Replace Win11 with W10 or W7 in new HP Pavilion possible?

[Fred L]

I have a new HP Pavillion desktop and it came with Windows 11, which I do not want. I bailed when it started asking for my info to set up a MS account.

Ideally, I would love to replace it with my trusty image of Windows 7 which has all my programs. It was made on an HP xw8060 Workstation which I want to move from. Great computer, but outdated.

Short of that, I would like to replace it with an activated copy of Windows 10 installation that I have on a USB stick.

Before I rip my hair out trying to make it happen, is this possible, or am I stuck with Win11?

 

[johnb35]

You can wipe the drive and install a fresh copy of 10. You wouldn't be able to image windows 7 to that new pc since you will most likely have driver issues and the windows 7 image was made for your old pc not the new one. The only thing you'll most likely have to do is buy a cheap windows 10 key. The so called activated copy of 10 will not activate on the new pc with different hardware than the original unless you used an MS account on the original windows 10 install.

 

[beers]

I bailed when it started asking for my info to set up a MS account.

the installer for W11 is largely synonymous with the one from W10.

Your best bet is a fresh format when using the media creation tool.

 

[johnb35]

If you go the windows 10 route then don't have the internet connected after the install but before you start to set it up or it will require an MS account. If no internet is connected then you can create a local account. Stupid MS.

 

[Fred L]

Thanks for the replies. I can't wait to get busy with it. I'm waiting for a 1T M.2 to arrive. The plan is to remove the 500G with W11 and keep it for just in case. Once I'm all set up I'll wipe it and use it as a storage drive.

Does W10 contain the drivers, or do I have to download them? I don't want to set up and account.. etc with HP, but I will if I have to.

Here's a the description of the computer:

HP Pavilion Desktop PC, AMD Ryzen 7 5700G, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, Windows 11 Pro, Wi-Fi 5 & Bluetooth Connectivity, 9 USB Ports, Wired Mouse and Keyboard Combo, Pre-Built Tower (TP01-2022, 2021)​

I had to jump through hoops to get it to boot from USB. This computer stuff used to be much easier.

 

[johnb35]

I had to jump through hoops to get it to boot from USB.

That would be secure boot interrupting that.

Does W10 contain the drivers, or do I have to download them?

Windows 10 should install most of them if not all.

don't want to set up and account.. etc with HP, but I will if I have to.

No HP account will be required, just make sure the ethernet cable isn't attached until after you get to your desktop after the install or you'll be required to create an MS account.

 

[Fred L]

That would be secure boot interrupting that.

Maybe this will help someone going down the same path as me.

First, I set USB to be the first in line. That didn't work.
Disabled Secure boot. Still didn't work.
Searched the internet and found the remedy. Enable legacy support. I could not find it anyowhere in the BIOS and discovered that HP removed the option in 2020.
Searched the internet more and found a post where someone suggested downloading Rufus and burning the ISO with GPT Partition scheme selected.
I did that and got an error when trying to burn the USB. Did some troubleshooting with no success. Tried another computer. Searched and found others with the same problem, no remedies.

At this point it seemed like a dead end. On a whim, I searched my software folders and found a different version of Rufus than what I downloaded and I gave it a shot - and it worked! The one that worked was Version 3.5.1497. Now I'm able to boot the PC with Hirens and Windows 10 install. That's all I need.

No HP account will be required, just make sure the ethernet cable isn't attached until after you get to your desktop after the install or you'll be required to create an MS account.

I'll do that.
I installed and played around with it on and off for a few weeks on my HP xw8600 and there were no hickups.

When I set up a PC for myself, I save images every step of the way. I'm set up so that if anything goes wrong, I can load the image and I'm back. Nothing is lost other than passwords. If I made any real changes, I log them and can do them again and save the image before connecting internet. Don't want to dirty things.

 

[DavidG]

I have a new HP Pavillion desktop and it came with Windows 11, which I do not want. I bailed when it started asking for my info to set up a MS account.

Ideally, I would love to replace it with my trusty image of Windows 7 which has all my programs. It was made on an HP xw8060 Workstation which I want to move from. Great computer, but outdated.

Short of that, I would like to replace it with an activated copy of Windows 10 installation that I have on a USB stick.

Before I rip my hair out trying to make it happen, is this possible, or am I stuck with Win11?

Don't forget if you downgrade to windows 10 MS support will end in 2025 so it is certainly a good idea to keep the 500G W11 drive

 

[Fred L]

That's what I was thinking, but it's starting to seem irrelevant.

I'm still running fine in Windows 7, so I'm not really concerned about support. Once the computer is working the way I want it no support is needed.

Also, I have a document with the PC's SN and activation codes and all that stuff, so I'm pretty sure I could just download W11 if I need it and enter that stuff during install. I'd probably have to set up HP and MS accounts, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

 

[Intel_man]

MS Support is more along the lines of MS releasing vulnerability security patches to the OS.

If you want to fly without them, by all means go for it. I don't recommend it, but I'm also not going to stop you from doing so.

 

[Fred L]

I did the install of the new drive and W10 with all of my programs. Everything works, saved a couple images along the way in case I need to back track.

Right now I'm converting my current W7 drive into an image so I can import it into Virtual Box. That way I can get rid of my old computer completely and visit the old desk top if I need to.

 

[Jiniix]

After running Windows Update until it says you're good, I'd recommend installing the newest chipset drivers from AMD. And maybe run Snappy Driver Installer afterwards for network, audio and storage.

 

[beers]

Right now I'm converting my current W7 drive into an image so I can import it into Virtual Box. That way I can get rid of my old computer completely and visit the old desk top if I need to.

That's a pretty solid plan, I usually conduct all of my auth-based cookie/token type of transactions in an encrypted VM. Extremely simple to back it up occasionally to a NAS and restore it upon reformatting the host OS, simply reinstall the hypervisor app and you're back in business.