Can I Uninstall Windows 7?

I found this, but I don't know if it will work. Hopefully the win 7 trial didn't completely disable XP.

http://appscout.pcmag.com/microsoft-windows/272381-remove-windows-7-from-vista-dual-boot

I'm using win 7, and typing MSCONFIG brings up the screen with the boot tab. You may be able to set XP back to the default os, and remove the trial version of win 7.

Kamarat-

I opened MSCONFIG/BOOT but the only boot path listed is for Windows 7.

Thanks, anyway.

-Bill

I looked around on the web for about 15 minutes, and all I can come up with, is that this looks like the makings of a class action lawsuit.

You don't have to buy the win 7 upgrade, it's just that your copy of XP won't work anymore.

What's next? Is somebody gonna force us to buy health insurance?!!!

By the way, I know that Microsoft has an article on how to uninstall Windows 7 and return to the old Windows version at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971760 but it requires a Windows 7 installation disk. I do not have an installation disk because the Windows 7 trial version was downloaded from the internet.

-Bill

In this case you might want to look for a CD/DVD image of a WIN7 installation. Burn this to a disc or use a emulator loading the image in a virtual CD drive. This could help you with the roll backof the installation.

As far as I know, there is no upgrade from XP to 7. Win7 will do a full install and put win XP in a folder called Windows Old. Look for this folder in your C drive. I would check the Microsoft Knowledge base but I think you can uninstall Win7 and XP will still be there. Maybe a call to Microsoft Tech Support wouldn't hurt either.

Good Luck.

I have the windows.old file, but restoring XP from windows.old requires a Windows 7 installation disk (according to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971762/en-us ), which I do not have.

-Bill

This might sound crazy, but an option would be to buy Win 7 Pro. Win 7 Pro allows you to run your system in XP mode. You can buy a copy of it fairly cheap. (Then you can untie your son and put away the baseball bat. )

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/windows-xp-mode

http://www.google.com/#q=windows+7+professional&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=p0HcUfLQLuv64AOI0IHIAg&ved=0CDoQsxg&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&fp=443ca6970179574d&biw=1247&bih=616

"You can't uninstall Windows 7, but you can reinstall your previous operating system if you have the original installation disc. For more information, see Installing and reinstalling Windows 7.

However, reinstalling an earlier operating system not only replaces Windows 7, but also deletes all of the programs, files, and settings on your computer.

Before reinstalling your previous operating system, you should save your files and settings to a storage device, and then save them back to your computer after the installation is complete.

Because your programs will also be deleted, you'll need to reinstall your programs using the original installation discs, or using the setup files if you downloaded the programs from the Internet."

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/can-i-uninstall-windows-7

If all of that applies to the "free trial" version, and there is no way to return your system to it's original state, (before the free trial), people should be being perp walked and going to jail.

I'm sure they could sell tickets just to see Bill Gates doing the 'perp walk', but that ain't ever gonna happen.

I needed to buy a new laptop for work and wanted to avoid one with Win 8. I ended up buying one via Tiger Direct. I initially tried to buy one at Best Buy, to get an idea of what it looked like before I bought it, but every laptop there came with Win 8 pre-installed. No wonder Best Buy is going out of business.

I like win 7 and liked XP. Missed the Vista bullet, but had to deal with Me which sucked.

I don't even have to try Win 8 to know that it sucks. Given the history of MS, Win 8 is just a buggy piece of crap that is intended to make Win 9 or 10 look like real salvation....for just a few hundred bucks.

Yea, I'm afraid that is the route I'll have to take. Fortunately I still have the Windows XP installation disk. I was hoping for a solution that does not entail wiping the disk and having to re-install all my software.

-Bill

This might help. I don't know if it left the programs intact.

http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-121778-unable-to-install-windows-xp-over-windows-7

You might consider buying a new hard drive, install it as your master, make the existing drive a slave, install XP and your programs on the new one, and then copy data files from the old drive. Then save a back-up image to the old drive so you'll have it even after Microsoft stops supporting XP (soon). I'm not sure exactly how to do this image back-up, but I'd like to know, since I want to keep using XP also.

It sounds as if your son has plenty of free time to do all this for you .

Hmmm, now there's an idea. I've been wanting to add a solid state drive for the operating system anyway. To boot up faster, you know. Maybe I can kill two stones with one bird! ;>)

-Bill

Go the other way round.

