I Hate Windows 8, Want To Install Windows 7.

Yes, I'm one of those so I don't wanna hear it.

Just got my hands on an laptop which has Windows 8.1 installed. Can I install Windows 7? And if I can, how?

I would appreciate any help you guys can offer. I know I should "Google it" but if you can nudge me in the right direction for a "How to install Windows 7 for dummies" I would be grateful.

Thanks.

Does your laptop have a cd drive?

If it does by a copy of windows 7, either a retail copy or digit download and burn it yourself.

Then when you have disc start pc with disc inserted, your pc will prompt you to boot from cd by pressing any key, do this.

When windows 7 installer loads, you should be able to select format disc, then install windows. 7

@Master_Live: Sure. Buy Windows 7 and install it on your computer using the provided instructions. Typically this means just booting off the provided media and following the prompts. You would have to do a clean install because there's no "downgrade" path from Windows 8 to Windows 7.

-Byshop

Thanks to both of you.

Don't do it. Simply install Classic Shell and enjoy the old windows 7 style with the speed of 8.1...

Problem solved!

This. Why would you spend more money buying a Win7 license when the laptop comes with 8.1, where you can put something like Classic Shell or Start8 ($5) and have basically the same OS just faster?

Windows 8 is a huge pain in the ass and has compatibility problems with more programs than I can shake a stick at. I just put it on yesterday and I've had to spend 12+ hours troubleshooting all the various problems it has, as well as it's awful UI.

It's a wee bit faster, sure, but I'd perfectly understand if someone doesn't want to fiddle around with Windows 8 for hours on end just to get a useable OS out of the experience. That classic shell stuff looks great, I think I'm going to have to download it.

LOL....

no

just freaking put classic shell on it and never use the metro menu.... windows 8 is better than windows 7 in every way.

Yup. Windows 8 is easy for barebones users, but for enthusiasts, it can be potentially a huge headache. Had to spend a a couple hours just to figure out how to get Windows 8 from automatically detecting my Onkyo receiver (which isn't a monitor) as a primary monitor. Windows 7 never had that problem. On top of that, Windows 8 constantly likes to default back to the OS color configuration from my correctly calibrated colors. Windows 7 had the same problem but there was a solution for it. Doesn't seem to work here. Since you seem to know so much about Windows 8, want to spot me a solution?

(Tip: There isn't probably a solution, you'd be wasting your time, Windows 8 is a slight mess, likely won't be fixed).

In the mean time, I'm stuck here using an awful version of Corsair Link (controls CPU fans) because it happens to be the only one compatible with Windows 8. gg.

All of this troubleshooting for 2 seconds faster boot time?...Yea, l can understand why people don't want to use Windows 8. I'm going to use it because I like to look forward with optimism, but I'm not going to say it's been smooth sailing so far, any lazy or less tech-knowledgeable people running into the problems I've been running into would be SoL I feel like. All in all though, not a bad OS.

Windows 8 has the same compatibility problems as any new Windows OS has when it's released, but in general a lot less than past Windows.

It amazes me how people have so many problems. I've installed it on my home PC, have it at work, and also on friends and family PCs and apart from the Metro UI (which you can like or dislike), the rest works fine. And there's always ClassicShell or Start8 if the UI is really that hard for people to understand.

Make sure there are Win 7 Drivers for your computer first.

MS fucked up. 8 is the #1 reason for compatibility issues and user problems for calls into my IT department

that must mean it is the same for everyone. it couldnt have anything to do with your environment at all.

dont worry guys. wis3boi cracked the case.

IT department? Are you talking about a department that maintains a domain environment?

If so, what bright spark decided to roll out Windows 8 to a domain? I wouldn't recommend that just yet, companies should be currently settling on Windows 7 with some leftover XP boxes.

Windows 8 and 8.1 must be bad as there giving up on it already next year. i also heard there concentrating on windows 9 and even going back to windows 7 for there main OS. I have tried 8.1 many times on my PC but always go back to windows 7 in the end. much faster for newer games but older games and accessories is not all that good.

Who's they?

