Downgrading from Windows 8.1 to Windows 7

I haven't messed with Win 8 yet, but if I were to do a upgrade or downgrade, I would certainly do a fresh install.

Going from Windows 8.1 to Windows 7 is not a downgrade.

Windows 8 is a bit like DOS 5.... go back to DOS 3.1, and all things work better!

N

I just did it last week. You'll want to change the BIOS to legacy. There are several youtube videos to walk you through the process. The downside is that some components of your laptop may not have Windows 7 drivers.

I had bought a new HP i7 tower with Windows 8.1 pre-loaded. AutoCad and Carlson kept puking out when I tried to run them. Plus I had a few other programs that wouldn't run on it. Finally, the whole look and feel of Windows 8.1 really sucked. I tried it for three weeks.

I finally took out the hard drive and installed a new solid state drive with a new install of Windows 7. The built in Wifi does not have a Windows 7 driver and I bought a USB Wifi adapter. The sound card is working spotty at best, but I don't need sound for 99.5% of the time.

Everything works and the machine starts quick and is super fast. I will wait until Windows 9 or 10.

Gary

Apologies to everyone...

I just don't get it.

On this board I'm possibly committing heresy and risking outright professional suicide for failure to make the obligatory "Windows 8 is bad" statement. But, for whatever reasons I have never experienced any problems with 8 or 8.1. I have a Surface Pro tablet with 8.1, and a Sony laptop which I have upgraded from 7 to 8, and now 8.1.:-S

I use the tablet with SurvPC to run a Leica TCRP1203+. The laptop runs AutoCad 2014 with Carlson Survey 2014.

Sorry if I upset others, but I'm just being honest.

I did not kick the dog, and I like little kittens. Honest, I am not a bad person.:'(

Flame away....

ubenhavin(?)

Apologies to everyone...

I'm with you. I have Windows 8.1 on a Lenovo X1 Carbon. I run AutoCad 2002, Carlson 2006, and every other old program with old plotters and old printers, and have never run into something not working, some require a little bit of tinkering but all things are working smooth and no hiccups after initial install. That is even on a 64-bit machine. The same goes for a Dell Venue Pro tablet I had for a short time. I ran the same programs on it with no troubles.
Windows 8 does have it's downsides, but it does run faster than a Windows 7 machine. All downsides are in the metro interface, which can be bypassed straight to the desktop.

Apologies to everyone...

Sounds like you have gotten a lot of flack for liking Windows 8. ??

Apologies to everyone...Key Drivers

No problems with Windows 8.1 here. The only thing I can't get to work is the 10 year old scanner (replaced for $130 with a much nicer one) and a serial cable ($8 for new.)

I suspect that part of my satisfaction with 8.1 64-bit is the machine I bought with Win8. It is a total screamer. Over-the-top. Win7 probably would have been great on it too.

However, I had similar issues with the GNSS Solutions key in Win 7. I had to go to the USB Key manufacturer's website and update the key software. The instructions are here:

new Safenet Drivers

I had to do same for Win8 on new machine. I think the issue was 64-bit vs. 32-bit, so if you go back, you might want to consider going all the way to Win7 32-bit.

Wonder if something similar might work for Topcon tools? (getting the latest key drivers for the USB key from the USB key manufacturer?)

M

Apologies to everyone...Key Drivers

I had to update using safenet drivers or something similar to use Foresite USB key. But once updated it worked fine on my Win 7 Pro machine. Should also work on a Win 8 model.

Apologies to everyone...

Aloha, I. Ben Havin:
I am running Windows 8.1 on a iMac with Parallels Desktop (virtual PC). No problems.

Apologies to everyone...

> Aloha, I. Ben Havin:
> I am running Windows 8.1 on a iMac with Parallels Desktop (virtual PC). No problems.

Really? virtual PC. I thought they gave up on that years (20 or so) ago.
I might give some of my male body parts to have good old Win XP Pro back. I do NOT like Win 8.1 at all. Far as I'm concerned it belongs on the pad or surface or tablet devices - not a desktop tower machine. I've tried to keep an open mind but it just ain't flying with me.

E

Apologies to everyone...

Aloha, Eric:
There are couple products that I know of that is based on the old Virtual PC. It works!

Apologies to everyone...

> Aloha, Eric:
> There are couple products that I know of that is based on the old Virtual PC. It works!

Aloha ySwami,
The programs I've written over the last 20 or so years depend heavily on the Windows kernel so I doubt they would run in Virtual PC mode.

I do like your signature saying. It reminds me one similar about doing the right thing even when you know no one is looking.
E.

Apologies to everyone...

Not really. Been keeping quite until now.

Apologies to everyone...

I helped an older surveyor friend install ACAD 2004 and Carlson 2006. I expected total failure, and told him as much.

Installed easier than any other time I ever tried.

They ripped the interface off from the popular Xbox, I don't like it. I wonder, though, if it has voice command? A friend says it works perfectly on his new Xbox.