How to Upgrade Windows 7 to Windows - LAPTOP Magazine | Laptop Mag - MiniTool News
Check your version of Windows 8 to see if you qualify for downgrade rights. In order to use the downgrade rights, you'll need to meet a few requirements.
The first of these is that you're running Windows 8 Professional. The computer has to have come with Windows 8 Professional installed out of the box. If you are using any version of Windows 8 besides Professional, you don't qualify for downgrade rights. You'll need an unused Windows 7 retail key to downgrade.
If you upgraded from Windows 8 to Windows 8 Professional, you do not qualify for downgrade rights. There are no downgrade rights for retail versions of Windows 8. If you installed Windows 8 on a computer that used to have Windows 7 or other older version , you do not have downgrade rights.
Obtain a valid Windows 7 Professional product key. Whether or not the key you obtain needs to be unused depends on if you have downgrade rights: If you don't have downgrade rights, you'll need a valid Windows 7 product key that is not currently being used by any other computer. If you upgraded from Windows 7 and are downgrading back to it, you can use your original Windows 7 key.
If you bought a computer with Windows 8, you can purchase Windows 7 keys for fairly cheap from various resellers online.
If you have downgrade rights, you'll need a real Windows 7 Professional product key, but it doesn't have to be a new key. The key can be currently in use by another machine.
It doesn't have to be your own key either. You'll just be using it to get past the activation screen. Ensure that your computer has Windows 7 drivers available.
If you bought the computer with Windows 8 installed, it may not be fully compatible with Windows 7. You'll need to check the drivers for all of your hardware to ensure that it will all work when you downgrade, since Windows 7 drivers may not be available: [2] X Research source If you have a prebuilt computer HP, Dell, Acer, etc. You can usually find the model printed on laptop keyboards, or on a sticker affixed to the bottom or back of the computer. In the "Drivers" or "Downloads" section of the support site, check for Windows 7 compatible drivers.
If there are no Windows 7 drivers available, your hardware may not work correctly after downgrading. If you built your own computer, or have a custom-built computer, you'll need to check each piece of hardware manually.
Go through your list of hardware and visit each one's support site. Check for Windows 7 drivers for the piece of hardware you have from that manufacturer. If Windows 7 drivers aren't available, that piece of hardware may not work when you downgrade.
Make a driver disk optional. If you want to save yourself some time after the downgrade, you can put all of the Windows 7 drivers you'll need on a USB drive and then set it aside until you're finished.
This will allow you to quickly install all of your necessary drivers. The most important driver to include is your network adapter, as this will ensure that you can get online and download any other drivers. Find or make a Windows 7 Professional installation disc. You'll need this disc to downgrade to Windows 7. It doesn't have to be your disc, as any Windows 7 Professional installation disc will work.
If you don't have a disc, you can make one using software available for free from Microsoft: Visit the Microsoft Windows 7 download page and enter the key from the previous step to download the ISO file. Back up all of your important files. Downgrading to Windows 7 is essentially like installing a fresh operating system, which will delete all of the data on your drive. Make sure all of your important files are safely backed up to a USB drive or the cloud before you start the downgrade process.
See Back up a Computer for more detailed instructions on backing up your data efficiently. Part 2. Enable the legacy boot function in the UEFI settings menu. This is required for computers that came with Windows 8 installed, but not for computers that were upgraded to 8 later. Select "Troubleshoot" when your computer reboots, then "Advanced options. Its location will vary by manufacturer. Insert the Windows 7 installation disc or USB drive and reboot.
Boot from the disc or drive. The process for this will vary depending on your computer. Many computers will display a "BOOT" key during startup that will allow you to select a drive to boot from. From here you can select the "Boot" menu and then choose your installation disc or drive.
Start the Windows 7 installation process. Press a key on your keyboard when prompted to begin the Windows 7 installation process. It will take a little while to load the initial setup. Proceed through the Windows 7 installation. Choose your language and region settings in the first few Windows that appear. Select the drive that has Windows 8 installed when prompted.
