Installing Windows 7 instead of Windows 10

Windows 10 system appeared quite a long time ago and many managed to try it personally. Someone from her in admiration, but someone did not like it at all. Many people prefer to return to the "seven" after they updated it or installed the "top ten".

Methods of rolling back Windows 10 to Windows 7.

How can I roll back Windows 10 to version 7

But how to roll back Windows 10 to version 7? Is it possible to do this at all? There are several options, depending on how you install Windows 10:

  • Rollback, if the “seven” was simply updated or “ten” was installed without formatting the hard drive, and no more than 30 days passed.
  • System Restore from a pre-created archive.
  • Clean installation, with complete removal of the "dozens".

Each method is used in different situations and has its advantages and disadvantages, therefore, we consider them in more detail.

Built-in return capability

When installing on a system disk without formatting it, a backup copy of the old system is automatically created in the Windows.old folder. Also, it is created when upgrading to "ten". This folder exists for 30 days and allows you to roll back from Windows 10 to the old Windows 7. If the rollback is not done during this period, the folder will be deleted, since it takes up a lot of space. For replacing Windows 10 with Windows 7 using this copy, built-in tools are provided:

  1. Press the Win + I keys, a window with settings will appear.
  2. Go to the Update and Security section.
  3. Select the "Restore" section.
  4. Click the “Start” button in the “Back to Windows 7” section. The version of the system may be different, depending on which one it was before the installation of the “ten”. That is, this method can be used to roll back to the "eight". This button will help change Windows 10 to 7.

Then the system will begin to ask step by step about the reasons for the rollback, to warn about the irreversibility of this step - you need to select the appropriate items and move on. The “Return to Windows 7” button will appear on the last screen, and you should click it. After this, no further intervention is required - the computer will do everything and restart itself. Windows 7 will return to the screen, and Windows 10 will disappear. But if the Windows.old folder was automatically or manually deleted, then the return from Windows 10 will not happen and it will not be possible to return Windows 7 in this way.

Recovery of Windows 7 from an image

Rolling back Windows 10 to the previous Windows 7 can be done in another way, but only if an image for recovery was made in advance. To make it, in the "seven" you have to go to "Start" - "All programs" - "Maintenance" - "Backup and recovery". If you need to create a copy, then “Create a system image” is selected, and then “Create system recovery disk” - then you can boot the computer from it and start rolling back. The created image should be on any partition of the hard drive, except for the system one, or on an external hard drive or flash drive. Rollback of the Windows 10 system to 7 is possible when there is an archive image and a boot disk or flash drive for recovery.

  • You need to insert a boot disk or USB flash drive and enter the BIOS when starting the computer, usually using the Delete or F keys. The F8 or F12 keys usually allow you to simply select the desired device without entering the BIOS, if possible, this is the best way.
  • Install the boot device that contains the boot disk and save the changes with a reboot.
  • When the computer boots from the disk prepared in advance, you need to select the Russian interface language and the item “Recover computer using the previously created system image”.
  • Find and select a previously saved system image.
  • Then it remains only to press the "Next" button until you reach the question of whether to format the hard drive or not. Here you need to make a choice if it is required or go further.
  • The preparatory stages are completed, click "Finish".

Next, the computer unpacks the files from the previously created image and copies them to the system disk. After a short time, the former "Seven" will be installed. Please note that the restored “seven” will be exactly the same as it was when creating the image - with all the programs and user files installed in it, even with the same login password. This is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to get Windows 7 back. Therefore, creating an archive image of the system is convenient to create right after its installation and configuration, when it has all the drivers and necessary programs. Deploying a new system in this configuration takes much less time than a new installation of everything in turn. At the same time she is immediately ready to work. In addition, this is the easiest way to reset Windows 10 to old Windows 7. Reversely restoring Windows 10 after installing Windows 7 in this way will not be possible unless you also create an archive of "tens" before deleting.

Reinstall system

If the rollback by the above methods fails or is not possible, a complete demolition of the installed Windows 10 with the subsequent installation of version 7 will help. there may not be some drivers for normal operation. Therefore, it is better to install the "seven" if you are sure that it worked there normally before and all the drivers will be found. With stationary computers in this regard, problems rarely arise. To reinstall Windows 7, you need an installation disk with the system distribution. This disk must be placed in the drive and in BIOS, designate it as the first device to boot. Sometimes when the computer starts, the F8 or F12 keys help, which bring up a menu with a list of all devices available for download. You can use a bootable USB flash drive instead of a disk — it doesn't matter if the computer can boot from it.

After starting the installation, special questions usually do not arise - everything happens with minimal user participation. You only need to select the drive on which the system will be installed, decide whether to format it or not, make a minimum of settings: select a time zone, enter a password. You can skip the activation key - 30 days everything will work without it, and you can enter the key at any time. At the stage of selecting a disk for installation, note that the system disk, where the G7 will be installed, has a lot of space - at least 20 GB, and preferably 50-60 GB. You can resize the disk here, using the tools at the bottom of the window. It is better to format it at the same time in the NTFS system. Then you can continue the installation.

Changing Windows 10 to 7 in this way is the most crucial decision. "Ten" after this will not be returned, unless you just reinstall it.

Have you ever changed Windows 10 to version 7 and why did you do that? Tell us in the comments how you did it - any details will be useful for beginners and will help them avoid many mistakes.