Solved Downgrading from 8 to 7 on HP Pavilion Touchsmart

[Murd3rd]

So one of the Civilian guys i work with has an HP Pavilion Touchsmart with Windows 8 installed and he overheard me talking to someone about my ability to wipe a computer and clean-install windows 7. He asked if i could do it on his new HP since he basically refuses to use it because of 8 and can't take it back...I've done a lil bit of research about this PC and i guess it wasnt offered in a 7 variant (at least i cant find it) and i read a few articles about downgrading only being possible on Windows 8 *PRO* machines.

I've tried the conventional boot from flash drive with Windows 7 install files, and try to install but it says it cannot do it because the partition style is GPT...and i have no earthly clue what that is...it's new to me. I've wiped and clean installed windows 7 on countless computers now...even one that had windows 8 on it that was an HP...but for some reason this one is extra tricky.

Any body have any Tips or Tricks, links or anything that can help guide in the right direction to getting 8 off this thing and putting 7 on it? It has to be possible...like i said, i've done countless computers now and havent failed yet...but this one has me scratching my head...HARD!!!

EDIT: Wanted to post up the exact product specs for future use

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c03667605&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en

 

[theog]

Windows 8 *PRO*

Can I downgrade the software?
Instead of using the Windows 8 Pro software, you may use one of the following earlier versions: Windows 7 Professional or Windows Vista Business.

This agreement applies to your use of the earlier versions. If the earlier version includes different components, any terms for those components in the agreement that come with the earlier version apply to your use of such components. Neither the manufacturer or installer, nor Microsoft, is obligated to supply earlier versions to you. You must obtain the earlier version separately. At any time, you may replace an earlier version with Windows 8 Pro. To enable downgrade on this computer to Windows 7, you must change the settings to boot into legacy BIOS mode. If the BIOS setting is not changed back to native UEFI mode boot prior to installing Windows 8 Pro, Windows 8 Pro will install; however, the following Windows 8 Pro functionalities will not work as they rely on UEFI mode boot:

OEM manufacturer to supply downgrade rights Vista/Win7 Install DVD's.


As this a OEM manufacturer's PC with Pre-installed Windows 8?

1) Downgrade to Windows 7.
Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7
Warning you must have the UEFI/BIOS firmware setting in Step Three set.

Make sure you read the NOTE at Step three.

2) If Using a USB Pen drive on a PC with a UEFI BIOS.
USB Pen drive need to be formatted to FAT32 as in
UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows
Take note of Step 11 for Windows 7.
Also you will need to use a USB 2.0 port, as there are no USB 3.0 drivers in Windows 7.


You will need to buy Windows 7.

 

[Murd3rd]

of course as soon as i posted this i found the 8F link and found those exact links you just posted...ill do some backing up and what not and give it a shot, THANKS!!!

It is indeed a Pre-Installed Windows 8 machine, but it is NOT Windows 8 PRO

 

[theog]

Secure Boot (Windows 8) | HP® Support
Screenshots in the above link.

DESKTOP

Disabling Secure Boot

You may want to disable Secure Boot in order to install new hardware or boot from a CD or DVD. Follow these steps to disable Secure Boot:

1) Turn off the computer.

2) Turn on the computer and immediately press the F10 key repeatedly, about once every second, until the Computer Setup Utility opens.

3) Use the left and right arrow keys to select the Security menu, then use the up and down arrow keys to select Secure Boot Configuration , and then press Enter .

4) The Secure Boot Configuration warning displays. Press F10 to continue.

5) Use the up and down arrow keys to select Secure Boot , then use the left and right arrow keys to change the setting to Disable .

6) Use the up and down arrow keys to select Legacy Support , then use the left and right arrow keys to change the setting to Enable .

7) Press F10 to accept the changes.

8) Press F10 again, then press Enter twice to restart the computer.

9) As soon as the computer starts, a message appears indicating that the boot mode has changed.

10) Type the four-digit code shown in the message, then press Enter to confirm the change.

NOTEBOOK.

You may want to disable Secure Boot in order to install new hardware or boot from a CD or DVD. Follow these steps to disable Secure Boot:

1) Turn off the computer.

2) Immediately press the Escape key repeatedly, about once every second, until the Startup Menu opens.

