Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Popular Categories. All Categories. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. 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. 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.
Downgrade rights are intended for businesses. When buying new computers, businesses purchase computers that come preloaded with Windows 8 licenses and install a previous version of Windows without buying separate licenses. If you have a new computer that came with Windows 8 Professional and are itching to get Windows 7 Pro on it, there are a few things you should do first:.
Downgrade rights are intended for businesses, who will likely have a disc and key on hand. Install Windows 7 Professional as you normally would, providing the legitimate Windows 7 Pro key during the installation process. After Windows 7 finishes installing, the online activation will fail because your product key is already in use. Enter that activation code into the window and your Windows 7 Professional installation will be activated.
To downgrade multiple computers, you can use the same installation disc and Windows 7 product key. From requiring a preinstalled copy of Windows 8 Pro to leaving you on your own when finding Windows 7 installation media, this process is filled with traps for individual users.
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Best Ultrawide Monitors. Contact the local activation support to get a single-use code if the software was activated previously. Windows 8, even Windows 10, has no native DVD support. Free Download the DVD ripper program and open it up. Step 3. Go to Output Profile and choose your desired video format, e. Still have problem about how to degrade Windows 8 to Windows 7? Estrella H. And now she's been dived into data backup and management to keep data safe on mobile devices in the recent three years.
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This article is about exercising downgrade rights on a computer that comes with Windows 8 Pro. Downgrading to Windows 7 is simpler in other windiws. Downgrade rights are intended for businesses. When buying new proessional, businesses purchase computers that come preloaded with Windows 8 licenses and install a previous version of Windows without buying separate licenses. If you have a new computer that came with Windows 8 Professional and are itching to get Windows 7 Pro on it, there are a few things you should do first:.
Downgrade rights are intended for businesses, who will likely have a disc and key on hand. Install Windows 7 Professional as you normally would, providing the legitimate Windows 7 Pro key during the installation process. After Windows 7 finishes installing, the online activation will fail because your product key is already in use.
Enter that activation code into the window and your Windows 7 Professional installation will be activated.
To downgrade multiple computers, you can use the same installation disc and Windows 7 product key. From requiring a preinstalled copy of Windows 8 Pro to leaving you on your own when finding Windows 7 installation media, this process is filled with traps for individual users.
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