Want to downgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate from pre-installed Windows 8

[crazykidguy]

I recently bought a Lenovo Y510P that came with Windows 8 pre-install and I just can't deal with Windows 8 (no touch screen). I have 2 HDD's, a 1TB and a 28 SSD. I've read the downgrade thread from Windows 8 to Windows 7 but in the past I've had to re-partition some drives so I was wondering would I have to do that? Also, do I need to do anything else to the drives? I want to put the OS on the SSD so the laptop would boot up faster.

 

[dodger46]

One huge advantage of 8 over 7 is the reduction in space that the installation requires. Thus you would be hard pressed to run your OS from such a small SSD. Why not stick with 8? Once you're off the Start Screen and into Desktop there's little difference in User controls. OK no Start Button, but you soon get used to using your Windows key to access stuff, like Winkey plus X to get to Control Panel etcetera.
Search is no problem, Winkey to Start screen and start typing what you're looking for... and so on...and there are plenty of software devices to make 8 like 7 if necessary...

 

[jmackey]

One huge advantage of 8 over 7 is the reduction in space that the installation requires. Thus you would be hard pressed to run your OS from such a small SSD. Why not stick with 8? Once you're off the Start Screen and into Desktop there's little difference in User controls. OK no Start Button, but you soon get used to using your Windows key to access stuff, like Winkey plus X to get to Control Panel etcetera.
Search is no problem, Winkey to Start screen and start typing what you're looking for... and so on...and there are plenty of software devices to make 8 like 7 if necessary...

 

[jmackey]

You are missing the point. New Dell laptop with Window 8 enhanced to 8.1. Could not afford $300 more for a touchscreen model, so I am stuck with Win 8 on regular screen. When I try to click-drag corners, it takes 5 or 6 tries before anything happens, and despite all the statements about its ease of use, it is a massive headache. Most things do not work like Microsoft docs say they'll work. That is my problem and my wife for whom I bought the newer laptop just uses the older slower Win 7 machine. I plan to try to replace Win 8 completely. If you like it great, I do not since it is so counter-intuitive with its tiles ,etc. Such stuff doesn't exist on my smartphone (Samsung Galaxy), and who has a windows phone anyway?

 

[dodger46]

You are missing the point. New Dell laptop with Window 8 enhanced to 8.1. Could not afford $300 more for a touchscreen model, so I am stuck with Win 8 on regular screen. When I try to click-drag corners, it takes 5 or 6 tries before anything happens, and despite all the statements about its ease of use, it is a massive headache. Most things do not work like Microsoft docs say they'll work. That is my problem and my wife for whom I bought the newer laptop just uses the older slower Win 7 machine. I plan to try to replace Win 8 completely. If you like it great, I do not since it is so counter-intuitive with its tiles ,etc. Such stuff doesn't exist on my smartphone (Samsung Galaxy), and who has a windows phone anyway?

Can't say I use the 'corners' much, once I'm on Desktop it's business as usual, if I want anything that used to appear under the Start button I just use the Windows key in conjunction with various others. Sorry you don't like it, but it will be quite expensive to purchase a copy of 7 to revert. Have you tried any of the tips and tricks to make 8 behave like 7?
eg.
http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/software-and-web-apps/how-to-make-windows-8-look-like-windows-7-50009546/

 

[SteveConley]

I have a Lenovo Y510P.
I have been a computer programmer for 47 years.
I ABSOLUTELY HATE WINDOZE 8.1 and wish I had NEVER BOUGHT this laptop.

It is enough to make me after all these years convert to Apple.
I have had it for 1 year now and have tried everything and every article to get it to perform as well as Win7 and it is hopeless.
I regularly use WinXP, Win7, Linux (several versions), and Android phones and tablets.
All are fine.
But Win8 is hopeless. How can "Windows" forget their namesake and decide everyone has to be "surfaced".

I am currently looking for anyway possible to downgrade the laptop - which is why I hit this forum.

 

[USAFRet]

I have a Lenovo Y510P.
I have been a computer programmer for 47 years.
I ABSOLUTELY HATE WINDOZE 8.1 and wish I had NEVER BOUGHT this laptop.

It is enough to make me after all these years convert to Apple.
I have had it for 1 year now and have tried everything and every article to get it to perform as well as Win7 and it is hopeless.
I regularly use WinXP, Win7, Linux (several versions), and Android phones and tablets.
All are fine.
But Win8 is hopeless. How can "Windows" forget their namesake and decide everyone has to be "surfaced".

I am currently looking for anyway possible to downgrade the laptop - which is why I hit this forum.

Verify there are Win 7 drivers for all the relevant hardware.
Download said drivers.
Buy a copy of Windows 7.
Install.
Reinstall all your other applications.

 

[SteveConley]

I have a Lenovo Y510P.
I have been a computer programmer for 47 years.
I ABSOLUTELY HATE WINDOZE 8.1 and wish I had NEVER BOUGHT this laptop.

It is enough to make me after all these years convert to Apple.
I have had it for 1 year now and have tried everything and every article to get it to perform as well as Win7 and it is hopeless.
I regularly use WinXP, Win7, Linux (several versions), and Android phones and tablets.
All are fine.
But Win8 is hopeless. How can "Windows" forget their namesake and decide everyone has to be "surfaced".

