HP Warns Customers Not To Downgrade Win 8 PCs to Win 7

[bcjebay]

In other news, HP looses its contracts with Large Business, since Large Business still uses W7.

/sad

 

[thecolorblue]

the mafia approach it is then... go f' yourself HP

 

[evga_fan]

One more reason to build yourself a custom PC.

 

[boobot]

[citation][nom]wanderer11[/nom]One more reason to never buy anything from HP.[/citation]

I'm not sure what is difficult to understand. You load a different OS from one that is bought (and supported) then it's simply not supported. Should I expect HP to support the OS if I load RedHat? NO!

 

[Guest]

Why bother buying HP? Their consumer products aren't durable, fall apart after the warranty expired, and their customer support is just gouging customers.

 

[boobot]

[citation][nom]jupiter optimus maximus[/nom]I have an Compaq laptop right now that i am using that i got from the Nvidia litigation lawsuit, and now after the warranty has just expired four months ago, the battery is starting to break down. No more HP, ever...[/citation]

Nvidia lawsuit is Nvidia's issue. The battery issue is known across all laptop manufacturer's. Do a bit of research and you can gather this info.

 

[melvis72]

HP = Hunk of Poo

 

[pjmelect]

I believe Windows 7 and 8 drivers usually work the same.


Correct; Vista/7/8 all use the same driver model, so in theory you should be able to get a win8 driver to work on win7. The issue is that with driver signing it may take a little work for a win8 driver to be accepted by win7, and there is always the issue of a driver utilizing something that has had a dramatic change in win8 over win7 (namely touch drivers), but you should be able to get basic use out of it.

This is not true, the graphics driver is completely different and some wireless and network drivers that work with Windows 7 do not work with Windows 8. Although a network and wireless driver that works with Windows 8 will work with Windows 7 and Windows 7 drivers for all graphics cards that run Windows 8 are available.

 

[cTs Corvette]

[citation][nom]boobot[/nom]I'm not sure what is difficult to understand. You load a different OS from one that is bought (and supported) then it's simply not supported. Should I expect HP to support the OS if I load RedHat? NO![/citation]

I believe the issue that everyone is upset by is the fact that HP won't be releasing Windows 7 drivers for their hardware. Everyone understands that if you install a different OS on your laptop than what it shipped with calling tech support isn't going to be an option, but if I just spent $1000 on a new HP laptop and decide I want W7 on it, HP should have drivers available for me to do that. Especially considering that the hardware isn't going to be any different than what's in their "business class" laptops. For them to arbitrarily decide to hold consumers hostage with Windows 8-only drivers is ridiculous.

 

[boobot]

[citation][nom]cTs Corvette[/nom]I believe the issue that everyone is upset by is the fact that HP won't be releasing Windows 7 drivers for their hardware. Everyone understands that if you install a different OS on your laptop than what it shipped with calling tech support isn't going to be an option, but if I just spent $1000 on a new HP laptop and decide I want W7 on it, HP should have drivers available for me to do that. Especially considering that the hardware isn't going to be any different than what's in their "business class" laptops. For them to arbitrarily decide to hold consumers hostage with Windows 8-only drivers is ridiculous.[/citation]

Yes, I see yours/others point. Someone may have said it elsewhere that HP tested the drivers to the specific (WIN 8 in this case) OS being offered for that platform. Although I wouldn't mind having the option of moving back to Win 7 I don't blame HP for wanting to continue not to support it on new products. Windows 8 is the go forward OS and Microsoft has done enough advertising to make sure everyone knows that!! If you are technical enough to reload the OS then you should't have too many issues finding drivers that work with the new hardware.

 

[Skippy27]

Being that HP doesnt actually make a damn thing their drivers arent needed as you can always go with the reference drivers of the companies that actually made the hardware. Which is more than likely newer anyway.

When I custom build machines, I ALWAYS go with and recommended the reference drivers. You generally get much less bloatware with it anyway.

