Windows 7: Downgrade from Ultimate to Professional without a clean install

ThumperSD · 15 Nov 2011

Is this possible? I have Ultimate with SP1 right now and want to use Professional SP1

zigzag3143 · 15 Nov 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by ThumperSD

Is this possible? I have Ultimate with SP1 right now and want to use Professional SP1

Just curious. Why do you want to?

gregrocker · 15 Nov 2011

There is a workaround to trick the installer into thinking it is doing a same-version Repair Install which is an in-place Upgrade over itself.

You would need the Professional installer which can be unlocked in Ultimate by extracting the ISO with ImgBurn then run the eicfg removal tool to unlock all versions, burn to DVD using ImgBurn at 4x speed.

Before I give you the steps for the workaround: How do you plan to activate Professional version?

pamccabe · 15 Nov 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by zigzag3143

Quote: Originally Posted by ThumperSD

Is this possible? I have Ultimate with SP1 right now and want to use Professional SP1

Just curious. Why do you want to?

Curious about this too. The differences (or features available) in Windows editions, especially in regards to Professional and Ultimate, are minimual unless you are in an enterprise environment. I'm not sure why someone would want to downgrade, although, I've been around IT enough to know that I know nothing. Are you doing this because you want to go from a 32 bit edition back to a 64 bit edition? (or vise-versa?) If so, you will need to do a clean install. I guess more information might help.

noobvious · 15 Nov 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by zigzag3143

Quote: Originally Posted by ThumperSD

Is this possible? I have Ultimate with SP1 right now and want to use Professional SP1

Just curious. Why do you want to?

Exactly what I thought when I read the thread title.....why?

Corazon · 16 Nov 2011

Same here...there's virtually no performance or disk space to be gained from such a downgrade, plus any Ultimate-only features could be disabled through the group policy editor or similar if that's what the OP wants.

Actually, I can't even think of any right now, other than multiple languages and Bitlocker.

ThumperSD · 16 Nov 2011

I am doing this because I had to format my laptop and wanted to temporarily use Windows 7 Ultimate without a key. I recently received a 2yr license for Pro through MSDNAA and my university and want to install that instead.

gregrocker · 16 Nov 2011

Why not use the Pro you own instead of ULtimate?

Why did you install Ultimate if you dont' have a key?

WHat is the licensed version for that machine, or that you were running before reinstall?

ThumperSD · 24 Nov 2011

Because I received the Pro after I installed Ultimate. There's no need for me to explain everything about this laptop.

All I want is to downgrade it to Pro. How can this be done??

gregrocker · 24 Nov 2011

Well then there's no need for me to give you special workarounds we save for those who answer our questions, which are all asked for very specific technical and legal reasons.

Windows 7: Downgrade from Ultimate to Professional without a clean install

Downgrade from Ultimate to Professional without a clean install problems?