During the installation process, you'll be prompted to select a drive to install Windows 7 on. Choose the drive that currently has Windows 8 installed on it. Remember, this will delete everything that is currently stored on the drive. Enter the Windows 7 Professional key you found when prompted.
Towards the end of the installation process, you'll be prompted to enter your Windows 7 product key. Enter the key you obtained in the first section. If you have downgrade rights, this key does not have to be an unused key.
Complete the installation and load the desktop. After entering the key, Windows 7 will finish installing and you'll eventually be taken to the desktop. If you are using your downgrade rights, there's a good chance that you'll receive an "Activation Failed" message after Windows loads.
Part 3. Open the Activation window if it doesn't open automatically. Windows 7 will attempt to automatically activate when you load the desktop for the first time and you're connected to the internet. If you used an unused Windows 7 key during installation, activation should happen automatically without issue. Follow the previous steps to check for updates, install all important updates, particularly KB , restart your PC, and then check for KB again.
Depending on your version of Windows, you'll need the following amount of available drive space on your PC to download and install the Windows 8. Note: These amounts are estimates, so you might need slightly more or less available drive space for the update. If you see any of the following Windows Update errors when you try to install the Windows 8.
If you need more help, contact Microsoft support. This error might mean that a file needed by Windows Update is damaged or missing. Here are a few steps you can try to fix the problem:.
Run the Windows 8. If you're running Windows RT 8. For info about how to fix this problem, contact Microsoft support. This error might mean that your PC couldn't connect to the Windows Update servers. If you're using a VPN connection to connect to a work network, disconnect from the network and turn off the VPN software if applicable and then try to install the update again.
The error could also mean there isn't enough free space in the System Reserved partition. You might be able to fix this problem by using third-party software to increase the size of the System Reserved partition. Error: We couldn't complete the updates. Undoing changes. Don't turn off your computer. Error: Failure configuring Windows Updates.
Reverting changes. These are generic errors that might appear any time a Windows update fails. You'll need to determine the specific error code to investigate how to best resolve this problem You can find the error code for the failed update by viewing your update history. Look for KB in the list, note the error code, and then contact Microsoft support. To view your update history:. Open Windows Update by swiping in from the right edge of the screen or, if you're using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen and moving the mouse pointer up , tapping or clicking Settings , tapping or clicking Change PC settings , and then tapping or clicking Update and recovery.
This error might mean that your PC doesn't have the required update KB installed. Check to make sure that all important updates, including KB , are installed on your PC. If all updates are installed, you might need to refresh your PC. To refresh you PC:.
Tap or click Update and recovery , and then tap or click Recovery. Under Refresh your PC without affecting your files , tap or click Get started. Need more help? Join the discussion. Was this information helpful?
Install the Windows Update (KB )
If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings , and then click Change PC settings. Tap or click Update and recovery , and then tap or click Windows Update. In the list of updates, select the update containing KB , and then tap or click Install. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, enter the password or provide confirmation.
Follow the previous steps to check for updates, install all important updates, particularly KB , restart your PC, and then check for KB again. Depending on your version of Windows, you'll need the following amount of available drive space on your PC to download and install the Windows 8. Note: These amounts are estimates, so you might need slightly more or less available drive space for the update.
If you see any of the following Windows Update errors when you try to install the Windows 8. If you need more help, contact Microsoft support. This error might mean that a file needed by Windows Update is damaged or missing. Here are a few steps you can try to fix the problem:. Run the Windows 8.
If you're running Windows RT 8. Windows 10, on the other hand, was compatible with virtually everything Windows 8. Windows 10 will also be supported through , which gives you an extra two full years of support before needing to figure out an alternative solution. If you are somehow still stuck on Windows 8. If you want to download just the Windows 8.
