Rolling back to windows 7 (32) if I don't like windows 10?

Hi folks,

At the moment I have two partitions on my desktop running windows 7 (oem) in a dual boot setup. Works fine. I disk image my partitions on a regular basis with acronis true image as a quick method to solve problems with windows. I did pay for the upgrade to windows 8 a few years ago but didn't really like it and too much trouble updating everything so just have windows 7 as above at the moment.

I have a few questions for all you experts on windows 10.

1 If I upgrade to windows 10 when it is released on one of the windows 7 partitions, and then don't like it, do I have to roll back to windows 7 from within my windows 10 installation or can I just reinstall my windows 7 acronis image which would be my preferred method. Someone has said on a different forum that my windows 7 product key would be consumed by the windows 10 installation so on rolling back do I have to reactivate windows 7 again, and there again if I use the acronis image to go back to windows 7, will the restored windows 7 need to be reactivated?

2 When upgrading from windows 7 to windows 10 will I be given a separate product key fro windows 10 as was done when I bought windows 8?

Thanks for any help
Joe

I suggest reading the FAQ at the top of the stickies in this form.

Personally, I've restored from an Acronis image several times recently. The imaged OS was activated, and that was retained in the restored version.

I have read that it will be possible to do a clean install of the upgrade in the future. MS had not described how that will be possible without re-installing and activating the OS that qualified the upgrade.

There is little precedent that would allow us to guess how that will work. I bought a few of the Win 8 upgrade licenses ($40US) when MS was running the pre-release special. All of the value was contained in the keys that MS emailed to me. The official line was that such a license could not be used for a clean install: the qualifying OS had to be installed and activated first. There are work-arounds for that, including at least one that involves no hacking.

If MS can come with a licensing scheme for the free 10 upgrade that is approved by their attorneys but still favorably regarded by MS's customers (aside from being free), I'll be impressed.

If I am reading your post correctly, you have two version of windows 7 on two different partition. From my testing with different ways to upgrade to Windows 10, it could effect the other windows 7 partition and cause boot problems with each other because it did with me. It doesn't matter if the windows version is retail or oem. I might of found a way to overcome that issue but not sure it will work.

The following may not work:
Basically you upgrade from windows 7 to windows 10, then repeat the upgrade windows 10 to windows 10 same build or rtm before even trying the windows 7 partition. One note when upgrading for both methods use the setup.exe located in the root directory of the windows 10 installation disk (Usb or dvd) do not use the sources setup.exe file. You will need the iso image file for this to work. It took me about two hours, one hour for each upgrade.

groze said:

If I am reading your post correctly, you have two version of windows 7 on two different partition. From my testing with different ways to upgrade to Windows 10, it could effect the other windows 7 partition and cause boot problems with each other because it did with me. It doesn't matter if the windows version is retail or oem. I might of found a way to overcome that issue but not sure it will work.

The following may not work:
Basically you upgrade from windows 7 to windows 10, then repeat the upgrade windows 10 to windows 10 same build or rtm before even trying the windows 7 partition. One note when upgrading for both methods use the setup.exe located in the root directory of the windows 10 installation disk (Usb or dvd) do not use the sources setup.exe file. You will need the iso image file for this to work. It took me about two hours, one hour for each upgrade.

Thanks for replies. I find that EasyBCD application is great for setting up the boot to point to another partition, if that entry doesn't exist in your boot menu.

Great application but with all things to do with boot or MBR has to be used with caution, though it is easy enough to use.

joe

Ztruker said:

Post a snapshot of a fullscreen Disk Management Window:

To open Disk Management, press Windows key+r, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter or click GO. Make it full screen. Expand the fields as necessary so everything can be seen.

How to Take a Screenshot in Windows 10

Then: How to Upload and Post a Screenshot and File at Ten Forums

Thanks a lot for reply Rich, its just an 500gb SSD divided into three partitions with windows 7 (OEM same product key) on two of the partitions.

I do like windows 7 and all my applications run well on it, but probably would like to try 10 as well, that is why I would like to update one of those partitions to windows 10, and then have the dual boot as now with both windows 7 and windows 10.

Main thing I am worried about is to make sure windows 10 and windows 7 will show as activated on both partitions as of now my windows 7 activation is more important to me as all applications work well on it.

I do have a windows 8 product key so not sure if it would be better to update one of the partitions from windows 7 to windows 8 first and then upgrade to windows 10 after release date.?

Probably the reason that both my windows 7 activation is causing little problem is I am using it on one computer not trying to install it in different computers so hardware is the same.

Thanks for reply.
Joe

@donegaljoe
You might need to re-install the windows 7 oem on partition 1. Delete the other windows 7 oem on partition 2.
Then install windows 8.1 retail on partition 2, then upgrade to 10 using that partition.

It is a little tricky to do but it is possible. I will let someone else explain how since you are using one drive.

groze said:

@donegaljoe
You might need to re-install the windows 7 oem on partition 1. Delete the other windows 7 oem on partition 2.
Then install windows 8.1 retail on partition 2, then upgrade to 10 using that partition.

It is a little tricky to do but it is possible. I will let someone else explain how since you are using one drive.

Well it is not windows 8 retail, it was an upgrade to my windows 7 (OEM) which I paid £14.99 for.

I actually had three partitions one time on one drive two installations of windows 7 (OEM) and the upgraded windows 8.

Everything ran fine and showing activated

In the end mainly due to a HDD failure for some reason windows 8 wouldn't start at boot, and as I didn't really like it plus too many OS to update I just got rid of it.

But if a way to make sure that windows 10 was activated, I would reinstall it again.

Or maybe I should just go ahead at release date and just upgrade one of my windows 7 (OEM) partitions and hope for the best as regards activation, not sure about that.

Thanks guys.
Joe

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Ztruker said:

If you upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10, you are legally entitled to use Windows 7 with the same key while Windows 10 is installed. If you uninstall Windows 10 then you can use the Windows 7 key again.

If you have two Windows 7 partitions with two different keys then you're fine and activation will not be a problem.

"you are legally entitled" - did you mean NOT legally entitled?

I'm pretty sure that we are not supposed to run two versions of Windows on a single license.

I doubt that we are supposed to run two identical versions of Windows on a single key, even if they are in a dual-boot system so that only one would be active at any moment. (Difficult to enforce, I suppose.)