Quote:
Originally Posted by Vanilla
Windows 8 came with my computer, it blows. I want to go back to Win 7. It makes it so much more difficult to find things.
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If you have a Win 7 disk and product key, you can. Just need to download the drivers for your hardware. I have to do this every time I buy a new laptop for one of our employees, since the new stuff is coming with 8 now.
Unfortunately, most consumer-level laptops come with recovery disks or recovery partitions, which throws a stick in the spokes. Another problem is that system builders like Dell, etc. purchase OEM copies of Windows and put that on their laptops unless you specify otherwise and pay more for a retail copy to be put on. Because of this, it's likely that you will not be able to use your product key from the old laptop on the new laptop, because the OEM version ties to the hardware of your old laptop when you activate it.
HOWEVER. You can still activate an OEM copy on a new computer. You just have to follow this automated activation system when you go to activate on the new computer. I personally have only done this after changing out motherboards with the same model, and although I had to go through the process, I'm not sure if it would be possible when all the hardware components are different, versus just a single piece of hardware that makes up the GUID that Microsoft's activation servers catalog for that activation.
It's technically a breach of licensing compliance if you use your old OEM key on a new computer, so if you're willing to go that route anyway and don't want to buy a retail (or another OEM) version of Windows 7, then you also shouldn't mind just getting an activation crack off the internet, since it's practically the same thing in terms of software usage rights.
Fortunately, Microsoft doesn't go after single home users with court cases or anything. They're too busy auditing corporations that actually have money to sue for.
So. If you don't really mind about breaching your licensing terms, either try to re-activate your old OEM copy on a fresh install using an OEM download of Windows 7, and if that doesn't pan out, just get an activation crack for a full retail version.
Alternately, if you care about being in MS software licensing compliance, just go on Newegg and buy yourself a retail copy of Windows 7, then no matter how many computers you burn through, you will always be able to install your Win 7 on the replacement, no questions asked, and you'll be in compliance.
(Until, of course, 10 years and 3 operating systems later, no one is making drivers for Windows 7 anymore)
HTH