The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Upgrading to Win 8 question

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Colpolite, Nov 13, 2012.

  1. Colpolite

    Colpolite Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    32
    Messages:
    990
    Likes Received:
    11
    Trophy Points:
    31
    My comp came with a windows 7 presintalled OS. If I upgrade and buy windows 8 and I end up not liking it, Could I go back to my original windows 7 legally w/o repurchasing another windows 7 license and using the same windows 7 I had preinstalled?

    In the future in case I want to switch to 8 again, I could just resinstall 8 for free right since I already purchased it on the $14.99 upgrade?
     
    Colpolite, Nov 13, 2012
    #1
  2. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

    Reputations:
    2,681
    Messages:
    5,689
    Likes Received:
    909
    Trophy Points:
    281
    Make system recovery disks with Win 7 and if you don't like Win 8, just restore from the disks.

    If you own a Win 8 license, you own it, you won't have to re-buy it in a year if you want to upgrade again then. Just make sure you don't lose the product key when you purchase the upgrade.
     
    Mitlov, Nov 13, 2012
    #2
  3. Kensic

    Kensic Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    65
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    you computer should have a windows 7 sticker with the cd key. just use that cd key again when u reinstall windows 7


    here is my advice to you, YOU WILL LOVE win 8....ONLY if you're open to change your habbit.

    it will take time (in my case took 1 week) to learn how to find stuff in windows 8.

    what i mean by that is, instead of going here to find stuff around win 7.....you have to go to different place to find the same thing in win 8.

    so don't be deterred to break old habbits. because win 8 overall as an OS runs so much better then win 8. faster smoother.
     
    Kensic, Nov 14, 2012
    #3
  4. JOSEA

    JOSEA NONE

    Reputations:
    4,013
    Messages:
    3,521
    Likes Received:
    170
    Trophy Points:
    131
    OP Mitlov's suggestion is spot on, you could also create a system image to an external hard drive with Free Backup Software: Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Edition - Overview or other imaging program. You will then have the ability to restore individual files or the entire OS (Win 7) Then I would suggest a clean install of Win 8 from the upgrade media. Once you buy the 8 upgrade you can legally install either OS.
    This article may be helpful also Clean Install Windows 8 with Upgrade Media | Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows
     
    JOSEA, Nov 14, 2012
    #4