Can I still buy a computer with Windows 7?

[margrave]

I went looking at laptops today ... and they all had Windows 8.

Tiles tiles and more tiles. Click one, the app opens, and it FILLS THE SCREEN. You get ONE window, and no more!

No menus, no resize option ... it's as if MS went back to single tasking computers!
"You don't need to run anything more than ONE steeeenkin' program!"

No start menu. No control. A total loss of functionality.

Does anybody sell Windows 7 computers? Where can I get one?

 

[Layback Bear]

How to get a new PC that runs Windows 7, not Windows 8 | PCWorld

 

[SIW2]

"We are confirming our current policy of allowing retailers to sell the boxed version of the previous OS for up to one year after release of a new OS, and that OEMs can sell PCs with the previous OS pre-loaded for up to 2 years after the launch date of the new OS," wrote Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc on a company blog.

If this policy first stated in 2010 holds true, it means that retailers can sell boxed copies of Windows 7 until October 26, 2013, and that Dell, HP, and Lenovo can sell Windows 7 PCs until October 2014.

Oh dear. Better stock up while one still can. After that, it will be even harder to avoid the metro madness.

 

[Britton30]

However, the company does say that it will end mainstream support for Windows 7 in January 2015.

Huh? I thought it was sometime in 2020.

I have a w7 PC I would sell.

 

[SIW2]

I believe they extended support till 2020.

That doesn't change how long you will be able to buy it, as far as I know.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Mainstream support (bug fixes) will be to 2015 and extended support (security updates) will be to early January 2020.

 

[andrew129260]

Mainstream support ends 2015. This is mainstream support which means requests of changes to the os, updates for windows 7 that involve issues such as tiny non critical glitches, optional updates, etc. Extended support is till 2020 and includes hotfixes and security updates only.

Microsoft is trying hard to avoid another "windows XP" Windows 7 is the next OS people will be holding onto. I will not be surprised if this gets extended. I am not moving until I have too. Windows 8 ui is just to horrible. And yes, I have used it. Both 8 and 8.1
The speed and kernel optimization is great, the UI isn't.


You just beat me lady! haha

 

[Britton30]

Ahh, yes, extended support is what I meant.

 

[TonyEvil]

The real problem is not whether Windows 7 will install over Windows 8, it will if you can boot from DVD or USB.

The real question is if you can find Windows 7 drivers for all your new hardware.

 

[ToxicXGL]

Wow where I live there are still a LOT of win 7 PCs and laptops being sold

 

[linnemeyerhere]

The real problem is not whether Windows 7 will install over Windows 8, it will if you can boot from DVD or USB.

The real question is if you can find Windows 7 drivers for all your new hardware.

I remember reading that many Windows 8 laptops didn't allow for a Windows 7 install at all, somehow I remember the mobo had chips that prevented this or something. Does anyone have more details on that or am I a victim of poor internet reading skills?

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

The real problem is not whether Windows 7 will install over Windows 8, it will if you can boot from DVD or USB.

The real question is if you can find Windows 7 drivers for all your new hardware.

I remember reading that many Windows 8 laptops didn't allow for a Windows 7 install at all, somehow I remember the mobo had chips that prevented this or something. Does anyone have more details on that or am I a victim of poor internet reading skills?

You're close. Some manufacturers didn't make Win 7 drivers for their new Win 8 machines. In fact, HP proudly announced it (not surprising since they have a history of prematurely abandoning older technology).

The chip you are thinking about is actually a piece of...er...firmware called Secure Boot that blocked upgrading to Win 7 or installing any other OSes. Usually, that can be turned off so the availability of Win 7 drivers remains the only real issue to upgrading to Win 7.

 

[andrew129260]

Luckily, for most things you can use generic drivers or sometimes the part maker will have a driver for their hardware (if you can find out who it is), you just can't get it from hp or dell....etc

First thing to do is find the drivers for your hardware, make sure you have them. BEFORE attempting installing windows 7.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Is this isolated to lappys or does it also happen with OEM desktop rigs?

 

[andrew129260]

Both.
If you built your own pc you can do whatever you want. All parts still support 7. Most even support xp with drivers still.

 

[theog]

The real problem is not whether Windows 7 will install over Windows 8, it will if you can boot from DVD or USB.

The real question is if you can find Windows 7 drivers for all your new hardware.

I remember reading that many Windows 8 laptops didn't allow for a Windows 7 install at all, somehow I remember the mobo had chips that prevented this or something. Does anyone have more details on that or am I a victim of poor internet reading skills?

Some OEM manufacturers are locking end-users out of the options in UEFI/ BIOS firmware on consumer PC’s, to install other OS's in UEFI mode, so you can only install in Legacy mode, on business PC’s there not.



Windows Hardware Certification Requirements for Client and Server Systems

Mandatory. On non-ARM systems, the platform MUST implement the ability for a physically present user to select between two Secure Boot modes in firmware setup: "Custom" and "Standard". Custom Mode allows for more flexibility as specified in the following:

It shall be possible for a physically present user to use the Custom Mode firmware setup option to modify the contents of the Secure Boot signature databases and the PK. This may be implemented by simply providing the option to clear all Secure Boot databases (PK, KEK, db, dbx), which puts the system into setup mode.

If the user ends up deleting the PK then, upon exiting the Custom Mode firmware setup, the system is operating in Setup Mode with SecureBoot turned off.

The firmware setup shall indicate if Secure Boot is turned on, and if it is operated in Standard or Custom Mode. The firmware setup must provide an option to return from Custom to Standard Mode which restores the factory defaults. On an ARM system, it is forbidden to enable Custom Mode. Only Standard Mode may be enabled.

Technical Note: UEFI BIOS vs. Legacy BIOS, Advantech(EN) - YouTube

 

[raindog308]

My mom just bought an i5-based Inspiron from Dell about a month ago and ordered it with Win 7 Home Premium.

I think they're only doing Win 7 on one line of Inspirons now, though...they've gone all-in with Win 8.

 

[Britton30]

PK, KEK, db, dbx no one seems to be able to spell out words anymore. I, as a reader lose interest fast if no explanation is given I'm not going to spend an hour on Google to read a few paragraphs. I'm sure I'm not the odd one who doesn't know all of those things. It's as clear as a BSOD error, 0x3244Gb45GzxY5 or something.

 

[Torrentula81]

I have an hp laptop came with windows 8. To instal 7 need to enable legacy boot in bios. Some drivers instal fine others will say wont work for windows 7. Between manufacturer drivers and the hp ones I got all mine working with very little effort. Worse case scenario is you google one that isn't working by hardware id and someone links a windows 7 version that does work on their forums. Haven't seen any stuck because they couldn't get things working.

 

[Britton30]

Torrentula81 you are fortunate to have a lappy with the option to disable secure boot, many don't. It's MS force-feeding (read gagging) Win 8 certification to OEMs and users. I bought a San Disk USB flash drive which shows as a Local Disk, they explained it is because M$ required that to be Win 8 certified.