[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Downgrading from Windows 8 to 7: What you need to know here

[stevepencer]

Rumor has it that Microsoft has stationed employees all over the internet to counter "bad press" regarding the Windows 8 roll-out. Watch.

[Balayage]

The situation is ripe for someone to create a Windows 7 like interface for Windows 8. Lessen the pain and gain the good features.

[RonCam]

This article's last paragraph offered no suggestion for an easier resolution, but instead concluded only by restating the original problem, "Downgrading from Windows 8 Pro to Windows 7 Professional or Windows Vista Business is not a simple process ..."

I thought ... the last paragraph was going to be, something like, burn a disc with a recent non-Microsoft operating system of your choice, with the Desktop environment of your choice, run it 'live', and see if it's closer to what you've been used to. Contrary to what the article describes, this "process" would indeed be simple -- and reversible, since if the result wasn't what one expected, Windows 8 would still be there.

Then, if that doesn't work out, you can always give Dell $290, the amount mentioned above, and go back to Windows 7.

[elderwilson]

As much as I would love to see Microsoft roll out an update to allow a windows 7 interface for windows 8, I can understand why they won’t. They believe fully that the future of personal computing is touch based, with the occasional need for input devices. They are trying to force windows users to learn their touch UI so that they will be more comfortable buying a tablet or phone. They will and have taken a sales hit and a lot of flak over the issue, but they think it is worth it to gain some traction in the tablet/phone market.

[dave521r]

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The situation is ripe for someone to create a Windows 7 like interface for Windows 8. Lessen the pain and gain the good features.

Where have you been hiding? All you need is to add back the start menu and you essentially have Windows 7 with an optional set of Metro Apps. I use Classic Shell (free). Start8 is quite good ($5).

[Scottyoung2]

There is nothing wrong with windows 8, it is a decent improvement in performace over win7 and alot of really nice features that make things simpler. no i do not work for Microsoft. sure the start menu us gone, but in place of it is a nice start screen with live tiles. i had the typical learning period where i was a bit confused as to how to get around. but now i would much rather windows 8 over windows 7

[databaseben]

microsoft doesn't really care if people downgrade because essentially the customers bought the o.s. anyways.

i have been contemplating upgrading from vista to win8, but i really don't desire to reinstall all my programs simply because win8 doesn't grandfather the installed programs during the upgrade.

[Swiftright]

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Rumor has it that Microsoft has stationed employees all over the internet to counter "bad press" regarding the Windows 8 roll-out. Watch.

I have to agree. Another site that panned the financial prospects of win8 had a number of glowing win8 posts in the 1st page and then it turned to page after page of negative posts.

[olddave208]

The simple solution would be to dual boot. That way you have the best of both worlds, a Win7 partition to use, and a Win8 partition for children or in case of an emergency (Win7 quits working).

[kh2468]

Quote

Rumor has it that Microsoft has stationed employees all over the internet to counter "bad press" regarding the Windows 8 roll-out. Watch. I have to agree. Another site that panned the financial prospects of win8 had a number of glowing win8 posts in the 1st page and then it turned to page after page of negative posts.

Or maybe some people actually like it... Like me... And no, I do not work for microsoft.

[shorty610]

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The simple solution would be to dual boot. That way you have the best of both worlds, a Win7 partition to use, and a Win8 partition for children or in case of an emergency (Win7 quits working).

EXACTLY. That is precisely what I am doing.

[LaurentiuGZ]

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There is nothing wrong with windows 8, it is a decent improvement in performace over win7 and alot of really nice features that make things simpler. no i do not work for Microsoft. sure the start menu us gone, but in place of it is a nice start screen with live tiles. i had the typical learning period where i was a bit confused as to how to get around. but now i would much rather windows 8 over windows 7

You're absolutely right.

[ronin7752]

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Rumor has it that Microsoft has stationed employees all over the internet to counter "bad press" regarding the Windows 8 roll-out. Watch.

This is supposed to be something new? I can already tell you who most of them are here!

[ronin7752]

One critical point that everyone is missing about the "Dualing Windows" is that M$ already has a solution for that. They have no intentions of ever making Desktop Mode work with Metro well -- because they soon will not support desktop mode *at all*.

I predict it will be gone by Windows 10 -- which will run Metro apps *only*, I also predict that Ballmer will be announcing this in the near future...

[ronin7752]

Unless something has changed, it is quite easy to download an .iso image of pretty much any Windows OS -- *legally* -- from M$ or their partners. (Without a legal activation key, you can only install the OS for 30 days, anyway -- so M$ doesn't really care about "legal' copies of the install disks.)

I've done this many times to reinstall OS's and other MS software for customers who have lost them. The author should check this out and publish the download links.

[imapcgeek]

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Rumor has it that Microsoft has stationed employees all over the internet to counter "bad press" regarding the Windows 8 roll-out. Watch. This is supposed to be something new? I can already tell you who most of them are here!

Guess what? Some of us like it! I'm tired of all the conspiracy theories about Microsoft. Would you please stop attacking those of us who like Windows quite a lot? Yes, we exist! No, I don't receive anything from Microsoft for anything! You are alienating people because of your strong prejudices against Microsoft. I know quite a few strong Apple fans who are way more mature in their responses to pro-Microsoft attitudes, including mine.

[SteveQ22]

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The situation is ripe for someone to create a Windows 7 like interface for Windows 8. Lessen the pain and gain the good features.

Ummm, someone already has. $5 buys you Start8 (other options are available for free) which replace the missing start menu, let you boot directly to the desktop and disable all Metro hot corners. Aside from the new windows chrome (which a- I have no idea why it's called chrome and b- I actually like the clean look of 8 to the more gaudy Aero look of 7), it is, for all intents and purposes, the Windows 7 desktop.

[SteveQ22]

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Rumor has it that Microsoft has stationed employees all over the internet to counter "bad press" regarding the Windows 8 roll-out. Watch.

I'm not generally a conspiracy theorist, but I have to admit, some of the comments I've read in articles like these make me believe this. In general, I like Windows 8, but some commenter rabidly portraying it (and specifically Metro) as the second coming strain credibility to such a degree that you HAVE to question if they're actually being paid to post, countering opposing views. I have absolutely no trouble believing Microsoft would go so far as to do that.

[Janise]

The only worse was vista