New
#1
Help please on downgrading Win8 Pro to Win7 Pro on new VAIO
Hi all Just bought a new VAIO laptop, with Win8 Pro (as I knew I was going to downgrade to Win7 Pro). So far I have done the following: Found various guides (not on this site!), which seemed to say it was quite straightforward, and that I need a Win7 product key. Sony haven't provided me with one, and have gone silent when I asked them again - they told me it should be with the documents provided with the machine. Downloaded all Win7 drivers available for this model on Sony's support website. Found more detailed guides here on SevenForums, which seem to say that I don't need a Win7 product key, and that the process isn't quite so straightforward. Following the instructions at Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7 I have now done: Created a recovery drive on a spare USB external HDD turned secure boot off changed boot mode from UEFI to legacy when I insert the Win7 Pro DVD, it runs as far as the screen in 6A, Where do you want to install Windows. Here is where I get stuck, as I have 6 partitions and I don't know which ones to delete or leave behind. the partitions listed are as follows: Disk 0 Partition 1: SONYSYS 260.0 MB 235.0 MB OEM (Reserved) Disk 0 Partition 2: Windows RE Tools 1.4 GB 615.0 MB OEM (Reserved) Disk 0 Partition 3 260.0 MB 210.0 MB System Disk 0 Partition 4 128.0 MB 128.0 MB MSR (Reserved) Disk 0 Partition 5 431.2 GB 386.5 GB Primary Disk 0 Partition 6 32.5 GB 3.2 GB OEM (Reserved) Whichever of them I select, the 'Next' button is greyed out. On clicking for reasons, they are all because the disk is GPT partition style, and some for additional reasons like being reserved for OEM, or Microsoft Reserved (MSR) or EFI System Partition (ESP). My questions are: Can someone tell me which partitions to delete? I'm a bit nervous about deleting partitions as I have never done it before, and I don't want to screw up my brand new laptop (which is actually a work machine, paid for by my company). Will the Recovery drive put them all back in (if it all goes horribly wrong and I have to revert to the awful Win8)? Thanks awfully - I have been on the verge of sending this laptop back a few times this week, but this looks like it might be salvageable.
Last edited by martin0193; 22 Nov 2013 at 08:16. Reason: trying to improve formatting - to no avail