New Laptop.... Windows 8 downgrade to 7 or just Return unopened package.....

Hi Billyboy03z,

Downgrade to Windows 7 is not possible if your system comes pre-installed with Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro. This is a new operating system and like all new things, might take some time to get popular. Your system has been configured and tested with Windows 8 and you should not face any issues.Even if you have any issues or queries, you will get full support from Dell to resolve it.

You can check the system configuration and make sure the version of Windows you will be getting with the system. Please open the link below and type in the order number to check the system details.

http://dell.to/Rms2EB

The same system is also available with Windows 7, depending on your location. So, if you still feel you will be better off with Windows 7 you can make arrangements to return the system and get one with Windows 7. However, in my opinion it is better to use Windows 8, as it is the latest operating system with new features and would soon replace the older operating systems.

You can also check the link below for help in setting up Windows 8

http://dell.to/X6pigo

Let me know your decision for further help.

Give Win 8 a chance. Initially, you can do everything using the Desktop side of the OS, which is basically Win 7 with a few changed features. If you don't like the lack of the Start Orb and the Side Bar, there are apps that will get them back for you. You can also get it to boot directly to the Win 7 side.

thank you for your replies....   but after much research and reading concerning the windows 8 OS  I have decided that I will return the unopened system I purchased.   If I can somehow arrange an exchange with dell for the exact same system with Windows 7 installed I will be more than happy to do this..   but I absolutely do not want Windows 8....

Just received our first Windows 8 Dell PC.... It is terrible, god knows what MS were thinking!  Trying to get a downgrade to Windows 7.

It's not just me  there are a lot of reviews out there and they are mostly on the button. A PC is not a Tablet and someone at MS should of thought of that before rolling out this crp.

I agree....  your type of Review is one of the many hundreds reviews that I have read through....     this laptop is going back unless I can get a downgrade or an exchange for a same spec Win 7 laptop...

I just got an XPS8500 with windows 8. It runs very good. I just don't like that is not compatible with some apps. An example is "Air Display": this app lets you use your ipad as a second monitor and control the PC, this is excellent for me because my plan for this PC was to connect it to my big TV so is the media computer for the house; I was thinking using the ipad as a mouse and keyboard, yes I know is not very comfortable typing on the ipad but I just want to be able to select programs and execute a few commands to get to my media content.

Any way, Windows 8 works very good, at first it was really confusing, about 2 days, but know I know where everything is and how to change. I do have to say that I didn't go through windows vista or windows 7, my knowledge is from Windows XP.

The performance of the machine is outstanding. My dilemma is if I can downgrade to windows 7 and get the compatibility back or wait until windows 8 matures.

Although I have not yet tried this with Win 8, it was very successful for installing OLD programs in Vista and Win 7. Go to the Properties of the program you wish to install and select the Compatibility tab. In the drop down box, check the box for running in compatibility mode and select an older Windows version; try Win 7 and go back further if it doesn't work. Install the program. If it installs OK, then go to the program icon and again set the Compatibility mode in Properties. Then try to run the program. I never had any older program fail to work using this technique.

Yes,  Win 8 is bad.

My DELL came with a pre-installed VISTA.   Since it was not stabil enough, I just bought WINDOWS 8 , deleted the VISTA by overwriting it with WINDOWS 8.  Big Mistake. 

WINDOWS 8  is so slow, it reminds me to the old days with a telephone-Modem-Internet-connection.  120 MB to download took me with Win 8 more than 6 hours.  So I went to bed.  Next morning, 120 MB were on my computer. LOL !

Now I wish to eliminate Windows 8 and get my newly bought Windows 7 ISO (with valid key)  installed.  But Win 8 I cannot de-install.  Any advice? 

I tried to bring the newly created partition with Win 7 into the hard drive position C: But Win 8 does not allow that.   Do I have to throw away my DELL now?

I wished that Windows8 would never come pre-installed on new computers.   I guess,  this is the time to by Apple.

HELP please.   By the way,  I do have a super-fast Internet !

To install Windows 7 on a system that ships with 8, you will need to go in and disable secure boot (if it's enabled; F2 at powerup) and then DELETE all partitions on the disc.  You'll need to create a new one (or new ones) to install Windows 7.

Hi,i too am a bit upset with windows 8,i updated on another pc and found lots of things just do not run on it,i am an astrophotographer but some of my key camera drivers and progs will not work on it,i bought the 17r se for the purpose of using it for these uses as i need more power for the progs needed,i was hoping it was just a glitch on the other pc but no,the dell does the same so i am just buying a copy of win 7 and installing a new ssd and am going to run it fresh,i hope,have been told slight bios changes need to be done but though my way of dealing with this prob is pricey i have no choice when i bought the 17r i had no choice as to op system.

  It seems to me using windows 8 it is quite capable and may appeal to many,i think aquired taste might sum it up but with the fact it does take a bit getting used to and getting things to work in the same way as 7 it seems pointless that you try and end up with 7. 

  There is a lot of views that old ops will fade out,well xp is still going so i think 7 will be here for quite a while yet,these are just my views(and facts on camera drivers etc) that in the end you may have gone for the best option and tried and returned it,i wonder what the general view is on this,methinks pretty divided.

   Good luck sorting it out, 8 is not vista but it will suit some but not others.

Could you not just take your hdd out and put it in a dock ,plug into a freinds pc and format then back in your pc,then install your  7 disc,unless other things like bios etc stop a reinstall,cannot see why win 7 cannot be installed,unless of course you have an upgrade version then of course you need an os to be on the drive. A while back i did the upgrade bit over 7(i know what a fool)8 is very clever it does not,or did not on my disc give you the option to not put in the key so you have no time to evaluate it before your totally commited. Microsoft is getting a bit naughty with things like that change, but spots and leopards eh!

Windows 8 really does suck....and Dell ships it with so much bloat.....  I always reformat it anyway. 

I agree but to be fair after a bit of getting used to its quirks i found a few work rounds and getting my desktop similar to what it used to be on 7.

  8 seems to have forgotten the mistakes of the past,example my epson printer(just 2 years old) has issues with win 8 and the wireless side does not work,also the nikon photo prog would not load as the useless pic app on 8 blocked off some handles,you can delete this and the nik prog loads ok so some of the hassles are resolveable ,i have probs also with drivers to astro cameras which would work on 7 but not 8,methinks microsoft  have learnt nothing .

     Dell do make things difficult when it comes to changes,especially in the bios,again maybe a microsoft nudge,if you want to go back to 7 then thats just more money they get ,i know as its already cost me on one pc,i am wise now and wont entertain any more pc's with 8 .

      Good luck changing to 7,it was a better os.