someone tell
me just how to do this?

 

[Johnny]

We are probably going to need a new computer soon, however, I tried out
the new Windows 8 on a spare laptop and have no interest in trying to
run a desktop with Windows 8. Since that seems to be the only option
out there right now, is it possible to install an older version of
Windows over a new one? I have done complete system restores before,
but that was with disks that either came with the computer or ones that
I made shortly after buying it. We have an unused copy of a Windows 7
upgrade, but have no idea if it would work on a Windows 8 machine. If
this is possible, could someone tell me just how to do this?

Here is a good article on downgrading to Windows 7 on a new computer.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2015107/downgrading-from-windows-8-to-7-what-you-need-to-know.html

This one sentence would make me think hard about doing it on a new computer.

"HP, for example, warns that it hasn't tested all of its Windows 8
hardware with Windows 7. So the company says there's no guarantee you'll
be able to download the drivers you need to run your Windows 7 system
properly."

The article also tells you that you can still buy a new computer with
Windows 7 installed.

 

[philo]

We are probably going to need a new computer soon, however, I tried out
the new Windows 8 on a spare laptop and have no interest in trying to
run a desktop with Windows 8. Since that seems to be the only option
out there right now, is it possible to install an older version of
Windows over a new one? I have done complete system restores before,
but that was with disks that either came with the computer or ones that
I made shortly after buying it. We have an unused copy of a Windows 7
upgrade, but have no idea if it would work on a Windows 8 machine. If
this is possible, could someone tell me just how to do this?

Win7 upgrade is made for upgrading XP or Vista not to downgrade Win8.
There are hacks, I am sure, but it would be a waste of time.

Just use an application such as

http://www.wccs.biz/front1.jpg

and it will essentially make Win8 look like win7

Other than the Metro GUI, Win7 and Win8 are essentially the same
operating system.

 

[Roy Smith]

Win7 upgrade is made for upgrading XP or Vista not to downgrade Win8.
There are hacks, I am sure, but it would be a waste of time.

Just use an application such as

http://www.wccs.biz/front1.jpg

and it will essentially make Win8 look like win7

Other than the Metro GUI, Win7 and Win8 are essentially the same
operating system.

I agree, also there is Classic Start Menu which is free and available at
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/.


--

Roy Smith
Windows 8 64-Bit
Thunderbird 17.0.3
Thursday, March 14, 2013 3:27:23 PM

 

[philo]

I agree, also there is Classic Start Menu which is free and available at
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/.

Thank you...I had posted the wrong link.

I had posted that to another group as kind of a joke...

 

[Dominique]

philo  <philo@privcy.not> écrivait

Other than the Metro GUI, Win7 and Win8 are essentially the same
operating system.

FWIW, Win8 is more stable on my own built i3 system on an ASUS MB (P8B75-
V).

When I built it, I installed Win7 x64 8GB RAM and there were random freeze.
When Win8 came out, I've bought an upgrade disk and I UPGRADED the Win7
installation. Since then, this machine is stable as a rock.

I've added a gamer video card (PCIe 16x) and double the memory to 16GB,
still no trouble.

 

[Paul]

philo <philo@privcy.not> écrivait


FWIW, Win8 is more stable on my own built i3 system on an ASUS MB (P8B75-
V).

When I built it, I installed Win7 x64 8GB RAM and there were random freeze.
When Win8 came out, I've bought an upgrade disk and I UPGRADED the Win7
installation. Since then, this machine is stable as a rock.

I've added a gamer video card (PCIe 16x) and double the memory to 16GB,
still no trouble.

Have you tried memtest86+ ?

http://www.memtest.org

Have you tested with Prime95 ?

http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft

There is a version of Prime95 now, for 64 bit situations.
And it makes a good Windows-level memory tester.

(When Prime95 says "Join GIMPS?", you can answer "Just Testing"
and use the test function of the program, as a means of vetting
your new DRAM. I used Prime95 recently, after bumping up the
RAM on this desktop.)