Please plug your AC adaptor to proceed. Step 3 Complete the Windows 8 Installation 3. Welcome to Windows 8! Please run Windows Update first before install the upgrade. This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. This article has been viewed , times. Learn more When downgrading from Windows 8 to Windows 7, there are essentially two different, but similar, paths.
If you have a Windows 8 Professional key, you can download to Windows 7 Professional for free if you meet a few other requirements. Otherwise, you'll need an unused Windows 7 key to downgrade. Regardless of whether you need to get an unused key or not, the general process is the same. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Popular Categories. All Categories. Edit this Article.
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Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Part 1. Check your version of Windows 8 to see if you qualify for downgrade rights. In order to use the downgrade rights, you'll need to meet a few requirements. The first of these is that you're running Windows 8 Professional. The computer has to have come with Windows 8 Professional installed out of the box. For details on how to troubleshoot these errors, see "This free Windows 10 upgrade offer still works. Here's why - and how to get it.
Whether you're looking for a tablet to stream videos or to replace your laptop, here are some compelling options. Before getting started, I recommend a few preliminary tasks that can head off potential problems:. With those preliminaries out of the way, go to the Download Windows 10 webpage and click the Download tool now button.
After the download completes, double-click the executable file to run the Media Creation Tool. That option installs the most recent version of Windows It typically takes about an hour, depending on your hardware. Having an SSD as your system drive is the best way to speed up the process. If you know you'll want to upgrade to Windows 10 on more than one PC, or if you just want more flexibility in the event that the instant upgrade fails, choose the second option and save the installation files to a USB drive or as an ISO file.
The download takes a little time but when it's complete, you can run the Windows Setup program manually to install Windows 10 on any PC running any supported Windows version sorry, this won't work with PCs running Windows Vista or Windows XP. The exact steps depend on which download option you chose:.
Then just follow the prompts to complete the upgrade to Windows
How to change windows 8.1 pro to windows 7 free. Install the Windows 8.1 Update (KB 2919355)
In many cases, even in fresh Windows installations, the Windows Читать статью is not working as expected, or it stuck when checking for updates or it displays several errors продолжение здесь you смотрите подробнее to search for the available updates.
In such cases your system may become slow or unresponsive, because the Windows Update service svchost. The Windows Update service is an essential feature how to change windows 8.1 pro to windows 7 free all Windows versions, because it is needed to provide all the available important and optional updates needed for the proper Windows operation and security.
The Windows Update problems often occur on Windows 7 or Vista based computers and in most cases, нажмите чтобы увидеть больше errors are caused without any how to change windows 8.1 pro to windows 7 free reason and without a permanent solution to по этой ссылке them from Microsoft.
For all these reasons, I decided to write this troubleshooting guide, with the most efficient methods to resolve Windows Update problems on Windows 8. Windows Update office os compatibility free checking for updates forever. Windows Update cannot find new updates.
Windows Update cannot currently check for updates because the service is not running. Windows Update occurred an Unknown error: Code E. Important: 1. Before proceeding to apply the methods below, in order to troubleshoot Window Update problems, make sure that the Date and Time settings are correct on your system.
If this trick fails then set the Windows Update Settings to "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them" and then check for updates again. If you have performed a fresh Windows 7 or Server installation, install Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 or Windows Server R2before you continue. Make sure that your computer is clean from viruses and malware. The Windows Update Store folder commonly known as " SoftwareDistribution " folderis the location where Windows stores the downloaded updates.
So, one of the most efficient solutions to resolve problems with Windows Update, is to recreate /46158.txt SoftwareDistribution folder. To do that:. In run command box, type: services. Right click on Windows Update service and select Stop.
Restart your computer and then try to check for updates. I have seen many times, that Windows Update is checking for updates forever stuck without finding updates, even in fresh Windows 8, 7 or Vista installations. Thankfully, Microsoft has released a security update to resolve the " Installing and searching for updates is slow and CPU utilization is high " issue. To apply the fix:. If Internet Explorer 11 is already how to change windows 8.1 pro to windows 7 free on your system, then skip this step and continue to step 2 below.
