Replacing Win 8 with Win 7

[Danolo]

My wife has a newer laptop that came with Windows 8 installed. She hates it.

She wants to have Windows 7 instead.

Can Win 7 be installed on this machine?

Will I have to buy a Win 7 license? I have Win 7 licenses on two other computers, can I use those licences?

Thanks

 

[GameBoy27]

Why not upgrade to 10? I hear it's better than 7 which I personally don't have a problem with.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows/windows-10-upgrade

http://www.howtogeek.com/225048/how-to-upgrade-from-windows-7-or-8-to-windows-10-right-now/

http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/windows-10-vs-windows-8-1

 

[SkyRider]

I have Win 7 licenses on two other computers, can I use those licences?

This question was raised and answered on the board previously. I just can't remember the answer but then the answer to-day might be different. I thought there was a way to "transfer" Win 7 to at least one other computer but you need permission from Microsoft.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

If you have a Windows 7 operating system on a disk, you can install it on the notebook.
When it comes time to validate the install, they'll tell you there is a problem because it has already been installed on another pc.
But, they'll give you a 1 -800 phone number to India to call and over the phone there's a 99.999% chance you can validate it over the phone.
Just say you had to reformat the hard drive and re install operating system due to bugs, or viruses.

If I were you I'd do a youtube search on the model of your notebook to see if it's easy to take out and replace the hard drive with a new one.
If it's easy, you buy a say 240 gig ssd from Canada Computers, format it and then install windows 7 from scratch using the installation cd you have.
WIndows 7 install will look at your system and install all the system drivers you need.

 

[SkyRider]

If you have a Windows 7 operating system on a disk,

I tried installing Windows 7 on another desktop and I get a message saying something like "not genuine". So, I can only use that computer unconnected to the Internet.BTW: What happens if you connect to the Internet using a "not genuine" Windows 7?

 

[SkyRider]

If you have a Windows 7 operating system on a disk, you can install it on the notebook.
When it comes time to validate the install, they'll tell you there is a problem because it has already been installed on another pc.
But, they'll give you a 1 -800 phone number to India to call and over the phone there's a 99.999% chance you can validate it over the phone.
Just say you had to reformat the hard drive and re install operating system due to bugs, or viruses.

If I were you I'd do a youtube search on the model of your notebook to see if it's easy to take out and replace the hard drive with a new one.
If it's easy, you buy a say 240 gig ssd from Canada Computers, format it and then install windows 7 from scratch using the installation cd you have.
WIndows 7 install will look at your system and install all the system drivers you need.

So, the end result of this is that you (or me) will have a "genuine" Windows 7 installed on 2 different machines?

 

[Danolo]

Thanks y'all for your help with this.

I think we are going to go with Start 8... this will leave Win8 and give it the "look and feel" of Win 7.

 

[WoodPeckr]

My wife has a newer laptop that came with Windows 8 installed. She hates it.

I'd install Windows 10 which should be available for free.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

So, the end result of this is that you (or me) will have a "genuine" Windows 7 installed on 2 different machines?

Yes, that's true.

 

[bver_hunter]

I upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 8.1. Time is running out for all to update to the 10 Version.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Better to opt for W10 rather than W7

I have W7 that qualified for the free new W10.

Had a choice of doing the upgrade to W10 or downloading W10 to a thumbdrive as a bootable ISO file. This ISO file option lets you do a clean install, which I always preferred, of W10 or any new OS, rather than doing any OS upgrades that may cause conflicts and issues when old corrupted files, etc, are unknowingly carried over to any new OS.

This also allows you to keep W7 on your original HDD . Got a new SSD for W10. SSDs are cheap now. Used the thumbdrive ISO file and W10 installed in 5 minutes, then took 6 minutes to update and tweak/adjust and W10 was good to go on a new separate SSD. We've had this capability of installing Linux OSs off thumbdrives for years. Glad to see M$ is finally following suit.
Always make sure backup files placed on your external drives are clean and you should be OK.

 

[SkyRider]

Always make sure backup files placed on your external drives are clean and you should be OK.

Do you scan ALL your backup files or is a SMALL sample sufficient to ensure they are all clean?

 

[Danolo]

I upgraded to win10 and its great... no problems.. works well.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Do you scan ALL your backup files or is a SMALL sample sufficient to ensure they are all clean?

I scanned them all when using M$.
On the Linux side this is not necessary due to superior Linux security.

 

[WoodPeckr]

I upgraded to win10 and its great... no problems.. works well.

Good to hear.
I liked W7 and W10 seems nice also.
That said Linux IMHO is still better.