Recently tried to upgrade my Windows Vista to Windows 7 hoping to solve a driver issue. Now I’d like to go back to Vista. Found the microsoft article with instructions for using the windows old folder, which I have.
The problem is the article seems to be saying I need to boot from the Windows 7 disk and choose “repair computer” and I don’t get that option when I start from the disk.
I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this and can advise. I can get to system recovery on the main drive but I don’t see how I can type in the command prompts the article asks for if I’m on that drive.
Any advise appreciated.
Switch to Mac not neccessary though.
I don’t have a Vista disk. The computer came with it preinstalled. Windows 7 is okay. I just didn’t realize that many programs and settings would not transfer over as they did with most upgrades. I understand it’s because Windows 7 is built on a different platform but I hadn’t done the proper research to know that.
There are some features in Vista I like so I may wind up keeping it. It’s just not wayyyyy better than Vista IMHO and reinstalling everything seemed like a lot more trouble than simple uninstalling but, it seems that may not be the case.
It was a sound driver issue that I have solved. Turns out I didn’t need to install 7 at all. It’s my own dumb fault for not creating back up disks to resore Vista if I needed to. I was just wondering if anyone knew of a method other than the article which looks fairly complicated and I’ve run into the snagg of not being able to get to windows repair when booting from the disk.
What brand of computer was this? For some of them, you can request that they send you reinstall discs, or you can generate the discs from a hidden partition. In general, you want to have discs for the OS and applications, just in case your hard drive fails and you have to rebuild it.
Do you have the 32 bit version of Vista and the 64 bit version of Windows 7?
Because if you don’t, then Windows 7 is not a whole new platform underneath. Despite Microsoft’s marketing to the contrary, Windows 7 is really just Vista with most of the suck removed. They took all of the annoying things that people were complaining about (like the way Vista used to cache all kinds of stuff on the off chance that you would need them, which on most systems made it run horribly slow) and fixed them.
Microsoft played the same silly games when XP came out. XP wasn’t a whole new OS. It was basically Windows 2000 with a new user interface.
If you ignore Microsoft’s marketing and look at how the operating systems identify themselves, it becomes a lot more clear:
NT 4.0 = Windows NT 4.0
NT 5.0 = Windows 2000
NT 5.1 = Windows XP
NT 6.0 = Windows Vista
NT 6.1 = Windows 7
As you can see, Windows 7 isn’t even really Windows 7. It’s really 6.1.
You get the most compatibility problems when you jump major version numbers. XP to Vista is much more likely to break things than Vista to 7.
However, there are compatibility issues between the 32 bit and 64 bit versions of both Vista and Windows 7.
A Windows7 disk is never going to get you back a Vista install. You need Vista Disks to reload vista. Most likely any “restore partitions” are not easily usable anymore due to the win7 bootloaders taking over, or not, hmm… Was this a win7 upgrade?
Best bet is going to be ordering a vista restore set from the manufacturer…should be a cake walk with that in hand.
What don’t you like about Win7? There are ways to restore old functionality, e.g. the taskbar. If you want to do this, the task sounds like a complete PITA. Format and reinstall would be the best option. I wonder if Vista disks will become extremely cheap.
Well the main thing is just how none of my old programs and settings transferred over. Money, Email with contacts, internet favs, all fell by the wayside. I still have access to most files that are now in the windows old folder. If I can get these programs to run in 7 all will be well.
It’s just frustrating how I always wind up spending time fixing my computer as much as I work and play on it.
I thought I had the 64 bit version of both but I’m not 100% on that.
If one is 32 and one is 64 would that explain why no programs transferred. Maybe it was just the option I chose on set up? Maybe it’s microsofts way of encouraging new software purchases, although I’m finding old programs reloaded work just fine.
I bought it incredibly cheap from work. I think it was an attempt to build one that was abandoned. The name on the tower is ibuypower. Never heard of it. ASUS motherboard with AMD processer. So, no manufacturer to call for discs.
an update;
as an expiriment and because of posts here, I tried to boot money from the windows old file. While trying that I noticed some backup files. Then I reloaded Money on Win 7 and clicked on the backup. Shazzam. All my old info is now in Money. One frustration solved.
Go to Start -> Computer -> System Properties (On the top) and see what version of windows you have.
What is your brand of Computer? I found my Dell has a recovery partition but doesn’t assign a drive letter to it?
To see if you have a recovery partition do this
Start -> Then Type in “Computer Management” (without quotes)
Hit enter you most likely will have to allow it to run as administrator, so click yes.
Now on the left side of the screen click Disk Management
You Will have all your partitons listed. Do you have anything like “Factory Image” or something like that?
If you have that then you’re good to go. Depending on your brand of computer you’re going to have to follow the directions of the maker to get that image.
So Just Google that or go to the manufacturers website and look for restore to factory image or something like that.
Or ask here when we know you have a factory image.
WARNING: All your files will be deleted. The computer will revert to the same state it was in when you bought it. So you need to save any data on your computer to an external drive or DVD or CDs. You will LOSE ALL DATA you put on the computer. It will return to the state it was when you unpacked it
If you switched between a 32 and 64 bit version, then you would have had to do a clean install, essentially formatting the computer between versions. Sounds like that is not the case.
If you can boot under the old install, Windows Easy Transfer might work (Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools). I haven’t used it myself but have heard that it works well.
I don’t hate Vista as much as some people, but there are some niggling problems which made it a headache. Number one was that putting a single audio or video file in a folder of documents could mark it as a Media folder. Then all the sort options became worthless things such as “Rating.” Changing its type to a generic folder would only last so long before it gets arbitrarily changed back.
