downgrading computer OS...

[joko]

is this possible?

vista is gone from my machine, and i now have win7, but i am considering going back to vista

problem is, i have no disks, as they didnt give me any, so will have to buy something.
recovery disks wont work will they? as the general software is gone completely...isnt it?

passcode on the base of the machine is unreadable now - should have written it down somewhere really

question is, kind i find a way to reinstall and also to recover this passcode somehow?
and will a set of recovery disks find vista - or so i need a fresh install disk?

thanks

[VHG]

Stick with W7.

There is rarely any point in going back to older operating systems.

[AlBags]

Win7 or XP Pro.

[Hymie]

Yes, but how does joko reinstall vista, win7 or XP Pro without any disks?

[rojash]

"Yes, but how does joko reinstall vista, win7 or XP Pro without any disks? "
She can't.
But why would anyone want to downgrade from Win7, the best OS MS ever produced to Vista, the second-worst OS they produced?

[gingejbee]

joko: as you can see, we would like to know WHY you want to return to Vista from 7. It's a puzzle.

[stoofur]

Sometimes there is a hidden partition on the Hard Drive which has the installation files to reset the computer as Factory Fitted. Do you have the manual that came with the PC? Usually you reach the reinstallation program by either pressing F2 repletedly while the computer is starting up or the DEL key or the F8 Key. Your manual should tell you.

But if you do downgrade back to Vista I you will probably lose anything that is installed on the PC. Programs pics etc. So back them up first.

[AB Editor]

//we would like to know WHY you want to return to Vista from 7//

This seems to be because she doesn't have the W7 discs?

Unless Joko means she doesn't have ANY discs at all?

[rojash]

When I read the post, it comes out as she would like to return to Vista, but the problem is she doesn't have any disks

[ChuckFickens]

The confusing thing I found is the part that says..

"problem is, i have no disks, as they didnt give me any, so will have to buy something.
recovery disks wont work will they?"

So are you saying you do have the recovery disks or you don't have any disks?

Also depending on the brand of the machine you may not need the number from the sticker if you have the recovery disks as certain brands will enter it automatically (dell and HP for a start) when you run the recovery.

I would echo what everyone else is saying though, why on earth would you want to go from windows7, which works well to Vista, which is the largest pile of rubbish MS have ever called an operating system (apart from maybe ME)

[joko]

well i don't really want to at all, to be honest, i am just having problems with win7, as it seems my comp hasn't enough ram to cope with win 7

although i prefer win7 or even xp to vista, i didn't have half as much trouble with it as now.

i dont any disks for vista because they dont give copies out with new machines, just ask you to make your own recovery disks...which i did but they got damaged - so i have nothing...and the computer has been wiped so no partition

i have reformatted win7 now so comp is ok - for now - i think i am going to just buy some more ram and hopefully that will correct the problems

thanks all

[stoofur]

Just because you formatted your hard drive does not mean the partition has been wiped. Usually the computer can't see the restore partition as it is hidden from it. So unless you used a program to remove the partition (which you would know if you did) then it is probably still there. If it was there in the first place that is.

Anyway as everyone here says. Windows 7 is better than Vista. So unless there are hardware issues then stick with Windows 7. I have 2GB RAM and it runs fine.

[joko]

i only have one gig of ram though...and although it runs it at first, it gets clunky and annoying after a while, which is why i like to wipe it every so often

i am buying more ram soon

i will try to find the partition too, just in case

cheers