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Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

Mav
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Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

Sometime ago, still during the free upgrade period, I "upgraded" my Toshiba C660 laptop to W10 to see the look/feel before considering doing the same on the main PC.

 

I have never liked W10 and have now decided I want to revert back to W7 which is where my problems have started.

 

First of all the keyboard and finger pad stopped working some time ago so use both a USB mouse/Keyboard without issue.

 

Reading the instructions I need to press F8 to eventually get into the Toshiba HDD Recovery Tool. I have done this successfully before quite a few years ago but this time I am having major problems. First of all pressing F8 doesn't always get be to the Advanced Boot Options but to some form of W10 restore options which, to me, don't seem all that intuitive. However, since getting those options once every time I have subsequently pressed F8 Windows 10 starts up as usual. Pressing F2 takes me to the BIOS so it seems the keyboard is responding.

 

I have read somewhere that holding the zero key while powering up should work but it doesn't.

 

Can anyone offer any advice or am I [-Censored-] till I get the in-built keyboard replaced?

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Pete11
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

You might be able to gain some insight into doing this from here...

https://askleo.com/four-ways-to-go-back-to-windows-7-from-windows-10/

 

Just a thought, but did you (or win10) create a restore point? If so, system restore should do it.

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ReedRichards
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

You need to hold down the shift key whilst turning off the computer.  This should force a full turn-off.  Next press and hold down the zero key and then press the Power button to turn the computer back on.  That might do the trick where it failed hitherto.  Any keyboard should be able to do this.

The Windows 10 equivalent to the F8 key is to got to the Advanced Boot Options then Troubleshoot then Startup Settings - but I suspect you may find that the Factory Reset option has been lost.

System Restore will not work; restore points are lost when the Windows version is changed. 

Mav
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

Thanks for all the advice but, unfortunately, nothing has worked so farSad

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PeeGee
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

When you do an "in situ" win10 upgrade, it creates folders containing the win7 system. So, if you did not explicitly remove these, win10 should be able to revert - though you probably have passed the "you're committed" time.

It may be possible to get to the Toshiba recovery partition using a boot manager, such as those on the UBCD image, which will give the original setup as written to the recovery CDs (if you made them!), then a full set up of updates/software installation. I have re-partioned my Toshiba laptop, so cannot check the above now - I am running win10 (as a win7 and earlier look-alike) even though not manufacturer supported.

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ReedRichards
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

I agree with @PeeGee, except that you don't necessarily need a boot manager.  The second post in this thread gives some idea what to do http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/155075-make-a-recovery-disc-from-a-toshiba-recovery-partition/ .  I have done the same sort of thing with a Dell computer in the past, successfully.  I suspect that a bit more research might even provide more detailed instructions.

7up
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

Daft question but is the W7 recovery partition still there? - What i mean is are you sure W10 didn't decide to remove it for you? - MS aren't exactly keen on people going back to older systems.

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Mav
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

Again, thanks for the help.

 

I have located the "D:\HDDRecovery\" folder and inside are several other folders:

ODDFiles

OriSetenv

SWImg

 

Obviously the SWI folder holds the SWI files but I am a little lost at the next steps. The recovery partition includes includes lots of software pre-installed by the company that supplied the laptop on behalf of the Open University and I need all that software back again.

 

Looking at the instructions in the link @ReedRichards supplied am I right in assuming I need to make a W7 repair CD first to edit or can that be downloaded from somewhere? I do have a legit Windows 7 Pro installation disc but no working DVD writer on the W7 PC. Can I make the repair disc using the W10 laptop.

 

Really do appreciate all the help I can get.


Cheers.

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Mav
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

May be getting somewhere.

 

I think I misunderstood RR instruction about powering down with the Shift button held. From the following link it appears the Shift key should be held down while Restart is selected. This took me into the light blue screen offering Continue, Troubleshoot and Turn Off PC. (I got here once before but must have been by accidentRoll_eyes)

 

Going into Troubleshoot - Advanced options I have tried looking at all those available but the System Recovery image is not found.