With that in mind as I know how HP works, you should probably get another drive to install 7 on so when you do have an issue you can put the 8 drive back to diagnose with them and have them address it. Otherwise they will try to make it 7's fault.

 

[belardo]

[citation][nom]CaedenV[/nom]Correct; Vista/7/8 all use the same driver model, so in theory you should be able to get a win8 driver to work on win7. The issue is that with driver signing it may take a little work for a win8 driver to be accepted by win7[/citation] Kind of... but there are many printer drivers for Vista that DON'T work for Windows7.

The hardware issue comes into play *when* they release hardware that is NEW and they don't have a Win7 driver for it. HP Driver support is already crap. Just re-built an XP box from their drivers, but man it was a pain getting that stupid audio driver to work right. I had to go with the generic driver, not the HP supplied one to get the damn thing to work.

 

[Saitzev]

Unfortunately what was failed to be pointed out in the article that downgrading is going to be very difficult. I work as a bench tech and we had someone bring in 2 gateway systems with Win8 on it and they had tried downgrading to Win7 only to encounter a bit of an issue.

The systems shipped with a secure boot on the Motherboard which means that the OS cannot be changed.

Our lead tech who is a bonified genius tried everything possible but it cannot be changed even after disabling the secure boot option in the BIOS.

Just one of many reasons why UEFI is going to lead to a plethora of issues here very soon.

 

[belardo]

Kevin Parrish... Win8 is more than just a launcher issue. In what damn way does a full-screen launcher work better than the Start Menu? Instead of looking at info in one small corner, you have to scan the whole screen and travel your mouse all over the place. There is NOTHING wrong with improving the UI... but they have to be improvements, not just a CHANGE.

Hence, Windows8 is shit. The reporting and reviews of Win8 shows it... pretty much ALL the major sites are NOT talking about Windows8. MS is keeping WIn8 as low key as possible.

What sucks on Win8:
- METRO
- Task switchers are incompatible with each other
- Crappy flat 80s style skin job
- charms
- hidden buttons (why the hell hide a button you are supposed to USE?!)
- A touch interface that promotes new WIn8 keyboards or keyboard short cuts to get around (therfore making the Win8 touch interface an oxymoron)
- crappy full-screen-apps
- clamped down system

But wait, it boots up twice as fast.... who gives a damn?

 

[bjfaia5]

[citation][nom]wanderer11[/nom]One more reason to never buy anything from HP.[/citation]

I agree. I use to be a huge HP fan but this helps put the final nail in the coffin. Do you or anyone else here know if you can openly downgrade with Dell or Lenovo? Will those companies continue to support drivers for Windows 7 even in new computers? If so when customers want to buy a new computer I'll either build it for them and use Windows 7 or buy a Dell or Lenovo and "downgrade" to Windows 7.

 

[littleleo]

HP used to be a good quality machine but now they are just piles of junk. I've worked on them and they are hell to fix. I would never ever buy or recommend a HP machine to anyone. They are living on their past reputation and successes the current models are terrible.

This move was probably dictated by Microsoft to try and force Windows 8 down our throats because it just not selling. HP must be getting money, big money from MS to do such a boneheaded move like this. I would sell an HP stock I had right now because their sales are going to fall. The only thing that could save them is if the other big OEMs like DELL do the same dumb move.

 

[billgatez]

[citation][nom]pjmelect[/nom]This is not true, the graphics driver is completely different and some wireless and network drivers that work with Windows 7 do not work with Windows 8. Although a network and wireless driver that works with Windows 8 will work with Windows 7 and Windows 7 drivers for all graphics cards that run Windows 8 are available.[/citation]

Windows 8 is ecentualy windows 7 with a new UI. And most drivers like the ones from Nvidia simply have a string of code that adds windows 8 to the list of valid operating systems. But every thing alse is the same. That's how it was for my old webcam a wi-fi card a simple change made them work with 7 even tho they no supported.

