Windows 10 Noobie - Help to remove win10 and reinstall win 7 ult on intel nuc

[liabella]

Hi,
First post here and hoping to find some info to help how to re-install Win 7 on the Intel NUC DN2820FYKH0. As I cant see anywhere or how to do it.

Background
I was just given an Intel NUC DN2820FYKH0. It has Windows 10 tech preview build 9820 installed. While I like the Win 10 look and feel, the purpose of this mini pc for me is to use it as a HTPC for my daughters.

I have been using Media Browser 3 classic via WMC on Win7 and they use it fine, but nothing matches that that I can to work on Win10.

I have tried to roll back but there are no updates in the update history.
When I access the intel bios I cant move the cursors

Can someone please advise how I can uninstall Win 10 and reinstall win 7

Thanks
Michael

 

[Andrea Borman]

Hi Michael. You cannot actually remove Windows 10. If you have a valid Windows 7 install disk you can install Windows 7 over it. You will then need to activate Windows 7 using your product key and re-install any drivers that are not working. If you have made a back up of your OS you may be able to re-install Windows 7 from the back up. Otherwise you will have to do a clean install.

 

[davidhk129]

You wrote....I was just given an Intel NUC DN2820FYKH0. It has Windows 10 tech preview build 9820 installed......
Just a clarification : perhaps it is a typo, the first version of Win 10 TP is 9841, next one is 9860, and now it is 9879.

Questions :
1. Do you know what previous Windows OS was installed in that computer BEFORE Win 10 TP ?
2. Do you have the product key of that previous OS ?
3. When you were given that computer. was there anything else that came with it, such as installation dvd or recovery disks etc ?
4. In order to install a different OS, you need a genuine and valid product key. In your case, you need a Win 7 product key. Do you have it ?

 

[whs]

Look on the bootom of the laptop and see whether there is a COA sticker with a product key. What does it say ??

 

[Andrea Borman]

The OP said he bought the laptop with Windows 10 already installed. So maybe he does not know what OS was on it before.

 

[davidhk129]

He was GIVEN a computer. Not bought a computer.

To liabella,
You wrote " .... reinstall Win 7 ".
How do you know the computer had Win 7 BEFORE Win 10 ?
If you know that as a fact, then perhaps you also have the Win 7 product key ?

Bear in mind that the product key sticker at the bottom of your laptop indicates what version of Windows originally came with the computer.
It could be Vista or even XP. In that case, the key is of no use to you as you want Windows 7.
On the other hand, if the sticker says Windows 7, then that is the key you need to reinstall.

 

[davidhk129]

To liabella,
Assuming you do have a valid Windows 7 product key. Here are the steps you might want to follow....

1. You need to download your edition of Win 7 ISO from this link.....
http://www.w7forums.com/threads/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-image-downloads.12325/page-2#post-124821
***Make sure you select the proper Win 7 version as well as the correct bit-version.

2. Install the Win 7 USB/DVD Download Tool...........
Link Removed

3. Use the Download Tool to burn the ISO to a bootable DVD.
The procedures are very simple and straightforward.

4. Use the DVD to reinstall Win 7. (You might have to set your computer's boot order to boot from CD/DVD drive)

If you have question while following the steps, post back before you continue.

 

[whs]

The OP said he bought the laptop with Windows 10 already installed. So maybe he does not know what OS was on it before.

Regardless of what is currently on the PC, the COA sticker would tell which OS was originally installed on the laptop and the product key would be good for activating a new installation of that OS. An .iso of e.g. Windows 7 is easy to download from the web.

 

[Andrea Borman]

Regardless of what is currently on the PC, the COA sticker would tell which OS was originally installed on the laptop and the product key would be good for activating a new installation of that OS. An .iso of e.g. Windows 7 is easy to download from the web.

If the laptop originally came with Windows 7 pre-installed then yes, there would be a product key on the back. The only problem would be if the previous owner removed it before he sold the laptop. In that case the OP will have to have a valid copy of Windows 7 with a valid product key.

 

[whs]

The only problem would be if the previous removed it before he sold the laptop

That is actually 'illegal'. That would be like taking out the RAM and selling it as a functioning PC.

 

[Andrea Borman]

That is actually 'illegal'. That would be like taking out the RAM and selling it as a functioning PC.

But some people do remove the product keys or stickers from the laptop. I was not aware that it was actually illegal to do so.That's news to me.

 

[whs]

It is illegal because the product key on the COA sticker is an itegral part of the PC - and it is the only legal key for your OS. The OEM key with which the OS was installed at the factory is just a generic key that the OEMs use for mass activation. It does not belong to your PC.

 

[Andrea Borman]

It is illegal because the product key on the COA sticker is an itegral part of the PC - and it is the only legal key for your OS. The OEM key with which the OS was installed at the factory is just a generic key that the OEMs use for mass activation. It does not belong to your PC.

Oh I didn't know that.

But then a lot of people buy a laptop with Windows pre-installed then they remove it to install Linux or another version of Windows on it.

All of my netbooks came with Windows 7 Starter but I have installed Windows 7 Home Premium and also Windows 8 on another netbook. We are allowed to do that as long as we have a legal copy of Windows with a valid product key.

After all who the hell wants Windows 7 Starter?

 

[whs]

What you say is correct. If you have a key for another Windows edition, you can install that - or Linux. But if you want to reinstall the OS that came with the PC free of charge, then the key of the COA sticker counts. Unless you reinstall from the recovery partition. Then the activation is automatic.

Btw - PCs with Windows 8.1 do not have a COA sticker. The OS key is stored in the BIOS.

 

[Andrea Borman]

What you say is correct. If you have a key for another Windows edition, you can install that - or Linux. But if you want to reinstall the OS that came with the PC free of charge, then the key of the COA sticker counts. Unless you reinstall from the recovery partition. Then the activation is automatic.

Btw - PCs with Windows 8.1 do not have a COA sticker. The OS key is stored in the BIOS.

No when you do a clean install of Windows 7 or 8 from the DVD the activation is not automatic. On Windows 7 you must enter your product key once Windows is installed. Then it will activate as long as it is valid and you have not used it on any other computes.

On Windows 8 you must enter it before you install Windows then it activates after the install. You can install any OS you want on a Windows 8 laptop as long as you disable secure boot in the Bios first.
Where is the OP? It seems he has quite this thread.

 

[whs]

No when you do a clean install of Windows 7 or 8 from the DVD the activation is not automatic

The 'automatic' referred to a reinstall from the recovery partition. Else you are right.

Where is the OP? It seems he has quite this thread

We probably scared him/her away, LOL.

 

[Andrea Borman]

Maybe the admin should close this thread. Since the OP has disappeared. He's only made one post. So maybe he never even had the problem in the first place or is not for real.