Downgrading from Windows 8 to Windows 7 on an HP Envy dv6t-7200?

I recently ordered the dv6t-7200 (it hasn't arrived yet) and I assumed that if I didn't like Windows 8, I would just be able to use a Windows 7 64-bit Ultimate license that I have left over from a 3 pack I bought a few years ago.

But I did some searching and I'm reading about how there's some new UEFI BIOS that makes changing the OS difficult. Also HP won't be supplying Windows 7 drivers if your machine came with Windows 8.

Does anyone think I'll have a problem wiping Windows 8, then putting in Windows 7, then finding all the needed drivers for it?

 

You can downgrade to Windows 7 and if you get Win 8 Pro it is supported by Microsoft and HP -- I doubt you got Win 8 Pro though, I don't think it's even an option for the dv6t-7200. You can get by the UEFI BIOS as well. Here's a decent guide for the steps you'll need to take:

Downgrading from Windows 8 to 7: What you need to know | PCWorld

It's not straight forward, but it is possible. You should be able to get the right drivers simply by using those available for the Pavilion dv6-7000 as the hardware has not changed from that machine.

 

You will not have a problem , I did it few days ago on the same model (dv6t - 7200). You just have to make sure that WIN7 installation disk includes SP1 otherwise it will give you an error during instalation. Also you have to change Boot mode to LAGACY in BIOS. As far drivers go ... you can download all of them from HP web site just look up dv6t-7000 model drivers instead, as this is almost the same as dv6t - 7200 and have support for WIN 7 .
Like I said I did it and everything works perfect
Good Luck

 

Do you have to have the Pro version of Windows 8 or does the regular one work?

 

Hello, I'm having some trouble identifying the correct windows 7 64bit drivers for the exact model dv6t 7200. The 7000 model drivers do not seem to fit. Do you have or can you list the drivers and their model or type so I can confirm.

See my device mgr list with missing drivers.



Thank you.

 

I consider buying HP Envy dv6-7200ea (which seems to be the European version of this laptop) and I would naturally like to be able to install Windows 7 as well over the Windows 8 that come preinstalled with it (I plan to use the laptop as an audio/music production workstation and Windows 8 got a terrible reputation for that use).

1. Is it confirmed that all it takes is simply changing Boot mode in Bios to Legacy? Will it be okay if I install Windows 7 in the same disk that came with the laptop or do I have to use another? I am a bit concerned with all this new “Serial number is written in Bios” thing and I am afraid I won’t be able to use Windows 7 even if I manage to install it.

2. Then there’s the drivers thing… SpinalTarp and sonofigoo were you able to locate all the right ones and use your laptop without BSOD or other driver related problems? Is using Pavilion dv6-7000/ dv6t-7000 drivers enough? Or where could I find the right ones?

3. What do you think of the laptop in general? Would you recommend it? What about heat/noise? As I’ve said, I intend to use it for music production so it’s important to be as quiet as possible. Also there's another thing troubling us musicians known as DC Latency. It is possible that even a great laptop suffers from DPC Latency problems making it virtually useless for music production applications. If anyone who has purchased the laptop in question could do a little test for me by downloading and running DPC Latency Checker for a minute or so and post the results I would be more than grateful.

DPC Latency Checker

The program is completely safe (you can check it out online in case you are worried) and you don't even need to install it, just running it once would do.

I tried to do the test myself by asking the shop owner if it'd be possible to take the tool in a usb drive and run it in the shop before I purchase it (as it is advised to do) but he denied.
Thanks a lot for your time.

 

Hello Aeropuzzle,

I searched the HP site for Win7 drivers that would work with the Envy dv6 7200 and did not find any except for Pavilion dv6 7000. However, those drivers would not work as noted before. I resorted to ordering the recovery CD ($18) which should arrive about May 1, 2013. I don't mind trying to install the DPC Latency checker but will have to see if it works on Win 8 64bit and then post the results.