I am currently looking for anyway possible to downgrade the laptop - which is why I hit this forum.

Verify there are Win 7 drivers for all the relevant hardware.
Download said drivers.
Buy a copy of Windows 7.
Install.
Reinstall all your other applications.

I have seen posts though that say the the 510P vs the 500P cannot be downgraded.
But it seems as the drivers are on the site.
I previously downgraded a ASUS - but I had to burn a new BIOS - because MS forced the incompatible BIOS.
So you are saying, not an issue?

 

[USAFRet]

I have a Lenovo Y510P.
I have been a computer programmer for 47 years.
I ABSOLUTELY HATE WINDOZE 8.1 and wish I had NEVER BOUGHT this laptop.

It is enough to make me after all these years convert to Apple.
I have had it for 1 year now and have tried everything and every article to get it to perform as well as Win7 and it is hopeless.
I regularly use WinXP, Win7, Linux (several versions), and Android phones and tablets.
All are fine.
But Win8 is hopeless. How can "Windows" forget their namesake and decide everyone has to be "surfaced".

I am currently looking for anyway possible to downgrade the laptop - which is why I hit this forum.

Verify there are Win 7 drivers for all the relevant hardware.
Download said drivers.
Buy a copy of Windows 7.
Install.
Reinstall all your other applications.

I have seen posts though that say the the 510P vs the 500P cannot be downgraded.
But it seems as the drivers are on the site.
I previously downgraded a ASUS - but I had to burn a new BIOS - because MS forced the incompatible BIOS.
So you are saying, not an issue?

Not saying "not an issue"....but if there are win 7 drivers for it, that would seem to point to it working.

 

[crazykidguy]

I have a Lenovo Y510P.
I have been a computer programmer for 47 years.
I ABSOLUTELY HATE WINDOZE 8.1 and wish I had NEVER BOUGHT this laptop.

It is enough to make me after all these years convert to Apple.
I have had it for 1 year now and have tried everything and every article to get it to perform as well as Win7 and it is hopeless.
I regularly use WinXP, Win7, Linux (several versions), and Android phones and tablets.
All are fine.
But Win8 is hopeless. How can "Windows" forget their namesake and decide everyone has to be "surfaced".

I am currently looking for anyway possible to downgrade the laptop - which is why I hit this forum.

When you downgrade to Win7, do you plan to reinstall all the Lenovo bloat that the laptop came with? I personally find no use whatsoever for all the programs that they pre-installed onto the laptop except for the battery configuration. I'm planning to switch out both hard drives for higher capacity SSD's. Where could I download the battery config/ management again?

 

[dodger46]

Still can't understand what all the fuss is about. I set 8.1 to boot straight to desktop, and honestly can't remember the last time I swiped anywhere for anything. I have a shortcut for shutdown so don't need Charms menu, and only use the Start Screen for Search facility, which is way better than the one in W7. If I do happen to want to use one of the Apps from the Start Menu, at least it appears on the Taskbar to remind me I opened it, and allow me to view/close as required, unlike the original 8. As someone who regularly has to install Windows, 8 is a dream compared to 7 with all it's updates...

 

[SteveConley]

I have a Lenovo Y510P.
I have been a computer programmer for 47 years.
I ABSOLUTELY HATE WINDOZE 8.1 and wish I had NEVER BOUGHT this laptop.

It is enough to make me after all these years convert to Apple.
I have had it for 1 year now and have tried everything and every article to get it to perform as well as Win7 and it is hopeless.
I regularly use WinXP, Win7, Linux (several versions), and Android phones and tablets.
All are fine.
But Win8 is hopeless. How can "Windows" forget their namesake and decide everyone has to be "surfaced".

I am currently looking for anyway possible to downgrade the laptop - which is why I hit this forum.

When you downgrade to Win7, do you plan to reinstall all the Lenovo bloat that the laptop came with? I personally find no use whatsoever for all the programs that they pre-installed onto the laptop except for the battery configuration. I'm planning to switch out both hard drives for higher capacity SSD's. Where could I download the battery config/ management again?

No, obviously I have no interest in the bloatware either. And if installing from purchased "OEM" Win7, there will be none of that.

One of the "drivers" I downloaded last night was power management. As to how it interfaces with Win7 - I am not sure. But I have problems with the TWO power mgt adjustments on this machine with Win8 - the MS on and the Lenovo one - and they interest interact in strange ways. One app I was using was SO SLOW and I could not figure out why given this is suppose to be a fast machine - so I was looking for Virus's, etc. It finally occurred to me that it might be running the CPU at a slow speed in the power save mode. So I turned off the Lenovo util and just used the Win8 setting and suddenly the app was normal speed. So I am hoping that the Win7 handling with the Win7 power mgt driver will be ok. But it may actually be just like the Win8 one - so you have two ways - Win7 and Lenovo Win7.
But of course uncharted territory. I too am buying new disks - just in case I have to revert. I will probably take me a few weeks to get ready and create a fresh full backup of the the machine (as the 1TB drive is nearly full) and install Win7 and re-install my large mess of programs - as I am a developer myself - and work with embedded programming also.