Downgrading after clean Install of windows 10

HippsieGypsie said:

Hello, Obizan. Welcome to Windows Ten Forums.

Does your Elitebook have a recovery partition on it?

Good question Hippsie!

Obizan, please post a screen shot of your Disk Management.
If you've already downloaded the custom MMC, go to Step 2 to launch it and then grab the screen shot.

Step 1: Download this zip file (contains dmDskmgr-vd.mmc)

dmDskmgr-vd.zip

Step 2: Double click dmDskmgr-vd.zip to open the compressed folder
Double click dmDskmgr-vd.mmc to launch the custom Disk Management console
You'll get an output similar to this:

Press Alt+PrtScn to grab a snapshot of just the Disk Management window
Open Paint and Ctrl+V to paste it, then save the image
Attach the image to a new post.

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Option 2: Use Disk Management in the x-Menu (right click the Windows logo, select Disk Management)
Select View > Bottom > Disk list
Maximize the window and grab the screen shot.

Here's how you can grab a screen shot that shows the issue and attach it to a new post.
Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Ten Forums - Windows 10 Forums

Obizan said:

when I use the other way it does show "healthy (Recovery partition)" is that what you meant in the previews questions?

Thanks for the info.

If you look closely at the top pane in both images, they are identical, except in the custom MMC, the columns show all of the information (including the 1st entry with no drive letter = Healthy(Recovery partition).

That's why I made the custom - I got tired of asking people to 'please do it again and show all of the information'. So I thank you for using the custom.

The other thing I thought was more useful than a graphical representation of the same information was the Disk list view in the bottom pane. This readily tells members the drive# and the way the drive was initialized (MBR or GPT).

That was a fair question To answer your question though, no I was just trying to determine if you had an OEM recovery partition that might have the HP Factory install media on it. It looks as though you do.

Looks as though I'm really late coming back to this - DavidG and Hippsie have provided some good information.

DavidG: If that page works the same way as it's predecessor (Microsoft Software Recovery), it only takes a Retail key. Many people have requested that MS allow a COA key to be entered, so I hope they changed it when they changed the page.

Hippsie: That reference looks promising, I'll read it when I get the chance.
If the Fkey to boot the machine into HP recovery still works, that would be great.

I'll be out this afternoon, but will check how things are going when I get back in tonight.

I think the F11 key will get you to the HP Recovery screen

Restart your PC and when the screen goes black tap the F11 key repeatedly

If it works, you'll get the option to restore to Factory settings.
HP added a minimal option - choose that if available - it doesn't load as much bloat software.
But then there might be some applications that you want reinstalled (Cyberpower maybe?) - use the full factory restore in that case.

IT's possible that this won't work ... there is another way.

You should create a Windows 10 Recovery Drive (just the recovery drive, do not copy Windows files). This will let you boot to a 'repair' Windows if the change I think will work does not. All you need are base Windows commands, not a full blown Windows recovery.

I'll wait to post those instructions until after you see if the F11 key works.

Ok, thanks Obzan. I want to be sure we're not confusing the two recovery operations. One if the HP F11 recovery and the other is Windows Recovery.

I'm not sure why Windows would install 'right away' for either recovery option.

I'll take you at your word for what happened though ... where does the issue stand now.
You have Win10 installed - is it still running 'slow'?

You still want to revert back to Windows 7?

You previously did a Clean install and there is no Windows.old, but do you have a backup of your data?

The other option I previously mentioned is not viable - the Recovery partition is only 462 MB, not large enough to be the HP recovery partition.

You can try to download Windows 7 install media here:
Windows 7

Unless MS has changed things, the Windows 7 ISO download only works with a Retail key. If Windows was pre-installed an your machine (OEM box) try the key on the COA sticker on your machine.

The only other options you have are
Plead your case to HP, they might as a courtesy (use that word) send you install media. They won't give it to you easily, you really have to ask kindly and perhaps a few times.

If you know someone with Windows 7 install media that matches the edition on the COA sticker (Home, Pro, Ent ...) on your machine, you can use that install media and your COA key to Clean install Win7.