Windows 8 pro 64 bit downgrade rights

[acropolite (Phil)]

I've just bought a new Lenovo laptop with Win8 and want to downgrade to Win7 Pro using downgrade rights.

I haven't been able to find anything coherent information on how to do so, nor am I able to find any info as to how to even make a W8 rescue disk set.

Anyone been through this saga and have some answers??

[Satchmo]

Hi Phil

I would guess that there will be a Lenovo directory on your desktop with software or interface screens to help you with Lenovo related stuff including startup discs ?

As far as rolling back Windows if its any help I run Win7 64 bit on my notebook and Win8 Pro on my desktop. I installed a 3rd party freeware program which gives me a `normal' Win 7 interface desktop. If at any time the touch screen interface appears ( pretty rare) I just hit the Windows start key and I have my normal interface. I haven't found any functional difference in operation between the two versions although there are many refinements in Win 8 that I think are really good. I wouldn't consider rolling back Windows 8 now that I have been using it for a while, I think its simply smarter and when I get my next notebook which will have a touchscreen I am allready familiar with new features in Win 8 .

[acropolite (Phil)]

Mark, can you give me the name of the start utility, I find the Win 8 interface clumsy, inefficient and frustrating, I could persevere with the metro interface but I see absolutely no advantages and a lot of disadvantages. The Lenovo even has a version of launch manager but it's little better than the metro interface.

Unfortunately there's stuff all in the way of information, no backup media options that I've been able to find (yet) and every reference to Lenovo downgrades comes to a dead end. I particularly want some backup media in the event that the HDD fails or I decide to install an SSD drive.

If I'm not wong Lenovo have gone out of their way to discourage downgrade, despite the fact that Win8pro64 machines come with "downgrade rights", I'm going to ring the support number tomorrow and ask some questions.

[Satchmo]

I'll have a look on my desktop tomorrow for you for that program - It certainly does the job and is fully customizable-even if you want a much older looking interface . Yes its a mystery to me that there is no one touch button built into Win8 to get rid of the clunky touch screen desktop if you are not using a touchscreen .

The other tip I can offer is that you have two kinds of login when you start - one is to the Windows always online enviroment that feeds you paid apps and all that stuff ( much like an Android ) - avoid and just use login type that gives you a normal internet connection via your browser.

[AstroJunk (Jonathan)]

http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

The best US$5 you will ever spend

I use it on my desktop machines and it is how win8 should have been. I have a surface pro too, and the whole Win 8 interface begins to make more sense with a touch screen - hopefully 8.1 will fix most of the issues next month (athough there is a great free app called windows 8 cheat keys which is a must for learning how to do things!)

[Barrykgerdes]

I also have Win 8 on a toshiba laptop that I hated and wanted to change it for XP and Win 7. However I found a free interfacing program on the net called classic shell (ivosoft from source forge. Just google "classic shell") that makes windows start and desktop like XP. There are a couple of Win 7 game programs I like that don't have win 8 versions but otherwise it works just like an XP/Win 7 hybrid.

I am no longer going to downgrade and use VMware 8.05 for a virtual computer that can run everything else that a 64 bit computer won't

Barry

[acropolite (Phil)]

I downloaded Classic shell late last night after reading some reviews and have it running, it's cured most of my issues. It's amazing how much difference one simple omission from an operating system can make, as a mate of mine said, "Microsoft possibly just wiped out billions of dollars in corporate training in one OS release"... Dumb move.

Provided I can get my SSAG and Sharpsky focuser running I'll stick with it. I checked on the downgrade rights from the dealer, apparently you need to supply your own W7 disk & Lenovo give you an authorisation code. I might still check that out as it would be good to at least have the option to downgrade.

[2stroke (Jay)]

I would stick with win 8 and use start8, the gui blows and even ms know this. Under the hood its a great os and runs much better then 7 and thats coming from a person who hated it to death.

[Irish stargazer (John)]

I upgraded my Toshiba notebook a few months ago to Win8. I didn't like it at first but quickly got used to it. It boots up blazingly fast and has run without any issues and is more responsive. Combined with a Samsung SSD upgrade the 3 year old laptop is better than brand new.

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by AstroJunk

http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

The best US$5 you will ever spend

I use it on my desktop machines and it is how win8 should have been. I have a surface pro too, and the whole Win 8 interface begins to make more sense with a touch screen - hopefully 8.1 will fix most of the issues next month (athough there is a great free app called windows 8 cheat keys which is a must for learning how to do things!)

I just paid for and loaded this onto my win8 laptop - absolutely worth every penny of the 5 dollars i paid. thanks for recommending this

[GTB_an_Owl (Geoff)]

the Start Button is back in Windows 8.1

geoff

[04Stefan07 (Stefan)]

Originally Posted by GTB_an_Owl

the Start Button is back in Windows 8.1

geoff

It's not what everything thought what it would be which is a shame.

[acropolite (Phil)]

FWIW the Win 8.1 update broke the MP4 video functionality on my laptop, I had to reload W8.0 from the recovery partition. I agree with Stefan, the 8.1 start button isn't what it could have been, as good as useless IMO.

[AstroJunk (Jonathan)]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

I just paid for and loaded this onto my win8 laptop - absolutely worth every penny of the 5 dollars i paid. thanks for recommending this

Quite alright.

I'm using the new start button on my Surface Pro where it does the job just fine in conjunction with the touch screen. The only thing missing is the programs list, but that is just a sweep up from the modern start.

The rest of the classic start menu items are 'right click' start on the new button...

I still prefer Start8 on non touch screens...

[lazjen (Chris)]

For Win 8, I added this: http://www.classicshell.net/

Sorts things out quite nicely.

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

The "downgrade" seems to be only available to the Win8 Pro users.....
Can anyone confirm??

[acropolite (Phil)]

Ken, I believe that to be so, from what I understand, at least in the case of Lenovo, you have to contact the support area and they give a serial to use, I think you need to have a copy of win7 to install from as well.

I persevered with win8; it's OK with Classic Shell and it does boot quickly.

So far I've been able to coax everything in to running but I've wasted more time than I care to.

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

The reason I mentioned that, is I'm finding not all the new computers come with Win8 Pro.......

[noeyedeer (Matt)]

Originally Posted by Merlin66

The reason I mentioned that, is I'm finding not all the new computers come with Win8 Pro.......

you're right .. most come, if not all, with exception to custom built, with windows 8, you have to buy the pro. now Microsoft wants people to buy 8.1 or 8.1 pro at a cost. ..

sounds like windows 3.0-3.1 all over again (yet preinstalled win8 computers suffer)

matt

if I had a windows 8 machine I'd just buy ..or find a version of windows I'd prefer to use. namely xp. setup as a dual boot system so I can choose either xp or vista or whatever if I needed more ram or direct x for games or what not.

[Irish stargazer (John)]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

I just paid for and loaded this onto my win8 laptop - absolutely worth every penny of the 5 dollars i paid. thanks for recommending this

I did the same today with Stardock. Makes a big difference to the user experience while still giving the fast boot up of Win 8.