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Inspiron 15 (7548) – Windows 7 Downgrade
Hello Dell experts,
I recently got this laptop and really tried hard to make do with Windows 8.1 but gave up. I installed classic shell but that doesn't seem to take me back to Windows 7 which I dearly love.
So I wanted to downgrade to Windows 7 and went looking for drivers at the support page but I was prompted that the drivers are available only for Windows 8.1:
I assume I'm not supposed to give out the service tag of my laptop.
I was wondering if I can use the same Windows 8.1 driver files for Windows 7 OS. Would be great if someone could throw some light on this.
Many thanks for your time in advance.
Here's the configuration for your ready reference:
5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5200U processor
Features a 3MB cache and up to 2.7GHz processor speed with Turbo Boost.
Intel® Core™ i5 processor
Features smart 4-way processing performance with a speed boost.
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology
Delivers extra performance when you need it and increased energy efficiency when you don't. Intel® HD graphics provide extra graphics power for your laptop when you need it.
6GB DDR3L memory
For multitasking power, expandable to 16GB.
Note: Optical drive not included
Compatible with optional external CD/DVD drives (not included).
15.6" LED-backlit high-definition touch-screen display
With TrueLife technology and 1920 x 1080 resolution for clear images.
Intel® Wireless Display-capable
Wirelessly stream entertainment from your laptop to your HDTV* — photos, music, Web videos, Internet TV — whether on the hard drive or online.
1TB hard drive (5400 rpm)
Gives you space to store important files.
Intel® HD Graphics 5500
For crisp visuals. An HDMI output provides flexible connectivity.
Built-in high-definition webcam
Makes it simple to keep in touch by video chatting in 720p resolution.
Multiformat media reader
Supports SD and MMC formats.
2 USB 3.0 ports (1 with PowerShare) and 1 USB 2.0 port
Enable easy data transfer.
Built-in dual-band Intel® 3160ac wireless LAN (802.11ac)
Offers fast, efficient wireless Web connection.
Bluetooth 4.0 interface
Pairs easily with other Bluetooth-enabled devices.
Weighs 4.65 lbs. and measures just 0.78" thin
For easy portability.
Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit operating system preinstalled
Provides a stable platform for word processing, Web navigation, gaming, media storage and more.
Mavevyo
1 Message
3
May 18th, 2015 12:00
I recently purchased a Dell 15 7000 (7548), upgraded the HDD, and decided to install Windows 7 Professional.
It actually went A LOT smoother than I thought. Although Dell doesn't advertise it, almost ALL the Windows 8.1 64-bit drivers on the official Dell Support page are compatible with Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (at least the important ones... I didn't try the optional Dell apps). The only ones that weren't compatible were the Intel Serial IO Driver and the Intel Management Interface Driver (I think). However, even without those drivers installed, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (7548) runs great.
My only gripe is that I can't seem to find any Touchpad driver for this machine (supposedly because Windows 8.1 64-bit has "Mouse & Touchpad" controls built in or something according to Google), so the touchpad can only be controlled by the default Windows 7 Mouse controls through Control Panel (can control the quickness of cursor, double-click speed, etc), but unfortunately the touchpad won't support gestures or adjustable palm guard. Gestures probably won't be a big deal since the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (7548) also has a touchscreen, but the real bummer for me is the palm guard.
Hopefully someone can find out the manufacturer of the touchpad so we can load some generic drivers that will allow the missing touchpad controls (hopefully). Otherwise, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (7548) seems to be fully compatible with Windows 7 Professional.
ejn63
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87.5K Posts
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May 10th, 2015 09:00
The drivers for 8.1 will not work with 7 in many cases - and Dell has no support for Windows 7. Your best bet is to wait a couple of months - Windows 10 will be out as a free upgrade for 8.1 and will take care of most of your complaints against Windows 8.
If you do go with Windows 7, be advised you may be in for hours or days of searching for drivers - which Dell won't support -- and that you will need to purchase a copy of 7 (only Windows 8/8/1 Pro carries free downgrade rights - the standard 8/8.1 that ships with Inspirons does not).
vrijheidsamen
5 Posts
0
May 24th, 2015 12:00
I found a touchpad driver that works well enough for my Inspiron (7548) running Win 7 Pro x64. Just google the following and download.
touchpad_synaptics_14.0.6_w7x64w7x86_a.zip
I installed Win 7 after I installed a Samsung 850 Evo (1TB) SSD drive. ($350 on Amazon). Oh, my, it makes the laptop so fast. Boot times in the 8 second range. Windows Experience rating for the hard drive - 7.9. Highly recommend.
Oh, forgot to mention that one of the Dell Win 8 chipset drivers didn't work for me, but all the other appeared to once I did a large Win 7 update. Two failed before the update, but worked after. The machine runs like a champ now.
evaroo90
1 Message
0
July 7th, 2015 15:00
Do all of your multimedia buttons along the top work? I switched to Windows 7 and everything is working quite well except for all of those functions along the top. What did you have to do to get those working? I have installed all of the drivers from the website that I think I needed, but no luck. I've never encountered anything like this with any other computer. :-/ Any help is appreciated. Thanks guys. :)
vrijheidsamen
5 Posts
0
July 8th, 2015 08:00
EVAR0090 - I checked and they seem to all be working fine. I have to hold the Fn key while using them. I can control volume, movie playback, etc.
I don't think I installed anything special. I wish you luck finding a solution.
ITGuyLevi
1 Message
0
July 16th, 2015 23:00
I didn't think to check the multimedia controls but I know the brightness controls and keyboard backlight controls did not work until after I installed the Intel HD 5500 drivers. I've managed to get everything installed but I'm having two small issues, the driver for USB 3.0 HUB reports that it cannot start the device, and my trackpad doesnt recognize gestures (two fingers to scroll, etc). Anyone had this issue? I'll gladly point people to any drivers I can!