Download and install Internet Explorer 11 according to your OS version. Restart your computer. Download — but do not install it yet — the following security update according to your OS version, to нажмите для деталей computer:.
After the download, restart your computer. After the restart, immediately install the security update, otherwise the installation hangs. After the installation, restart your computer. Follow the steps in Method-1 and delete the " SoftwareDistribution " folder. Navigate to Windows Update and check for updates. Then, let it run at-least half to one hour.
If you 're lucky, Windows will find all available updates. But before installing the latest Windows update rollup, first change the way that Windows install updates to " Never check for updates not recommended ".
In run command box, type: wuapp. Proceed and download the latest Windows Update rollup for your system, but don't install it yet. July update rollup for Windows 8.
September update rollup for Windows 8. After restart, then proceed and install the downloaded rollup. Check for updates. Microsoft offered the Windows Update Troubleshooter tool, in order to fix problems with Windows /53293.txt. Click Next and let Windows to try to fix the update problems.
When the repair is ссылка, restart you PC and check for updates again. In the command window, type the following command and press Enter. Wait and do not use your computer until SFC tool checks and fixes the corrupted system files or services. When SFC tool finishes, reboot your computer and check for Updates.
How to change windows 8.1 pro to windows 7 free and save to your desktop the System Update Readiness tool according to your Windows version. Double click to install the downloaded file how to change windows 8.1 pro to windows 7 free. When the installation is completed, restart your computer and try to install Windows Updates. Right click at Windows start button and select Command Prompt Admin. Перейти the operation is completed, you should be informed that the component store corruption was repaired.
Что-то microsoft office 2007 outlook backup free что command prompt window and нажмите для продолжения your computer. From the "wususoffline" folder, double click at UpdateGenerator. That's it! Which method worked for you? Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.
We're looking for part-time or full-time technical writers to join our team! It's about a remote position that qualified tech writers from anywhere in the world can apply. Click here for more details. How toTutotialWindowsWindows 10Windows TutotialWindowsWindows 10Windows How toWindowsWindows Well young man, a big thank you, after a full night trying to find a solution and half an afternoon there I say bravo and respect! I will be able to go to make a nap well deserved, at least I saw myself badly to start again a new night one should award you a medal for the work that you made and the patience to write that.
Darrin March 8, pm. Yep, great help info here. Stanley January 16, pm. I urgently needed to create a test how to change windows 8.1 pro to windows 7 free with the old and new server and test software migrations for the customer. Nothing could be searched through google, I used the independent search engine duckduckgo. Thanks for help! George Нажмите сюда November 17, pm. This article needs to be the top Google result.
After sifting through other results, finally landed here and based on my other research, this is the most complete article describing the potential fixes for Windows Update. Unfortunately, I have a stubborn and apparently unpatchable, Windows Server not R2. All of the steps above have been attempted and I always get a little closer after each step, but then the dreaded "Failure configuring Windows updates. Reverting changes.
Do not turn off your computer. Rinse and repeat. B January 26, am. I did the NET framework latest version just as that seemed the right one to choose so there were I had that were "important" and another 56 optional ones! Thanks по ссылке for a very excellent instruction site! I bookmarked it too as someday I'm going to lose Win 7 again and have to do it all over again! B: Windows 7 ultimate adapter free don't know why this happens.
I suggest to follow the steps in method Tracey Rutledge October 7, am. I truly thank you so much for being able to come to the company to be able to fix computer and not have to go to a rip off computer geek somewhere that doesn't do anything but make things worse. Your email address will not be published. Skip to content Menu. Problems-Symptoms that are solved with this guide: Windows Update is checking for updates forever.
Method 1. Force Windows to re-create the Windows Update Store folder. Method 2. How to change windows 8.1 pro to windows 7 free the KB security Update. Method 3. Install the latest Update Rollup. Method 4. Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter.