For memtest86+, I recommend "one complete pass" as enough testing.
For Prime95, the test interval required will be a function
of the amount of memory. If you had an extremely large
memory, you might want a longer test interval than just
overnight. A test thread on Prime95, stops and "turns red"
on the first error it sees.

Windows 7 and Windows 8 should have equal stability as OSes go.
Windows 8 does memory management differently than Windows 7,
which could account for apparent differences in behavior,
when the RAM is physically bad. Stability testing is still
required, when you buy new hardware... Just in case.

Paul

 

[Ashton Crusher]

We are probably going to need a new computer soon, however, I tried out the
new Windows 8 on a spare laptop and have no interest in trying to run a
desktop with Windows 8. Since that seems to be the only option out there
right now, is it possible to install an older version of Windows over a new
one? I have done complete system restores before, but that was with disks
that either came with the computer or ones that I made shortly after buying
it. We have an unused copy of a Windows 7 upgrade, but have no idea if it
would work on a Windows 8 machine. If this is possible, could someone tell
me just how to do this?

Just pay another $5 for "Start8" and you'll be all set. Win8 can be
made to look and feel just like Win7 but it has a few improvements
behind the scenes. OTOH, the real Win7 is much nicer looking.

 

[Dominique]

Have you tried memtest86+ ?

http://www.memtest.org

Have you tested with Prime95 ?

http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft

There is a version of Prime95 now, for 64 bit situations.
And it makes a good Windows-level memory tester.

(When Prime95 says "Join GIMPS?", you can answer "Just Testing"
and use the test function of the program, as a means of vetting
your new DRAM. I used Prime95 recently, after bumping up the
RAM on this desktop.)

For memtest86+, I recommend "one complete pass" as enough testing.
For Prime95, the test interval required will be a function
of the amount of memory. If you had an extremely large
memory, you might want a longer test interval than just
overnight. A test thread on Prime95, stops and "turns red"
on the first error it sees.

Windows 7 and Windows 8 should have equal stability as OSes go.
Windows 8 does memory management differently than Windows 7,
which could account for apparent differences in behavior,
when the RAM is physically bad. Stability testing is still
required, when you buy new hardware... Just in case.

Paul

I haven't tried Prime95, I will give it a go.

Thanks for the info.

BTW, I will keep Win8 on this machine.

 

[...winston]

"Annie Woughman" wrote in message We are probably going to need a new computer soon, however, I tried out the
new Windows 8 on a spare laptop and have no interest in trying to run a
desktop with Windows 8. Since that seems to be the only option out there
right now, is it possible to install an older version of Windows over a new
one? I have done complete system restores before, but that was with disks
that either came with the computer or ones that I made shortly after buying
it. We have an unused copy of a Windows 7 upgrade, but have no idea if it
would work on a Windows 8 machine. If this is possible, could someone tell
me just how to do this?
Probably not a good idea.

1. Windows 7 Upgrade is intended (licensed) to be used to upgrade from XP or Vista.
2. Only Windows 8 Pro confers downgrade rights to Windows 7 Pro. It's also incumbent upon the end-user to provide the full (not
upgrade) version of Windows 7 Pro.
3. Downgrading a new pc (especially an OEM) may nullify your ability to obtain support from the pc manufacturer
4. In order to facilitate a downgrade it would be necessary (before doing anything) to ensure that drivers are available for the
purchased Win8 hardware (chipset, video, graphics, wifi, lan, etc.)

It would be better to learn Win8 and take advantage of the some of the third party applications that provide the ability to modify
(but not completely) Win8 to appear like Windows 7.

 

[Annie Woughman]

Well, none of this sounds too promising. I just hope the desktop
(originally an XP machine, upgraded to Vista and then to Win7) holds out
until Microsoft goes to its next version of Windows. I really didn't like
Windows 8--even with an added on start menu program. Thanks for the info

 

[philo]

Well, none of this sounds too promising. I just hope the desktop
(originally an XP machine, upgraded to Vista and then to Win7) holds out
until Microsoft goes to its next version of Windows. I really didn't
like Windows 8--even with an added on start menu program. Thanks for
the info

That makes no sense.
Once you use a utility such as Classic Shell, Win8 is essentially
identical to Win7. If anything, it will have better performance.
If you don't like Win8, chances are you will like Microsoft's next
version even less.