Although a moot point, as far as trying to install Win 7 I did enable Legacy mode in the BIOS plus disabled a security setting to prevent tampering or changing the existing OS. It was one or two config choices near Legacy setting in BIOS. Again, no luck with Win 7 that I found.

 

Thanks for the reply sonofigoo

Yeah well, even though there are some reports online that *it should/would* work with the dv6 7000 drivers I have yet to find a definitive statement from an Envy dv6 7200 owner who has managed to successfully make it work with Windows 7, being in the position to provide the proper drivers.

On the contrary, your case seems rather discouraging. I am really annoyed by vendors lobbying with Microsoft trying to force an OS on you (I won't even get to the aesthetic/useability/"start button"/metro etc. argument, Windows 8 are notorious for causing problems in Music Production: Problems with Asio Drivers, DAWS, DPC Latency, you name it...) and HP has been saying "If you install anything else, you are on your own, customer" in an indifferent manner, louder and clearer than anyone else so if they have to be like that, I begin to think that I should maybe look elsewhere and save me the trouble in the first place.

And charging you an additional fee for the recovery disk? Do you know whether that could be avoided if you had made one yourself beforehand or once you try to install anything other than the pre-installed Windows 8 you lose your serial number (which you don't even have access to as it's embedded in Bios...... ) and you have to pay again in order to reinstall Windows 8?

As for DPC Latency Checker, yeah I saw other people testing laptops in here, in other threads with it, so it seems I will have no trouble getting others to try it, as I've said installation isn't even necessary.

By the way, anyone knows why am I not able to PM other users? Should I reach a certain number of posts before that or something?

 

Think I might have your SOLUTION. I had a HP Envy DV6-7214nr with Windows 8 and I installed an OEM copy of Windows 7 64-bit. HP only gave me the option to download Windows 8 drivers. However, I found an almost identical machine DV6-7014nr that natively ran Windows 7 64-bit. So I used those drivers and they all worked. I did a quick search for you and I think the DV6t-7000 CTO Quad Edition Notebook looks identical to the 7200, but it runs Windows 7. The website for these drivers can be found at:

Software & Driver Downloads HP Pavilion dv6t-7000 CTO Quad Edition Entertainment Notebook PC | HP® Support

Important. After a clean install of Windows 7, even my network drivers wouldn't work, nor USB nor wifi, so the only way to get the network drivers onto the computer was to burn them to a DVD. My advice is to download every one of the drivers from HP's website (they are files with names like sp63014.exe) and burn them to a DVD - about 4-6GB needed. Then keep that DVD with your Windows 7 disk. Once you've burned all the drivers to the DVD, you can run them from the DVD drive. Hope this works dot you. Like I say, it worked for me with a slightly different machine.

 

Well I do not have exactly the same computer as you, but I did roll back to Windows 7 Ultimate on a Spectre 14t-3200CTO which good old HP only has the Win 8 drivers for. I used all the Windows 7 drivers from the 14t-3100 (which was the same hardware (ivy bridge intel 4000 graphics, HM76 Sries 7 chipset)) as the 14t-3200. However, HP in their infinite wisdom did not put the chipset and Intel RST drivers in the 14t-3100 driver section. I could not use the drivers for the 14t-3000 because those use the sandy bridge, HM65 chipset, and intel 3000 graphics) So all I did was use the drivers for the Envy 17t-3200 on the HP site (I am sure the 15t-3200 drvers would have worked also) for Win 7 which uses the same hardware (ivy bridge, HM76 chipset, Intel RST) and everything is working perfectly and everything shows up correctly in Device Manager. Here is the thread I posted (which nobody replied to):

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-...-back-windows-7-envy-spectre-14t-3200cto.html

Also, in your device manager, your simple pci communicaitons controller is the Intel Management Engine Interface driver...look on the HP site for that. Also, one of your unknown devices is the Intel Smart Connect Technology driver. Cannot help you with the others.