3) Use the right arrow key to choose the System Configuration menu, use the down arrow key to select Boot Options , then press Enter .

4) Use the down arrow key to select Secure Boot , press the Enter key, then use the down arrow key to modify the setting to Disabled .

5) Press Enter to save the change.

6) Use the left arrow key to select the File menu, use the down arrow key to select Save Changes and Exit , then press Enter to select Yes .

7) The Computer Setup Utility closes and the computer restarts. When the computer has restarted, the Operating System Boot Mode Change screen appears, prompting you to confirm the Boot Options change. Type the code shown on the screen, then press Enter to confirm the change and continue to Windows.

For newer HP UEFI/BIOS firmware will install in UEFI Mode.

http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...o-i-need-worry-about-drivers.html#post2615922

I am doing the same thing right now on a Pavilion 17-3019dx 17 3" laptop w/Core i3 -4000 (Haswell) I got off Best Buy for $399 on Cyber Monday. I want to test it first with a Dual Boot 7/8 so I can easily revert to take it back for full refund by Jan 15 (holiday return policy) if it isn't what I want. So I shrunk C by more than half to create a new partition, entered BIOS setup to disable Secure Boot and enable Legacy Mode on the Boot tab.
Then I booted a Win7 installer on a UEFI flash stick I'd formatted with Rufus as shown in UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows - although DVD install should work OK too. It installed fine and configured a Dual Boot menu with no problem.
What you don't have to do with an HP is delete all partitions as shown in the UEFI install tutorial. It will configure a Dual Boot just by installing Win7 to its separate partition.
When it started it had no wireless driver so I used the WIndows 8 wireless Realtek driver from the HP Support Downloads webpage, got online and installed 138 Important and Optional Upates. You might increase your chances of starting up online if you plug in by wire.
It also took the Win8 chipset, Intel Management Interface, Rapid Storage technology, and Video driver. So far I notice no performance deficits but I'm just finishing those final driver installs now.
Let me know how it goes for you. We can compare notes as we go. If Win7 works fine then I may leave Win8 on here but hide it, or we can help you remove it if you decide you want Win7 on the full drive or just want rid of Win8.

 

[Murd3rd]

Awesome!!! thanks for the info...im running Rufus right now to make my UEFI bootable flash drive!!!

Man I Love this site!!!

 

[Murd3rd]

ok, so the copy of Windows 7 Ultimate that i have is not and EFI bootable ISO...is there any workaround for this?

 

[theog]

Only x64 is UEFI bootable.

 

[Murd3rd]

Only x64 is UEFI bootable.

so if the copy i have has both 32 bit and 64 bit then it wont work? it seems like it. It also will only create that ISO with an NTFS filesystem...whereas the EFI boot requires Fat32...

 

[theog]

Use a Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 x64 DVD.

 

[Murd3rd]

Use a Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 x64 DVD.

ok

 

[Murd3rd]

I'm going to go ahead and mark this thing as solved...got 7 Up and running, now it is just a matter of getting all the drivers found and operating...Thank to all that contributed!!!

 

[theog]

You are welcome.

 

[Murd3rd]

Wanted to give an update...

I have successfully installed 64 bit Windows 7 Ultimate on the HP Pavilion TouchSmart 15-b109wm Machine and have EVERYTHING running as it should...even the USB 3.0 ports. Most of the drivers were even windows 8 drivers as well. I have yet to test the USB 3.0 ports with a 3.0 compatible device, but i did test it with a 2.0 device (something i had handy, since my 3.0 external is currently being used ATM).

The touch screen works, it has Aero effects enabled, which was the most complicated of the finds...just took a lil longer than the rest of the hardware to find the right driver for the graphics.

Edit: USB 3.0 ports work with a 3.0 compatible device just as it should.

 

[Murd3rd]

additional update:

it seems that the display driver was the only driver not available directly from HP (at least one that would work) or AMD, i had to use google to find it, and it wasnt on either of their websites...it was on some third party site...can't remember the name though.
But the Model of graphics card that this 15-b109wm PC has is the AMD Radeon HD 7500G Discrete-Class and the driver name that you need is: amd_13-9_mobility_win7_win8_64_dd_ccc_whql, which i found through searching google with the exact graphics card name.

Hopefully this thread can help someone out in the future as well, and im pretty stoked that i got this machine up and running with everything working!!!