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ReedRichards
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

@Mav, firstly and most importantly, are you absolutely sure that the recovery partition contains your Open University software?  I think that is very unlikely.  The recovery partition will have been created by Toshiba and will reset the machine to its 'Factory State'.  It isn't easy to modify the contents and I doubt that the middlemen who added the Open University software will have done that.

If you canot find out for certain, it should be possible to create an image of your entire hard drive to an external drive in case you need to go back to where you are now.

 

If you read what I wrote carefully I was not suggesting that you create a DVD, that isn't necessary.  The second post in the link explains how to run the recovery process from the recovery partition.  You don't need a Windows disc or anything else.

I'm sorry I did not tell you about Shift and Restart; I presumed you knew from what you had written. 

shutter
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop


@Mav

Mav wrote: I do have a legit Windows 7 Pro installation disc but no working DVD writer on the W7 PC. Can I make the repair disc using the W10 laptop.

 

Really do appreciate all the help I can get.


Cheers.


 

 

I have one of these...( not this one, but similar )..

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/External-DVD-RW-Drive-USB-2-0-CD-RW-Drive-Burner-Writer-Reader-Rewriter-Co...

 

. to use with my 10" laptop, which does not have an internal CD/DVD player... it works "out of the box"  and is very useful... mine was about the same price a couple of years ago.. so don`t be put off just because it "seems cheap"...

 

 

Mav
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

@ReedRichards

Yes, definitely re-installed the OS along with the pre-installed stuff from the Open University. I have some discs to re-install but not MS Office and a few others. The laptop was purchased from a company that has a contract with the OU.

 

Sorry, I got bobbed down with the first post in that linkEmbarrassed

 

@shutter

I have a brand new internal DVD Rewriter that I installed when I did a spring clean of the PC a few weeks ago but it is failing to be recognised. I have a vague memory that of one particular pair of SATA connections on my MB only one can work at a time. Too busy to deal with that now.

 

As for the laptop, it isn't urgent at the moment so will do more research. I have contacted the company that supplied it but the cover expired last year.

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ReedRichards
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop


@Mav wrote:

@ReedRichards

Yes, definitely re-installed the OS along with the pre-installed stuff from the Open University. I have some discs to re-install but not MS Office and a few others. The laptop was purchased from a company that has a contract with the OU.

 


I don't understand what you are trying to convey here.  Unless you are absolutely certain that this is wrong, assume that your Factory Reset will cause you to lose all the software installed by the company you bought from.  If they were a good company, you should have been provided with discs from which you can re-install this OU software.  Do you mean that you have those discs?  

You should be able to download Office from Microsoft if you can provide a valid product key.  You can try that now.  Use key finder software to determine your product key if necessary.

Are you sure that the reward of having a nicer version of Windows (that expires three years hence) is worth the risk of losing some of the software you have now?

   

Mav
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

@ReedRichards

Absolutely certain that using the Factory Reset option re-installs all the software pre-installed by the vendor on behalf on the OU as I had to do that soon after delivery due to some conflicts and that was the vendor's advice after I had exhausted all other avenues.

 

I only have discs for some of the software. I have a Windows 7 Home disc here and have the Product Key for the originally installed version on a sticker under the laptop. Unfortunately, I chase the wrong option in my attempts at restoring the OS so I now have W10 with no MS Office, etc. which means it may be difficult or impossible to get the Product Keys/Licence numbers.

 

I have MS Office 2007 that allows 2 licences so could install that but if I can get the Office 2010 iso to install then that would be better. Have to check if I have the Dragon Naturally Speaking discs. I will hunt for the original documentation to see what I can find.

 

I have never liked W10 since installing it. I kept it for over a year but just would rather go back to W7 Wink

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ReedRichards
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Re: Reverting W10 to W7 on Toshiba laptop

Okay @Mav, then you need to run the ImageX software process by starting it from a command prompt rather than through a software interface provided by Toshiba.  There is a different account of how to do this here https://sauron-it.nl/index.php/helpdesk/56-helpdesk/windowssupport/100-recovery-of-toshiba-laptop