Thread: Downgrade Windows 10

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    Downgrade Windows 10

    I applied the upgrade to Windows 10 to my Win 8.1 system. I want to go back, but MS have dropped something on the system here preventing me from loading 8.1 again from my original install disk. Presumably something in the registry. What or where is this flag, anyone know? What I want to do is install 64bit Windows 8.1, it currently has 32bit. Following my rebuild, I want to be able to use the 16GB of RAM the rebuilt system has, while the 32bit system only allows me to see 4GB.

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    Do you really need 16GB? I see everything works even with much less.

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    When I did the rebuild, I checked the offers available and the 16GB pack worked out best value.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fossaw View Post
    When I did the rebuild, I checked the offers available and the 16GB pack worked out best value.
    Becareful about 64 bit versions though. I've noticed that many of my 32 bit softwares don't work anymore for 64 bit versions of Windows. Microsoft used to have a patch that enables 32 bit and lower compatibility. However I couldn't find that anymore so I use Microsoft Windows Vista in 32 bit version.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tien Nguyen View Post
    Becareful about 64 bit versions though. I've noticed that many of my 32 bit softwares don't work anymore for 64 bit versions of Windows. Microsoft used to have a patch that enables 32 bit and lower compatibility. However I couldn't find that anymore so I use Microsoft Windows Vista in 32 bit version.
    The only problem with Vista is that it doesn't support fullscreen mode for my 16 bit softwares so XP the the latest modern machine that I could use it on.

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    (?<!re)tired Mario F.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fossaw View Post
    I applied the upgrade to Windows 10 to my Win 8.1 system. I want to go back, but MS have dropped something on the system here preventing me from loading 8.1 again from my original install disk. Presumably something in the registry. What or where is this flag, anyone know? What I want to do is install 64bit Windows 8.1, it currently has 32bit. Following my rebuild, I want to be able to use the 16GB of RAM the rebuilt system has, while the 32bit system only allows me to see 4GB.
    Ignore the troll on your Cboard settings.

    You won't be able to install anything below Windows 10 by starting the setup disk while logged in to Windows 10. It's not just registry settings. It's hard-coded. And it's been like that for a long while; You usually couldn't install a previous version from the newer one since at least Windows 7 or XP. Because reasons.

    Check your Windows 10 Settings App (gosh how I hate that name, app!) by going to Recovery under Security and Updates or somesuch. If you did the upgrade recently you should still have there an option to reinstall 8.1.

    If not, you are out of luck. You need to backup and install from boot. There's nothing you can do from within Windows 10. By changing registry or anything else.

    Oh! And this is Microsoft. Even if you are still able to go back through the Settings app, do yourself a favor and still backup your data.
    Originally Posted by brewbuck:
    Reimplementing a large system in another language to get a 25% performance boost is nonsense. It would be cheaper to just get a computer which is 25% faster.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mario F. View Post
    Oh! And this is Microsoft. Even if you are still able to go back through the Settings app, do yourself a favor and still backup your data.
    Ugh....The agony!

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    (?<!re)tired Mario F.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by interestpaint View Post
    Ugh....The agony!
    Good point! Fair enough, you should always do backups and all that yadda.
    Originally Posted by brewbuck:
    Reimplementing a large system in another language to get a 25% performance boost is nonsense. It would be cheaper to just get a computer which is 25% faster.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tien Nguyen View Post
    Do you really need 16GB?
    What kind of question is that? If there wasn't a need for 16GB, don't you think the computer would have been built with less? If you go back in the post history and look at what Fossaw is doing with this computer, you'll see that 16GB is pretty a reasonable amount of memory.
    What can this strange device be?
    When I touch it, it gives forth a sound
    It's got wires that vibrate and give music
    What can this thing be that I found?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Elkvis View Post
    What kind of question is that? If there wasn't a need for 16GB, don't you think the computer would have been built with less? If you go back in the post history and look at what Fossaw is doing with this computer, you'll see that 16GB is pretty a reasonable amount of memory.
    Jesus! Chua Me O! Jesus Christ! I was specifically thinking memory swapping with the hard drive that has the bottleneck of slowing down using the disk. Yes more memory is fine however most projects don't need that much. Then again I tend to prune until I keep within memory/space.

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    Master Apprentice phantomotap's Avatar
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    You need to backup and install from boot.
    O_o

    Does "Windows 8" even have a stable 32bit to 64bit upgrade process?

    Would Fossaw be better served by a backup and clean install rather than a downgrade followed by an upgrade?

    I've never used "Windows 8" so couldn't guess, but I wouldn't trust multiple jumps to leave me with a stable system and all my data intact.

    Soma
    “Salem Was Wrong!” -- Pedant Necromancer
    “Four isn't random!” -- Gibbering Mouther

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    Many people are suggesting backups and I have to agree with that. My real dad Nguyen Binh Thuy told me decades ago to backup. He programmed back in 1970 or such ago. At that time my real mom was busy preparing for me to be born to her Huong Thi Thuyen Vu. There are so many times that backup saved me $1000's of going to a professional to do the job for me.

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    Master Apprentice phantomotap's Avatar
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    My real dad Nguyen Binh Thuy told me decades ago to backup.
    O_o

    My real dad told me decades ago "Don't poop on cats.".

    The advice my dad gave me has similarly saved me thousands of dollars of going to a professional.

    Soma
    “Salem Was Wrong!” -- Pedant Necromancer
    “Four isn't random!” -- Gibbering Mouther

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    .... so is installing a Linux distrib, then installing 8.1 again viable? I have Linux kits, old, but still.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fossaw View Post
    .... so is installing a Linux distrib, then installing 8.1 again viable? I have Linux kits, old, but still.
    Your best bet is to keep trying. By your own experience you will know what works for YOU.

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