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[Rollback Windows 8 install to Windows 7?]

Discussion in 'Legacy Windows' started by leushino, 2012/03/17.

  1. 2012/03/17
    leushino

    leushino Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Is there a rollback to Windows 7 if you install Windows 8 to over-write your Win7 OS?
     
  2. 2012/03/17
    lj50 Lifetime Subscription

    lj50 SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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  4. 2012/03/18
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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  5. 2012/03/18
    leushino

    leushino Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I've refrained from installing it myself, but asked for a friend. I had no idea whether or not there would be a means of rolling back but couldn't take the chance to simply test the new OS on my lone machine. Thanks for your answers.
     
  6. 2012/05/03
    tigerbright

    tigerbright Inactive

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    Hi , a safe solution is to replace the current hard disk drive with another and install Windows 8 onto that drive - later if desired you can run the previous version by just physically changing drives
    BTW - Windows 8 installation warns, at least during a clean install, that any hidden partitions maybe also erased during the format process - another good reason in using another disk drive if you use a retail oem computer ie Dell , HP etc and have hidden maintenance / recovery partitions that you wish to preserve
     
  7. 2012/05/03
    JamesD

    JamesD Inactive

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    I've chosen (for me) the safest of all directions: not to install it. And having talked to several that did install it (and hate it), I'm so glad I refrained. This OS is not meant for non-touch systems in spite of what some folks say. I have no intentions of upgrading from Windows 7 which has served me well now ever since it came out. MS is gambling big time on this, particularly with its legacy customers.
     
  8. 2012/05/03
    tigerbright

    tigerbright Inactive

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    Well , I beg to differ regarding Wndows 8 , while fiddly at times it has for me worked flawlessly, including a super quick clean install
     
  9. 2012/05/04
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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  10. 2012/05/04
    JamesD

    JamesD Inactive

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    It's not a case of working flawlessly or installing super quickly. Having watched several Paul Thurrott/Mary Jo Folley netcasts on TWIT and having read many reviews from others, the OS is simply not meant for non-touch screens. I have a Windows Phone so I'm very familiar with the Metro interface. I also have an X-box 360 courtesy of our son who is one of the leading developers of the X-box. With its most recent update, it was also brought under the Metro interface. Using our Kinnect, we can turn the screen into a sort of touch screen without actually having to touch it. And the tiles make sense. But thinking of having to manipulate tiles to get work done, either here at home or at work, does not make much sense to me and I suspect a huge portion of MS's legacy partners are going to rebel. I know for a fact that our company will refuse to upgrade, waiting instead for Windows 9. About all I can say is, MS better get it right by then or they're going to lose a huge portion of their business customers to Apple. And by getting it right I mean, they'll need to figure out a way to serve up a tileless OS for non-touch screens.
     
  11. 2012/05/09
    DesertGuyLV

    DesertGuyLV Inactive

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    It is interesting how many users complain about how Win 8 is structured without even trying it out. You would be surprised how many of those detractors in the videos and blogs have changed their minds after using the OS for a month or so. Unfortunately so few redact what they have said and, of course, the user public blows it all out of proportion.

    Having said that, I enjoy using Win 8 and I have had as my primary OS for about a month and a half. Yes, I followed all the caveats posted by Microsoft.

    I downloaded the ISO on March 1st, burned it to a DVD, and installed it as a dual boot with my Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit set up (first dual boot I've ever attempted). I then uninstalled it and...OOPS...had to fix my boot manager with EasyBCD (learning!). I then went through the whole dual boot process again just to make sure I learned it properly and began to really test the OS.

    I got tired of reloading all my software into 8, so imaged my Win 7 partition, wiped out 8 again, and upgraded 7. Went off without a hitch. I then refreshed the installation to wipe out the last vestiges of 7 and reinstalled all of my software.

    The only downside I have found is that my HP keyboard driver will not reinstall, but I can live without all the extra keys mapped by the software.

    I have found that the mouse gestures needed in lieu of touch are learned quickly. They are 2nd nature to me now. Everyone needs to keep in mind that the Start Screen is just an expanded version of the Start Menu. Judicious use of right-clicks on both Metro and Desktop are very helpful.

    I may never go back to Win 7. :)

    John
     
  12. 2012/05/09
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    I haven't changed my mind. I still hate it as much as I did when I first installed it.

    Now if they would bring back the ability to kill Metro, I'll probably use it (because I can get it for free), but if I had to pay for it, I would be very happy to stick with Windows 7!
     
    IvanH likes this.
  13. 2012/05/09
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    Something simple like Windows Explorer's "Change your view' where you can select between say Detail or Tile views. Same stuff underneath, just a different interface.
     
  14. 2012/05/09
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

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    Yeah I agree. I undersand where Microsoft is going with Windows 8 where they have made one interface for use on multiple devices but I just don't think that is a smart move.

