Windows 10: Manual downgrade from W10 to W7 AFTER 30 days? (.old folder exists)

Hi,

I'm trying to downgrade to Windows 7 from Windows 10 and I have gone past the 30 days grace period so I can't do it via the usual Update & security -> Recovery -method as I'm getting the "Unfortunately you can't go back..." -message.

HOWEVER, I'm seeing that the "Windows.old" folder is still in my HD fully with all it's contents...

So I was just wondering: what happens if I boot my system to eg. Linux and remove my current Windows 10 installation folder and replace it with the Windows 7 folder that is still inside the "Windows.old" folder... would I get my Windows 7 back with that way?

Has anyone tried this yet?

:)

 

How do I change Windows 10 back to Windows 7?

I think that would be easy to do but I believe I installed W10 just over 30 days ago, old version expires after 30 days. Thanks for info. I am still stuck with W10 and really want W7 back. Any suggestions for update done over 30 days ago?

 

Trouble with downgrading from W10

I've just upgraded one of my laptops to W10 to check it out. This has had a disastrous effect on performance and I would like to downgrade to W7. Even though I still have the C:\Windows.old folder and I'm still within the 30 days, the option to revert back
to W7 does not appear in Settings>Update & Security>Recovery. I run CCleaner for disk management -- has this wiped an essential temporary file??

Any contributions gratefully received.

 

I thought there was no way to go back after Windows 8? Meaning that Windows 10 is a one way Upgrade

 

Try disconnecting from the internet, in Bios set your date back to within the 30 day period after upgrade, boot into Windows and see if the option to revert back works. Then come back and tell us!

 

If Window10 want to downgrade to Window 7, it must has two folder:
Windows.old
$Windows.~BT
Make sure the two folders on system partition, if $Windows.~BT is missing and you didn’t have any backup, you will not downgrade Windows 10 to Windows 7.
Microsoft has mentioned that the Rollback operating is available for a month only, after which, the files required for this operation, will be deleted.

 

In control panel I have a restore back to windows 7 option but when I looked at it it told me I can not go back.
glad about that as no way do I want to and cant wait to get windows old removed from my computer all together even though it only has 2 files in it.
For me windows 10 is here to stay

 

Yes I read this after I posted the above, but I have tried this before and it has never worked, I always got an error.

I think its better to back up all docs and media and format install 7, but you need a key to activate it then.

 

I just tried that, but it doesn't work: still getting the "Unfortunately you can't go back..." -message.

Oh well. Gotta stick to 10 then.

 

Not necessarily. If your PC came with Win7 preinstalled, you might be able to order a set of Recovery Media from the manufacturer. They typically want around $30 USD for a set of disks -- a lot cheaper than buying a retail copy.

 

Well, I do have the original Win7 installation DVD, but the thing is, I'm not fancy of doing a full system re-install as I have a tons of 3rd party software I'm using and I really don't want to re-install them again (few months ago, I HAD to do it due to HDD-crash and it took me VERY long time).

Anyway: Win10 is not THAT bad. There's just handful of applications I'm using regularly that doesn't seem to work well with 10 yet, but I guess the easiest way is to wait for updates or to find a substitute to the apps I'm using.

 

Yea, onwards and upwards! Win 10 (hopefully!) will grow on you. I had a couple of progs I changed (Kodi for WMC and Qdir for xplorer2 lite) but all happy now.

Best wishes.