Official Windows downgrade?

[3bbb7]

I was going to buy this: http://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-V...dnight/dp/B0085H63TC/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

But its not for sale right now. since its the official acer seller, I dont think they will be selling it anymore since theres a newer version of it available.
The new version has Windows 8 but basically the same specs.
I want windows 7 because im going to install linux mint along side it and Ive heard windows 8 is a hassle when dualbooting stuff. I will also only be using windows for gaming, Linux mint for everything else I do... So i dont need that stupid metro look, just the desktop.

Any way to get an official downgrade from windows without paying $100 for a copy of windows?

 

[Rydian]

There's no downgrade functionality, no.

 

[Originality]

There's no downgrade functionality, no.

How about VM functionality? Any of that?

 

[Rydian]

Virtual machine? He'd have to have a copy of 7 for that as well, and that wouldn't solve his dualboot linux issues and junk.

There IS piracy, and while I have tested out Windows Loader and confirmed it works as advertised with clean copies, I'm a little on the fence about it because it gives access to windows update as well, and while that's important (and why I would normally press a legit copy of windows) it's also a service, and piracy of services is a little over the line for me since services, unlike direct copies of software, actually DO cost the company money for the hosting and bandwidth.

 

[Originality]

Then I guess running Linux in a VM environment doesn't help...

 

[3bbb7]

I mean running Linux dual booted. I want to run it full speed, not emulate it in a window.

I will barely be using Windows, only for Steam.

Virtual machine? He'd have to have a copy of 7 for that as well, and that wouldn't solve his dualboot linux issues and junk.

There IS piracy, and while I have tested out Windows Loader and confirmed it works as advertised with clean copies, I'm a little on the fence about it because it gives access to windows update as well, and while that's important (and why I would normally press a legit copy of windows) it's also a service, and piracy of services is a little over the line for me since services, unlike direct copies of software, actually DO cost the company money for the hosting and bandwidth.

I don't think I'd pirate Windows, mainly because Im paranoid with viruses and stuff being in it. I know its a fresh install but can keyloggers/RATs/stuff like that be on it before you even install it?

 

[FAST6191]

Modern VMs and processors can pass quite a lot through making for very little speed penalty (even nicer the sort of integration into host OSes available nowadays is almost seamless. As far as games go I might not go for modern stuff but just yet but it is not far off and older games are/the cutoff is getting better all the time.

Keyloggers and such like in a fresh install- nlite and vlite could probably allow a skiddie to do it. That said good sources and checks (everything from SFC up) can get around that problem.

 

[Rydian]

If you have a modified copy, yes. That's why the only method I'd ever confirm as usable is using a clean official ISO (sometimes called 1:1, verify the MD5/SHA-1 hashes too to make sure it hasn't been edited) and then immediately (as soon as it's got network) downloading and running Windows Loader to activate it (with a pretty interesting method, too). These ISOs are often either ripped from a retail disc, or direct from the MSDN (Microsoft offers ISO downloads of it's products for developers), and they have the hashes on the MSDN as well.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/securedownloads/default.aspx
This page, once signed in, lets you browse the downloads and their hashes (though of course you can't download the ISOs or get keys without a subscription, just grab any "1:1", "clean", or "untouched" ISOs from your favorite torrent site).

File Name: en_windows_7_home_premium_with_sp1_x64_dvd_u_676549.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: 6C9058389C1E2E5122B7C933275F963EDF1C07B9

Like that, once you browse and click the details. Just assuming you'll want HP 64-bit, since there's no reason for normal consumers to go higher.

 

[3bbb7]

If you have a modified copy, yes. That's why the only method I'd ever confirm as usable is using a clean official ISO (sometimes called 1:1, verify the MD5/SHA-1 hashes too to make sure it hasn't been edited) and then immediately (as soon as it's got network) downloading and running Windows Loader to activate it (with a pretty interesting method, too). These ISOs are often either ripped from a retail disc, or direct from the MSDN (Microsoft offers ISO downloads of it's products for developers), and they have the hashes on the MSDN as well.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/securedownloads/default.aspx
This page, once signed in, lets you browse the downloads and their hashes (though of course you can't download the ISOs or get keys without a subscription, just grab any "1:1", "clean", or "untouched" ISOs from your favorite torrent site).


Like that, once you browse and click the details. Just assuming you'll want HP 64-bit, since there's no reason for normal consumers to go higher.

Im not good with these hashes stuff. If the sha1 hash is the one you posted, then it means it hasnt been touched?

 

[Zerosuit connor]

7 isn't hard to dual boot along eight, partition your harddrive and install seven onto it by mounting the iso in eight. It will reboot and ask you where you want to install it

 

[geishroy]

7 isn't hard to dual boot along eight, partition your harddrive and install seven onto it by mounting the iso in eight. It will reboot and ask you where you want to install it

he wants to dual boot windows and linux, not windows windows and linux. the problem is he thinks it will be difficult to install linux on a windows 8 partition. please go back and read.


to op:
just eat it and use 8 dude. or pirate 7 if you really can't set it up; however i don't think it is very difficult to dual boot, just watch a video if you really have trouble. if you're working in a linux environment and can't properly install it on a hard drive partition maybe you needa get some skillz.

 

[Rydian]

Im not good with these hashes stuff. If the sha1 hash is the one you posted, then it means it hasnt been touched?

Yes, if the SHA-1 hash matches then you have the exact same file.

You can use this program to check/compute the hash of files.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/hash_my_files.html

Do note that it should be a recent Home Premium 64-bit ISO, with Service Pack 1 and the patch and such. A disc without Service Pack 1 won't match the hash since it's a different disc, a 32-bit one won't match either, etc.

 

[3bbb7]

Yes, if the SHA-1 hash matches then you have the exact same file.

You can use this program to check/compute the hash of files.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/hash_my_files.html

Do note that it should be a recent Home Premium 64-bit ISO, with Service Pack 1 and the patch and such. A disc without Service Pack 1 won't match the hash since it's a different disc, a 32-bit one won't match either, etc.

ok and how would I activate it ? or can I not ask that here?

 

[Rydian]

"Windows Loader" is literally the name of the program, google it.