I hate Windows 11. Can I downgrade to Windows 10?

[RV_]

I don't hate Windows 11, It is fine by me except for my Hauppauge TV Tuner Win TV 10 application that crashes.

However, this is the first I have seen that we can downgrade a Windows 11 computer to Windows 10 if we want and the the Windows 11 license will activate it just fine. There is one catch - it has to be a clean install. If you decide tpo do this do make a complete system image so you can restore back to where it is now fully loaded with all programs apps and data.

Excerpt"

"If this is a new PC that came with Windows 11 preinstalled, let me ask, are you sure you want to do this? The PC maker designed this system to run Windows 11. You might find glitches and hardware incompatibilities when you install Windows 10, and those problems might be even more annoying than whatever issues you have with Windows 11.

If the PC was originally designed to run Windows 10, your chances of successfully installing Windows 10 are much better. In any case, I recommend making a complete backup of your system before going any further."

Instructions in the full article here:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/i-hate-windows-11-can-i-downgrade-to-windows-10-ask-zdnet/?utm_source=pocket_mylist

 

Edited May 9, 2022 by RV_

[RV_]

Based on the article above I called Lenovo and had them send me a factory restore recovery USB drive free. (It's law they have to when needed/asked for)

Why? Because my Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-955Q TV tuner and DVR has been crashing my new Lenovo All in One daily sometimes more than once. It throws an error message saying it asked for an unconventional close command. This has been going on since I upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

I contacted Hauppauge and they had me email so when they answered they asked questions I had already answered in their email but I patiently answered.

That was a month ago and I heard nothing more. I had gone to their support website to see if they had a download that specifically mentioned Windows 11 but they only mention Windows 10??

So after getting off the phone with Lenovo I checked their website again to be ready  and they had a newer version of WinTV10 mentioning it is for Windows 11 too! I have downloaded it and installed it and hope to see no more computer crashes from it. However since my computer has some slow retrieval issues from my 4TB WD Elements external drive it did not have with Windows 10 I will still go back to 10 to see.

I would recommend all who upgrade to windows 11 from a Windows 10 machine to make a system image kept separate with the setup Windows 10 system. And after upgrading to 11 another image on a separate drive of that.

This time I will image this system with 11, and after doing the factory restore from the USB recovery drive they are sending I'll set it up and also do an image of the system on Windows 10 and keep them well label;ed and separate. I use 3.5 drives in my two drive docks for images of each system as soon as it is setup and I put it away unless I add programs or after a month to save my work since the last image. I use the 4TB WD elements large external drive for my files and folders as a working drive until I am confident in the new system.

Short version. I am reverting to Windows 10 after imaging this Windows 11 system. Then I can go back to it anytime in a half hour or less. Once the Win 10 system is up and running with all programs and files I will image it. Then decide when ,if ever, I go back to Win 11.

For the upcoming 1TB upgrade of the SSD for my Surface Pro 7+ (Plus LTE from the 128GB SSD it came with I'll just image the 128GB system before removing the 128GB SSD it is on, and slap in the blank 1TB SSD. Before booting I'll make sure the external drive dock with the image of the 128GB SSD is connected and plugged in. Then I'll boot and see if it also goes into recovery which it will and then restore the image from the 128GB SSD and expand the C drive with the remaining unallocated drive space using Mini tool partition master free. EZ PZ! 🤞🤞

[Chalkie]

13 hours ago, RV_ said:

Based on the article above I called Lenovo and had them send me a factory restore recovery USB drive free. (It's law they have to when needed/asked for)

Where is this law to be found? I have laptop that I converted to linux because a Windows update basically killed it and had failed to create recovery media when I first got it. Even zdnet does not indicate it is law.

Quote

Did your most recent Windows PC come with reinstallation media? Many do, some don't. But contrary to what you might have read, creating replacement Windows discs is easy, and every major PC maker will supply backup discs, sometimes for free.

Now when I got this unit it was refurbished by a third party using OEM parts. The refurbisher claims it is not their problem as the Windows license used the original key. The manufacturer claims it is not their problem as they were not the ones doing the refurbishing so they no longer consider it a valid build. Being able to point to a specific law might help me twist an arm or two.

