OEM Windows 7 Key on OEM Machine which Originally was Windows 8

[Craggles]

This laptop was supplied to me by my department with Windows 7, though originally the machine was windows 8. I installed windows 8 but a lot of the drivers I needed to use werent 8 compatible so i tried going back to 7. I backed up my key using jellybean or something similiar, however that key (which i suspect is oem) isn't activating Windows. Help?

 

[theog]

You need to use the OEM recovery media.

 

[alphanumeric]

What version of Windows 7 was installed by your department? And did that PC ever come with Windows 7 pre installed? I'd contact "Your department" and let them reinstall 7.

 

[gregrocker]

Find out how WIn7 was activated by the department. It might have been Volume License (organizational) key which is different than the retail Product Key audited by Magic Jellybean. If you find this out for us, we can better advise you. But the department should tell you what you need to know.

 

[theog]

I would say, downgrade rights version.

 

[Craggles]

I'll try and reinstall Windows 8 then downgrade back to 7, thanks.

 

[alphanumeric]

To downgrade back to 7 you would have to clean install 7 so why go to the trouble of installing 8 again? Windows 8 Pro has downgrade rights (if the manufacturer offers it). To actually downgrade though you have to reinstall Windows from scratch.