    I tried Windows 8 in a VM and the Metro interface just doesn't seem intuitive for use on regular desktops with a keyboard and mouse. I just can't stand using the Metro UI especially when its full screen and it takes you out of the desktop mode whenever you launch a program. What were they thinking? Why can't Microsoft just make 2 sperate UI editions of Windows 8? Why did Microsoft remove the Start Menu when its been used on every version of Windows since Windows 95? Why are there many invisible UI elements and menus that are almost impossible to find unless you actually know where they are? Why can't I disable the Metro UI? Why are touch features enabled on a desktop PC with no touch capability? Why why why?

    Microsoft should have one edition of Windows 8 with the classic Aero UI thats used in Windows 7 with all of the under the hood enhancements like the new Task Manager and Improved Windows Explorer for use on desktop and labtop computers. Then have the Metro Edition which focuses on the touch elements for use on tablet devices.

    If Microsoft can't do that then we had better be able to disable the Metro UI and all of those touch features on desktop and labtop computers because I definitely do not want my desktop computer to be turned into a touch screen.

    When Windows 8 gets released, if I can't disable the Metro UI in Windows 8 then I will be sticking with Windows 7.
     
    Last edited: 2012/05/09
  15. 2012/05/09
    DesertGuyLV

    DesertGuyLV Inactive

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    Being a person who has used PC's since the days of DOS 1.2 (oops...I'm aging myself :) ) I've dealt with interface changes that had me stymied for a while. Of course, this was back when the average Joe User couldn't play with beta versions. We had to learn when the full-blown OS was sold to us.

    The Start Menu was a bit scary to use in 95...And where was the command line, for god's sake??? It was hidden as we all learned, that is compared to DOS 6.22 and Windows 3.11. I remember when the wrath of the users came down on Microsoft back then for changing everything. The forums on CompuServe, AOL, and the dial-up BBS's were virtually alive with vitriol.

    As we have seen, with every new iteration of Windows users have the same beef...Where's such and such, why did they take away, what is this new application/interface???? I guess I must be in the minority, as I love to tinker with new stuff. I very rarely deride. Instead I find out how things work and make them work for me and in the process help others understand.

    I've been grateful that Microsoft has allowed us average users to play with the beta versions as we see fit since Win 7 RC. That way, at least for myself, I try before buying.

    John
     
  16. 2012/05/09
    JamesD

    JamesD Inactive

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    I think a person can still have an opinion based upon the reviews of experts without running the danger of being told that since I have not opted to download and play with the OS, I therefore should not have an opinion that is valid. I base my opinion on Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley, both of whom are well acquainted with MS and MS products and now with the new OS. In fact, Mr Thurrott is currently writing a book about Windows 8. Most knowledgeable technology experts are in agreement, that this OS will not fly with the business world as it currently is being presented and we've little reason to believe that much will change between now and the final release. I will say that having come back from our son's yesterday after a long weekend, I had an opportunity to experience it first hand and my opinion has only been supported by that hands-on experience. I will not be putting out any money on Windows 8 outside of possibly opting for a tablet device. However, owning an ipad I'm not sure a second tablet would make much sense. I'll opt to wait out Windows 9. I'm sure by then that adjustments will have been made that will appeal to the business world as well as consumers.
     
  17. 2012/07/05
    Rowdy3

    Rowdy3 Inactive

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    All I can say is---- "I wish I had came Here---and READ the comments---Before I "Tried it "... It just will not work on My Old---P-4/XP machine... Thank Goodness--i Copied---everything "Before" I loaded it... Now the CPU---just "recycles "---over and over---and nothing works... Tommrow---I hope the Emergency disc for XP will Load--if not I'm "S O L ".. I have "XP" and "Win 7 "---so No problem to go back.. (( Just the time.)) My "suggestion" is WAIT--- until after the "Trial" is over and the Final is released... Find someone that has it----Play with it.... and then Decide if you want it... Win 7 has been very Stable for me---so I think I'll stick to it.......
     
  18. 2012/07/09
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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  19. 2012/07/09
    fdamp

    fdamp Well-Known Member

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    I stayed with WinXP when W7 first hit the street and it sounds like W8 is too much oriented to touch-screen computers.

    I've worked with computers since before the micro-processor showed up. I could write programs in assembly language for both Singer-Link GP4 and Honeywell DDP series computers that we used in the training simulators at Boeing before real-time scientific FORTRAN came along. It seems hard to imagine a processor that ran at 30Hz (yea, really, except back then, it was c/s, before some metric dork named cycles per second after a rental car company). It was the slowest you could use that the flight crew didn't see things flickering.

    I've had my own desktop (various types) since Windows 3.1, so I'm used to OS changes, but I don't like the chatter about W8.

    Maybe there'll be some fire-sale prices on W7 so I can upgrade both my eMachines desktop and my wife's ASUS netbook from XP to W7.
     
    Last edited: 2012/07/09
  20. 2012/07/09
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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  21. 2012/07/10
    fdamp

    fdamp Well-Known Member

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    At that price, I'll stick with XP. If I can get a DVD for $50 or less, that I can use to put W7 on two computers, I'll probably go for it
     

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