Edited May 9, 2022 by Chalkie

[RV_]

Gary sorry I meant to and should have said industry practice while under warranty. Especially now with Windows activation keys linked to our hardware. I have gotten media free from HP, Dell, and now Lenovo.

It is my practice to make a system image as soon as I have one up and running and have my programs installed. Then I put that away in case I need it. In this case I accidentally clicked on the update to Windows 11 accidentally while setting it up and doing the initial Windows 10 updates, and could not stop it. Nor could Lenovo Premium care techs over the phone. Once it was setup with 11 I did make a system image. See the recovery drives made with the 16GB USB flash drives do not have my programs and data.

Once my systems are built I then make a system image of the completed fully setup computer on a different drive in my drive dock. I use that second drive of the fully setup computer for extra storage for that one computer and for all future Image updates monthly. If my computer became infected somehow I might infect the next system image so if all else fails I can revert to my original first image which is missing all the latest data but has most of my old data from over the years. I keep all my newest documents and pics on the 4TB WD Elements external desktop drive. I am now in the process of getting everything out of the cloud from one drive free or not. My music, pics, and documents all can fit on a 2 TB drive and I do have my files on one uncompressed.

Might I offer an alternative. Do a clone with an external drive dock of your current system if you want to keep it. Then do a clean install of Windows if it was originally a Windows 10 machine. You can get the ISO image free from Microsoft anytime as it is linked these days to your hardware and may activate on that system. If all else fails you can buy a new copy of Windows 10 and go from there.

Thanks for catching that. At least once a year I fall prey to what I call the Will Roger's rule. "It ain't what a man knows that gets him in trouble. It's what he thinks he knows but just ain't so."

On your second question sorry but I misspoke and I normally double check myself as you know. That's why my posts generally come with the links I double checked my premises from. 😉

[RV_]

Gary what make and model number is this orphaned computer? What OS did it originally come with? 10? 8.1? 8? 7? XP? 

I would go to the manufacturer's website and see if the drivers are online to download there. As well, I have noticed lately that Windows Downloads has drivers available for my specific computers under "Optional Updates" and they may show there after downloading and clean installing whichever OS it sold with originally.

If all else fails, If it were me, I would be clean installing W10 for free by making a bootable W10 USB installer with the media creation tool from the link below.

Download Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

Then go to the manufacturer's website and download the drivers for it from there.

 

Edited May 9, 2022 by RV_

[Chalkie]

It was originally a Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 laptop that originally came with Windows 10. The real issue is that it came with a 64gb eMMC drive and that was it. It was was running a shrunk down version in order to fit that drive and give you a tiny bit of free space for operating. According to Microsoft the updates should recognize this and adjust all updates accordingly. It wouldn't be the first and likely not the last time that Microsoft misspoke to put it kindly. I have noticed that Dell now only uses that drive in Chromebooks, likely a very good idea. It works extremely well with Ubuntu so I will just leave it that way. 

On another note, my son-in-law the server design engineer says that his new work laptop has Windows 11 on it and he likes it. So maybe I will gamble an upgrade since I can roll it back. Everything I would want to save is backed up on One Drive.

[RV_]

I asked earlier "Gary what make and model number is this orphaned computer? "

With a model number from the label on the bottom I can look up options. The entire model number is needed to get the exact hardware and software specs.

You would likely be happy with Windows 11 as long as you are happy with Windows 10.

[Chalkie]

On 5/9/2022 at 2:40 PM, RV_ said:

Gary what make and model number is this orphaned computer? What OS did it originally come with? 10? 8.1? 8? 7? XP? 

 

On 5/9/2022 at 4:07 PM, Chalkie said:

 I have noticed that Dell now only uses that drive in Chromebooks, likely a very good idea. It works extremely well with Ubuntu so I will just leave it that way. 

I know you asked, but as I said it works as is now, and I am not in the mood nor do I have the patience to mess with it further.  It is on loan to my granddaughter (although I suspect I'll never get it back) and she is using it for her online college classes. The experience taught me two lessons. One, do not buy a refurbished unit unless it is from the original manufacturer. Two, never again purchase a unit with a 64gb eMMC drive and expect to run Windows. 

