Windows 10: Can't go back to Windows 8.1 with Bing, using 8.1 Media Creation tool

Not a problem for me, but thought I'd post results of an experiment.

I had a conversation with @NavyLCDR over on another thread about whether users who had computers pre-installed with Windows 8.1 with Bing could use the Windows 8.1 Media Creation tool to re-install Windows 8.1. (See quoted posts below.)

Microsoft says on the Media Creation tool website that users of Windows 8.1 with Bing should contact their OEMs, but PC Steps Magazine seemed to suggest that you could download the Single Language version with the Media Creation tool and it would work.

I said I'd give it a go and finally had an opportunity today to try it...

... and it doesn't work. *Sad

I tried reinstalling Windows 8.1 Single Language (32-bit) ISO created by the Media Creation tool for me as a UK user, on my tablet which came with Windows 8.1 with Bing.

However when I tried it, it asked for a Product Key (my understanding is that it should just read the key from the motherboard without asking). I tried typing in the Product Key, but it says 'The product key entered does not match any of the Windows images available for installation. Enter a different product key'. (It clearly recognises it as a real key, if I type in random letters as a key, it just says the product key didn't work.)

So, unless there's a way round this, I think PC Steps are wrong.

It does mean that if you want to upgrade from Windows 8.1 with Bing, make sure you have a backup image before trying an upgrade to Windows 10, because if that goes wrong, there may be no way back.

---------------------------------------
Original conversation from the other thread...

:)

 

File System Error 107374521

Hello, how do I do that? I can't use the media creation tool. I tried restore and recover. My original windows was 8.1 Will it let me reinstall that? Windows 10 was the free upgrade, will it let me go back to 8.1?

Thank you.

 

How to downgrade Windows 10 back to my Windows 8.1 with Bing (Home Edition)?

I already tried resetting the PC to see if it would reinstall Windows 8.1 with Bing, but instead it reinstalled Windows 10 Home. I wanted to use the media creation tool but it doesn't support Windows 8.1 with Bing.

My laptop didn't come with a recovery disk so I can't manually reinstall Windows 8.1 with Bing. How will HP give me the recovery media? Do I just ask? Or is there a process I will have to complete in order to get it?

Also, there is really no specific reason for downgrading, it's just that I like the Windows 8.1 UI a bit better and that my computer runs Windows 8.1 a little bit faster than Windows 10. Sometimes I would have issues with Windows 10 from time to time.

 

Thanks for the update, and sorry it didn't work....

 

It's not a problem (for me at least, although it is a potential issue for those without a good backup).

I just thought it would be interesting to try it and post back. *Smile

 

I would never buy a computer with Windows with Bing or Windows 8 RT. Just my opinion.... Too bad sometimes computers are advertised with full versions of Windows when they don't actually have a full, unrestricted version though.

 

Windows 8.1 with Bing isn't restricted in any way that I'm aware of, and it's easy enough to switch from Bing to Google (or whatever is your favourite search engine). This issue with not being able to download the ISO is pretty much the only issue I'm aware of, and it's possible to work around by taking a backup of the computer when it's new. It's not that long ago that the Media Creation tool for 8.1 came out, so there is still a possibility they may extend it to 'with Bing'.

And of course at the moment a device with 8.1 with Bing is a cheap way into Windows 10 Home.

Windows RT, however, is a whole different ball-game...

 

I suppose....but knowing the difficulty in obtaining an alternate way of obtaining and re-installing the OS in the event something goes wrong would still be a non-starter for me. Of course I just got lucky, because I had no idea about that until this topic came up here on this forum.

 

You can't even get Windows 8.1 with Bing on MSDN. It's not listed for me anyway. That means getting it from the OEM or resorting to bit torrent etc. *Shock It's one of the few ISO's I don't have. Hopefully I don't end up working on a PC with it installed.

 

I am facing the same issue with my Asus tablet which was preloaded with windows 8.1 with bing. I updated it to windows 10. Now no option to go back to 8.1. Tried windows 8.1 with single language but not working. Since last one month trying to find a torrent or download link for 8.1 with bing - 32 bit but not getting it. Today got one link for the torrent. If successful, I will share the information with all.

Best practice is.. before starting to use your new device, create a restore disk and than do anything with it. So that you can restore it. And don't delete the old windows folder until you are not satisfied with the new OS.

 

I don't think you're allowed to post the actual link to a torrent on here.

It's a shame that Microsoft don't provide a way to create 8.1 with Bing media, when they happily let folks download media for the other 'consumer' versions of 8.1.

Their official advice is to contact the OEM - did you try asking Asus? (I imagine they would charge you for it though.)

Yes I took a backup of my 8.1 tablet when I got it - doing this has saved me from problems before now.

I'd also recommend that 8.1 users take a backup image of their running system just before attempting to upgrade to 10, in case they need to roll back.

 

I purchased this tablet from US, and now the tablet location is India. Not getting the free service. I asked many time to Asus support regarding the version of windows, through the ticket system, they just keep on repeating, go to service center. they will keep my device for a week or so. I have no other option but to submit my device to service center.

 

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...4-ed24d1c98b7f

May be of use to you funfeast