And what do you mean by "giving up"?

It is true Win 8 gives a horrible first impression. It did with me. But after a few days I learned to realize I never have to look at the stuff that you likely hate about it. Just stay in classic desktop view. You don't even need to install the classic shell (if you do that you may lose some of the performance gains that Win 8 has over 7), Win 8.1 works wonderfully for me and games perform great.

Most businesses take a long time to switch to a new os just to avoid compatibility problems, they wait until it all gets worked out. Guess your work missed the memo on that one.

I've not seen any noticeable performance loss with Classic Shell. Still very snappy on my desktop.

There are people who are fine using the OS as it comes, but you have to keep in mind there are people like me who like to use expensive speakers with my PC and use correctly calibrated colors - Windows 8 isn't very nice to people who like to get a little extra from their OS. If you don't ask more customization and abilities from your OS, I can see how it's very accommodating. I have run into tons of more specific problems that probably only happen due to compatibility errors with my hardware, I can't fault it for that, but I'm running into lots of problems that tons of people have and can't solve easily.

But hey, if you like to fix what isn't broken - Windows 8 is there for you.

my work isnt the one using win8, it's the hotels and their guests that do at the locations we put the networks on.

But what kind of calls do you get? Is it the typical "Look, I don't know how to use this new menu, how do I connect to the network?".

Nope. Neither ClassicShell or Start8 (which I think is better than ClassicShell), have no impact whatsoever on the OS.

It's the same shit but faster.

Install Classic Shell and disable the charm bar.

Win7 64 works like a dream.

Seems to be better for overclocking too. From what I discovered, Windows 8 doesn't like overclocking very much. I thought it was my imagination but I'm seeing articles to support my theory. My completely tested and stable clocks and voltages weren't working on Windows 8. Furthermore, all the error codes seem to be switched around from what I can tell, so you can't easily tell what's causing the BSOD anymore.

OFF-TOPIC: is anyone's notification thingy not working? Mine shows up as blank so I can't tell if someone has responded to me.

..... considering its compatible runs the same as windows 7 with practically everything, what on earth are you smoking?

TC ... don't be a dumbass, like it or not.... windows 7 only will be like XP in a few years... stop being a little b*tch and deal with change. hell windows 9 is out next year.

Well, not really in a few years. Maybe around 2023:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/lifecycle

(I added 3 more years because MS will probably extend the support like they did with XP)

I meant more along the lines of outdated U.I and features/performance more so than official microsoft support. there is next to no reason to be so stubborn about it.

false I have handful of older games and a few programs that work on 7 that dont work on 8.

True, and you're right people being stubborn, especially when they buy a PC with 8.1 on it. Windows 7 still has a lot of life left though, easily 5 years in the consumer market and probably 8-10 years in the business market.

Have you tried compatibility mode and run as administrator option? Same thing happened with me and Win7 with older games and I had to run them as XP.

lol, most here wouldn't be complaining if they didnt do the typical workarounds and compatibility checks.

Just checking. I think that compatibility function was one of the best things MS ever invented, because it gets you out of trouble most of the time.

I'm curious though, which games and programs don't work with Windows 8?

"Practically everything"...except vital stuff like working CPU Fan software. :roll:

Like I said If you do nothing on your PC except browse the web and play a couple games on a casual setup, I'm sure you'll have no problems.

Dude, it's software.

It happens every time a new MS OS comes out. The company that does that software just needs to bring a new version compatible with Windows 8.

Can't believe people still don't understand this or haven't witnessed it in past releases.

For example, when Win8 was released, a program I use to create panoramic photos didn't work. I tried compatibility mode etc etc, no go. I contacted the company and they looked into it and then released a patch which fixed it. Sure, they should have tested their own software on 8 before it launched but hey, welcome to the world of IT.

@Master_Live: Get a copy of Windows 7 then reboot your PC and go into the bios (typically by hitting DEL when the system starts up). Select Boot from CD/USB (whatever media you have windows 7 on) then follow the instructions to install Windows 7. Installing operating systems is typically painless but if you run into problems then google your laptop model + how to install windows 7.