[RV_]

For anyone else that does want to upgrade to a larger hard drive or storage your computer treats as a hard drive even to boot, there are several options. These videos have just two.

However these links are for specific models with specific hardware types which vary but the ability to increase storage is fairly easy although for some seems complicated.

Use SD card as extra hard drive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh9o4_xO9Yw

 

Use a PCIe SSD in the WiFi slot on some starts at 5:20 into this video:                                         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A8IYOwe7EY&t=17s

You're welcome.

Edited May 18, 2022 by RV_

[fortytwo]

Win 11 is Microsquish's gift to hardware vendors.  My gmail issue was an old router.  My Neat portable scanner won't work with it period.  My HP Deskjet 100 mobile printer won't connect bluetooth; have to use USB.  MS simply resuffled the menu items.  The worst example is that a right click only brings up a few choices and you have to click the "other options" to get the ones most often used.  Copy is on one page; paste on another.  Inertia is the only reason I don't roll the new laptop back to Win 10.  I don't worry about security upgrades.  Microsoft updates are the most abundant virus out there.

[LindaH]

15 hours ago, fortytwo said:

The worst example is that a right click only brings up a few choices and you have to click the "other options" to get the ones most often used.  

I just purchased a new laptop with Windows 11 and, while for the most part I like it, this is the one thing that annoys me.  I save a lot of the stuff I do onto thumb drives and use the "send to" feature, but it's now on the second page.

The other thing that annoys me is the display size of everything.  The new laptop has a 17.3" screen and I expected everything to be larger than it was on my 14" laptop, which is the reason I got the larger screen in the first place!  Nope.  If anything, it's smaller!  I have figured out how to make *most* things larger, but it was still an annoyance.

[RV_]

On 5/23/2022 at 3:38 PM, fortytwo said:

Win 11 is Microsquish's gift to hardware vendors.  My gmail issue was an old router.  My Neat portable scanner won't work with it period.  My HP Deskjet 100 mobile printer won't connect bluetooth; have to use USB.  MS simply resuffled the menu items.  The worst example is that a right click only brings up a few choices and you have to click the "other options" to get the ones most often used.  Copy is on one page; paste on another.  Inertia is the only reason I don't roll the new laptop back to Win 10.  I don't worry about security upgrades.  Microsoft updates are the most abundant virus out there.

 

On 5/24/2022 at 6:54 AM, LindaH said:

I just purchased a new laptop with Windows 11 and, while for the most part I like it, this is the one thing that annoys me.  I save a lot of the stuff I do onto thumb drives and use the "send to" feature, but it's now on the second page.

The other thing that annoys me is the display size of everything.  The new laptop has a 17.3" screen and I expected everything to be larger than it was on my 14" laptop, which is the reason I got the larger screen in the first place!  Nope.  If anything, it's smaller!  I have figured out how to make *most* things larger, but it was still an annoyance.

Boy do I agree on the second page menu to paste or rename or delete. I have other issues with this new system, and have put off doing the clean factory restore because Lenovo's premium warranty support is the worst I have ever experienced. I will never buy another Lenovo device and will sell this one when I find another better HP or Dell AIO with Quad or 4K touch 27" screen.

Meanwhile I have to take a week to rebuild this system and then upgrade the SSD and RAM which I already have on hand. 5000Mbs WD Black 770 again that I put in the new Dell Optiplex 3080 Micro size backup system I just bought last month and upgraded.

If the downgrade to Windows 10 works and no more crashing issues I will use it until a better one comes along. But I will be actively looking. Meanwhile I will bring my Dell old 27 inch AIO back up from the basement and move this to the backup desk while I work on it. Glad I left my old system intact before wiping it to sell. No issues with it, and it is faster than this new one on 11, and I bought it in 2013! In all fairness this Lenovo AIO 5 was faster without upgrading when new with Windows 10 two months ago.

My new Lenovo  was not made with Windows 10 and I hope the ones that were handle it better.

If it works out I will not be upgrading any of my Windows 10 systems to 11 despite all my systems now being compatible with 11 now, until 2025 when support runs out. By then I hope they have all the bugs worked out of Windows 11 and aftermarket Apps can bring back the old menus for cut, paste, etc.