ROLLBACK FROM WINDOWS 10 TO WINDOWS 8.1,8,7
One of the features Windows 10
offers is the option to roll back to your earlier OS installation if,
for some reason, you either don’t like or have compatibility issues with
Windows 10. While this isn’t an option that many people take, it’s
going to be important if you find out that a certain software package
doesn’t work correctly with the operating system.
Falling back is as simple as
opening the Settings menu, choosing Update and Security, then picking
the Recovery option. When you do, you’ll see a screen like this one:
Choose Go Back to Windows 8.1 /
7, depending on your original operating system, and Windows will begin
the rollback procedure. There’s no word yet on whether or not users who
roll back can still reinstall Windows 10 at a later date. There’s also
no information on whether or not you can reinstall an old copy of an OS
once you’ve upgraded that version to Windows 10. When Tom’s Hardware
took this question to Microsoft, the company responded that some
hardware changes can invalidate a Windows 10 upgrade license, and it
wouldn’t answer if customers could re-use old activation keys to
reinstall previous versions of their own software after installing
Windows 10. This last could be a problem for users who upgrade to
Windows 10 but forget to drop back to an older version before 30 days
have passed, which is one reason we’re calling it out early in the life
cycle.
If you’re concerned about losing
access to your Windows 10 key, or if you simply want to make a backup
of it in case something goes wrong, the freeware utility ProduKey
can be of assistance. The utility, which can be downloaded here, will
record the product keys of any Microsoft application on your system.
I recommend making a back up of
all license key information, just in case you end up in a situation
where you have to either reinstall or contact Microsoft for additional
assistance. In the meantime, I recommend testing all of the
applications and games you typically use/play before deciding whether or
not to stick with Windows 10. Don’t get caught off-guard if a critical
app doesn’t work, and don’t wait until the last minute to check the
situation.
-reg:extremetechRemember, however, that you’ve got just 30 days to jump back — after that point, Windows 10 will no longer offer the option to fall back to the older version.
No comments