Install Windows XP Mode on Windows 7 - free software full version

Seems I read almost the same car/gas story comment (#7) just recently.

Twice!

That'd be great if he had win 7.... instead of just the free trial copy that has expired....

Lyn,

My problem is not that I have software that will not run on Windows 7. The problem is that the Windows 7 trial period has expired and I have software that will not run on an unauthorized operating system. I could run Windows 7 in XP mode, but it will still be an unauthorized copy of Windows 7.

-Bill

From experience I can only advise do not get involved with downloading from MS.
I have wasted literally 100's of hours, with them, only to be told, you now need.... etc. Grrrrrrrr!

Sorry. Not much help or comfort, so I would wipe your drive (or buy a new better one.
- i.e. treat your self to an upgrade ssd or something) and start anew.
(best, cost effective, advice. IMO)

jt.

2 eggs boiling in a pan. One says to the other, 'Wow it's hot in here'.
The other says 'Wait 'til you get outside, you'll get your head smashed in.'

You might consider buying a new hard drive, install it as your master, make the existing drive a slave, install XP and your programs on the new one, and then copy data files from the old drive. Then save a back-up image to the old drive so you'll have it even after Microsoft stops supporting XP (soon). I'm not sure exactly how to do this image back-up, but I'd like to know, since I want to keep using XP also.

That is simelar to what I did after my computer started to act up and none of a half dozen Anti-malware packges couldn't find anything. I bought a new C: and kept the old C: as another drive. After I installed XP then installed all my software but before connecting to the internet I imaged C: with Acronis. You can get free Acronis for WD and Seagate (Diskwizard). This is concidered prudent in many circles since some of this year's malware mutates the viral signiture making old style AV useless. You still need old style AV for old style malware but it will not keep your system safe. You do not connect to the internet until you have a good firewall up and running. Some college ran a test to see how fast a computer would be attacked by just having it connected to the internet. The average of several hundered tests was 8 minutes.

I do not store much data on C:

Can't you just restore your computer to the settings you had from a previous date before the trial install?

Also, maybe you should just save the files you don't want to lose to thumb drive, then reformat and install XP.

Have you contacted Microsoft with a WTF question?

This is like forcing you to purchase new software, which they do anyway when they just stop supporting XP.

I'm not sure if it is still going on, but at one time you could upgrade to the full W7 from XP for $15.00 through Microsoft. If you uninstall W7 you will have to re-install XP. If you must remove W7 and re-install an OS, I would go straight to W8.

I'm sure your son carefully read the disclaimer that he had to agree to before he did the install right? Yeah, the one that said MS can't be held liable for anything!

Can't you just restore your computer to the settings you had from a previous date before the trial install?

No, that is kind of like swallowing yourself. The operating system can't restore back to a date before it existed. That information was in saved in XP which is now gone.

the XP may yet exist though

From wiki definition of trojan horse in computing:

The term is derived from the Trojan Horse story in Greek mythology because Trojan horses employ a form of "social engineering," presenting themselves as harmless, useful gifts, in order to persuade victims to install them on their computers.

How in the hell does this not qualify?

Well,I appreciate all the suggestions. I have decided to buy a new SSD and a copy of Win 7. That way I get three things:

1) Fast bootup

2) Avoid the end of support problem with XP

3) I can still run Win 7 in "Win XP mode" (I hate the Win 7 and 8 interface)

Total cost: about $200, all because a "trial version" of Win 7 was installed.

Thanks,

Bill

Mission accomplished....

SunBirdie-

That is funny!

-Bill

I just caught this thread at the tail end. I have been working with MS software since the early DOS days. MS has had better and worse operating systems. Actually, in comparing the versions, XP and 7 are some of the better ones (Don't get me going on Windows ME!). One thing you will see (and it would be so even with a standard HDD rather than the SSD) is much faster boot speeds. The earlier versions of Windows were very slow to boot. I think in the long run you will like Win7, even with the changes from the 98/XP interface. General reliability improved a lot with that iteration.

But I do agree with other posters about Win8. I haven't worked with it yet, but all I hear around the back halls is how poorly it is fitted for older, traditional desktop type computing, so that unless you have a tablet / touchscreen computer and are really into the "touch and swipe", you probably won't like it and will find it clumsy and hard to use. Just my $0.02.