 

[Johnny]

That makes no sense.
Once you use a utility such as Classic Shell, Win8 is essentially
identical to Win7. If anything, it will have better performance.
If you don't like Win8, chances are you will like Microsoft's next
version even less.

I'm sure Microsoft is aware of the negative reaction to Windows 8. Why
would they make the next version less appealing"

Microsoft has to know that most people like an operating system like XP
or Windows 7. The company I worked for recently, one of the biggest in
the world, is still running XP.

 

[Paul]

I'm sure Microsoft is aware of the negative reaction to Windows 8. Why
would they make the next version less appealing"

Microsoft has to know that most people like an operating system like XP
or Windows 7. The company I worked for recently, one of the biggest in
the world, is still running XP.

It's how you'll pay for it, that will change. Effectively, the new
model amounts to "no free Service Packs". You'll be paying yearly.
Kinda like paying for Unix licenses, many eons ago.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/28/3693368/windows-blue-update-low-cost

Microsoft doesn't care about the negative reaction. What they do
care about, is feedback from large business customers, where
sales to them involve significant chunks of change. But for individual
sheep, they're to be sheared one at a time.

Adobe is switching to a subscription model as well. There's got
to be some kind of incentive to do it, because we all know
what Adobe charges for perpetual licenses for its existing
products (i.e. $$$). And that should tell you, in the long term, the
subscription model is intended to "extract more milk from the cow".

(Sorry for so many farming analogies... )

Microsoft will also have to "push" their App Store. (Shaving a
percentage off every application software sale, is all part of
the overall "bright future" for Microsoft. That's what the App
Store is for, a way to shave the developers for a percentage.)
What this will mean for the utility of their OS offering in 2014,
is hard to tell. It could well be, that my Win8 license, is
the last money I'll be sending to Redmond. I haven't been to the
App Store, yet.

Paul

 

[philo]

I'm sure Microsoft is aware of the negative reaction to Windows 8. Why
would they make the next version less appealing"

Microsoft has to know that most people like an operating system like XP
or Windows 7. The company I worked for recently, one of the biggest in
the world, is still running XP.

Microsoft will do whatever it takes to make them the most money

 

[Bert]

Microsoft will do whatever it takes to make them the most money

Microsoft has released numerous products over its lifetime which were
major dogs and disappeared from the market with little notice.

 

[Nil]

Microsoft has released numerous products over its lifetime which were
major dogs and disappeared from the market with little notice.

"Bob".

'Nuff said.

 

[Rob]

Microsoft will do whatever it takes to make them the most money

Yes, just like all companies do.
Once again, Microsoft are following the Apple model.

Shame, because the Apple model already stinks to high heaven.

They are all in it together and soon we will no longer even be
able to install applications locally - all software will only
function online and be rented from the cloud on a pay-as-you-go
basis.
Anyone refusing to submit will have to use outdated software,
which will become more and more vulnerable to malware, as no
security updates will be made.
Operating systems will no longer be an issue though, as the
user will have no access to them. None at all.
Welcome to the future.

 

[philo]

And your wallet will have less money.

There are plenty of similar but free alternatives

I liked XP. I didn't like Vista. I like 7. I'm not into tablets or
smartphones and, if I were, it would be Android, not Windows 8. If
Windows 9 is like 8, I will go with Linux all the way.

Yep I've been using Linux since the year 2000 and it became my main OS
about 3 or 4 years ago

 

[GreyCloud]

There are plenty of similar but free alternatives

Yep I've been using Linux since the year 2000 and it became my main OS
about 3 or 4 years ago

Hehe.. but chrisv doesn't believe you or any of the rest of us that do
use linux. )