Clean OS Install-Windows 7 Ultimate/Home OEM over Windows 8(.1) comp

Tech forum noob here. Quick & possibly dumb question for you Windows 7 & 8 tech people out there.

I have OEM discs for Windows 7 Home & Ultimate as well as corresponding product keys. I can't stand Windows 8 or 8.1 on my Lenovo any longer. I want to do a fresh Windows 7 install on my Windows 8 laptop. I'm adept at reinstalling Windows 7 operating systems on any Microsoft Windows machine (pre Windows 8).

With OEM Windows 7 discs, I essentially wiped the 1-3 partitions clean and combined them to create 1 raw partition to install whichever Windows OS I happened to be installing on any particular MS Windows computer. I think I have like 8 partitions on my Windows 8.1 Lenovo.

Before I get to the point of no return on this, can my Windows 7 OEM discs successfully delete 8 partitions to create 1 partition to install an older OS on a Windows 8.1 Lenovo? (I have valid product keys).

Spectr3 said:

Before I get to the point of no return on this, can my Windows 7 OEM discs successfully delete 8 partitions to create 1 partition to install an older OS on a Windows 8.1 Lenovo? (I have valid product keys).

I've never heard that any Win 7 installation disc can't delete whatever partitions you want to delete. If push comes to shove, you can certainly delete partitions through other methods.

You want to install Windows 7 on a Lenovo PC that was originally sold with 8.1, using a "Windows 7 OEM" disc?

Hmmm.......

Tell us more about the "Windows 7 OEM" disc and the "valid product keys" you have.

[/QUOTE]
I've never heard that any Win 7 installation disc can't delete whatever partitions you want to delete. If push comes to shove, you can certainly delete partitions through other methods.

You want to install Windows 7 on a Lenovo PC that was originally sold with 8.1, using a "Windows 7 OEM" disc?

Hmmm.......

Tell us more about the "Windows 7 OEM" disc and the "valid product keys" you have.[/QUOTE]

1) I've heard the 8 or so Windows 8 partitions make it virtually impossible to do a Windows 7 install on a Windows 8 computer. Never heard a legit reason but I've heard similar things from Windows OS techs.

2) Yes, I want to install Windows 7 on a Lenovo laptop I bought with Windows 8 on it. I upgraded to 8.1 hen it came out but it messed up my dolby advanced audio driver. So, I reverted back to 8, then 8.1 again. Now I'm just sick of 8 and 8.1. I made the mistake of not purchasing online because only thing retail stores had was Windows 8 on everything.

3) I have Windows 7 Ultimate and Home OEM discs from one of my prior jobs. I have multiple computers running 7 Ultimate and Home, as well as 8.1. I use them for personal use when I do a OS reinstall on any one of my computers. The hardware and quality of my Windows 7 computers is deteriorating. So, I want to put Windows 7 on my Windows 8 computer, for the sole reason of liking 7 exponentially more than 8 or 8.1.


Any constructive ideas on how to accomplish this?

Whoops, I can't quote haha.

I'd be astonished if you could not install Windows 7 on any machine that shipped with Windows 8--one way or another. You can certainly wipe a hard drive without using Windows, at which point how could Windows 8 prevent anything, let alone a Windows 7 installation.

I'm no expert on Windows licensing terms.

Some people here are, such as Noel.

The general rule of thumb is "one license (product key) for one PC" or "one license (product key) for one PC at a time".

I'm not sure if a "Windows 7 OEM" disc will at least install in ALL cases. I'd guess it would, just as a retail disc would. But there might be OEM disc nuances of which I'm unaware that would outright prevent the installation to complete--maybe a BIOS check or something like that. I've never used a Win 7 OEM disc.

But, installation is one thing and activation is another.

OEM installs on a factory machine are pre-activated with a bulk type of key that applies to thousands of machines, rather than with a unique Product Key.

I don't know what type of keys you have. They may or may not work.

And lately we've heard more confusion regarding how strict Microsoft is regarding OEM licensing restrictions--the implication being that MS is perhaps less strict than it once was.

Wait for others to comment.

Sorry you were provided with no links to our abundant tutorials for this and most other operations:

Follow these steps to UpDowngrade Windows 8 to Windows 7. Normally you need to disable Secure Boot, then possibly enable some level of CSM or Legacy BIOS to install Win7.

If you have any problems finding the correct settings in BIOS setup for CSM, Legacy BIOS, etc. post back your choices with pictures if possible and we will help you sort them. On my Lenovo I need Legacy mode enabled, Secure Boot disabled, UEFI First choice.

You can also choose to not mess with the UEFI firmware and Bypass UEFI to Install WIn7. On many Lenovos it may require Resetting BIOS to Defaults for Legacy vs. Windows 8.

Let us know how it goes.