 

[Thomas Creel]

Hewlett-Packard

for shame...

 

[Guest]

Give what the consumer WANTS !!! let them choose between a Windows 8 OR Windows 7 !
Microsoft design windows 8 to run with a touch screen (or touch pad) not with a mouse or keyboard ..... ho wait, all computer comes with a mouse and keyboard !!!! VERY poor design for computers !!

 

[bjfaia5]

[citation][nom]Skippy27[/nom]Being that HP doesnt actually make a damn thing their drivers arent needed as you can always go with the reference drivers of the companies that actually made the hardware. Which is more than likely newer anyway.When I custom build machines, I ALWAYS go with and recommended the reference drivers. You generally get much less bloatware with it anyway.With that in mind as I know how HP works, you should probably get another drive to install 7 on so when you do have an issue you can put the 8 drive back to diagnose with them and have them address it. Otherwise they will try to make it 7's fault.[/citation]

No you can't. The motherboard and chipsets are OEM there is no other place to download drivers other than the OEM manufacture which isn't going to have any drivers for Windows 7. So yes you can download drivers for your video card, tv tuner, network card but the most important thing the motherboard and chipset there will be no Widows 7 drivers.

 

[mosu]

It's one of those days when everyone agrees about HP.
"Yes HP is stupid. Just another reason why a company like HP killed Web OS. The company is run by morons."
My point exactly. I only hope someone at HP reads these comments.

 

[bystander]

[citation][nom]JacekRing[/nom]I'm more familure with Vista then you think, my issues were not due to crashes. I had none that I can remember, it was more issues with the fact that it was a HUGE resource hog. I had 4 gigs in that system so I could run it, but performance wise for games and video editing software was horrendous. The UAC functionality was annoying to say the least, especially since I work through a lot of software and test software and having to install around 10 programs a day with the UAC in Vista was NOT an option for me.There were a LOT of reasons that Vista failed as an OS. And yes it did fail, if you look at the sales numbers for XP, Vista, 7. You will see that Vista was a failure as an OS. So don't judge me that quickly (I reserve the option to judge you and everyone else as quickly as I damb well please).[/citation]
There was and still is a very easy way to turn the UAC off. It takes a couple minutes to search for it on the internet and adjust on your system. Once it is off, it performed great. Yes it could be a resource hog, though you could turn off a lot of things through msconfig that made it far less of one. You could also turn off Aero, which released a lot more.

The point about you calling the other user incompetent because he used Vista, is clearly wrong. It fit his needs, and many others.

 

[hannibal]

Hmm... Every other company are allso phasing out win7. My friend bought last g75 series asus with win7 that he could find in our country this week... Every new version becomes with win8... So if you are willing to get new win7 machine you better be in hurry! They are running out of shelves!
Wellcome to the new order!

 

[akula2]

[citation][nom]wanderer11[/nom]One more reason to never buy anything from HP.[/citation]
Not only HP, I'm NOT buying any new upgrade Windows 8 licenses for more than 100 machines. I'm also pondering to take Microsoft to court in form of a class action suit for not delivering Win 7 Pro SP2. This is making the customers forcibly to accept and adapt to their new OS. My foot!!

Nevertheless, I've Mac OS and Linux machines but Windows is important for my business too. I won't leave Microshit morons unless we get Win 7 Pro SP2.

 

[Guest]

I think there will be a good market for used Windows 7 PCs, I own 3 laptops with windows 7, so I am good to go for the great Windows 8 boycott of 2013! I think this is most definitely an antitrust violation, Microsoft and any OEMs should not be allowed to force one company's operating system, or version of an operating system on any new hardware! HP and any other OEM is risking a customer backlash for trying to force users onto windows 8! HP as well as the other OEMs should be trying to create an Industry standard VM that can run any operating system on any standard PC, and give the user the option of purchasing the operating system to suit the user needs! No more of this driver sillyness, the VM interacts with the drivers the OS interacts with the VM!