Windows 10 back to windows 8.1

[t.mehoves]

Upgrade Windows with only a product key - Windows Help

 

[Elezium]

Hi folks,

Rafael suggestion might be an interesting test. I was thinking of installing Windows 8.1 from the ISO with another license (Hello Microsoft, mind putting the Cdkey inside the Surface box please?) that I have.

I'm 99% percent sure that my USB is bootable. I had a few other test that I would like to try later on today:
- Use another USB device (I have a USB Harddrive, around 250GB I think)
- Download another Surface imagine: I just want to see if it pass beyond the "Insert Media is not valid" error.. I am not expecting to fully work since the drivers are probably different.

Keep you post.. and thanks for everyone who update the thread as well. Appreciated.

 

[pippyo03]

This is the website I'm using to download the ISO image

How to Download the Windows 8.1 ISO image using a Windows 8 key

 

[Elezium]

Quick update... I post on Microsoft Community Forum... We'll see....

Reinstall Windows 8/8.1 using the Recovery Image from Microsoft - Microsoft Community

 

[pippyo03]

How do you get a 8.1 ISO image? Ive been researching and it looks like the only way you can get one is by installing windows 8 using a product key. And I don't think surface owners have a product key. I could be mistaken as I'm not near my surface box at the moment but windows 8 comes preinstalled and we don't get a product key. So how could I obtain my product key?

I mean, I have a windows 8 pro product key at my house that I guess I'll use. If that would even work

 

[PepperdotNet]

Your key is embedded in the ROM. There are tools you can download that will retrieve it. Try the first bing result for "retrieve oem key windows 8"

 

[pippyo03]

Your key is embedded in the ROM. There are tools you can download that will retrieve it. Try the first bing result for "retrieve oem key windows 8"

Thank you, I'll try this!!!

 

[PepperdotNet]

By the way, I did the same as you but on my Surface Pro 3.

I, like you, assumed that the recovery media provided by Microsoft will boot properly and actually recover the device if I need it to. But so far I am liking the Windows 10 preview so I'm not ready to find out yet.

 

[Elezium]

PepperdoNet: I guess you are mostly using your Surface as a laptop with a mouse and keyboard!

 

[jhfronk]

Microsoft Tech Support helped me get back to 8.1 from 10. I was having the
same problems as all of you.

1. Either use your previously created USB recovery stick from your own
machine OR download the image from the support website. Follow the
directions on creating the USB recovery stick (quick format doesn't matter,
but FAT32 does).
2. Boot into the recovery tools using the instructions provided by
Microsoft or on this forum.
3. Select your language and keyboard
4. Press Troubleshoot
5. Press Command Prompt (I'll use CAPS for commands, but they can be in any
case)
6. Type DISKPART.EXE
7. Type LIST DISK (there's a space between LIST and DISK) (a list of your
disk partitions will appear)
7a. Type SELECT DISK SYSTEM
8. Type CLEAN (it will come back with a success message)
9. Type EXIT
10. Close the command prompt, which will return you to the recovery screen
11. Press Troubleshoot, Reset, Next (skip the recovery key is asked),
Repartition the drives, Just Remove my files (which is faster, but either
choice works), and Reset (I think I got that order right..in any case, reset
your Surface).
12. The Surface will go through the reset process.
13. A bios screen asking you whether you want to reset the TMP will appear.
You can press ESC, but the support tech said that you can also press and
hold the power button for 30 seconds to turn off the Surface, and then press
it again to turn it back on.
14. Enjoy Windows 8.1 and wait for the Consumer Preview of 10!

 

[pippyo03]

Microsoft Tech Support helped me get back to 8.1 from 10. I was having the
same problems as all of you.

1. Either use your previously created USB recovery stick from your own
machine OR download the image from the support website. Follow the
directions on creating the USB recovery stick (quick format doesn't matter,
but FAT32 does).
2. Boot into the recovery tools using the instructions provided by
Microsoft or on this forum.
3. Select your language and keyboard
4. Press Troubleshoot
5. Press Command Prompt (I'll use CAPS for commands, but they can be in any
case)
6. Type DISKPART.EXE
7. Type LIST DISK (there's a space between LIST and DISK) (a list of your
disk partitions will appear)
8. Type CLEAN (it will come back with a success message)
9. Type EXIT
10. Close the command prompt, which will return you to the recovery screen
11. Press Troubleshoot, Reset, Next (skip the recovery key is asked),
Repartition the drives, Just Remove my files (which is faster, but either
choice works), and Reset (I think I got that order right..in any case, reset
your Surface).
12. The Surface will go through the reset process.
13. A bios screen asking you whether you want to reset the TMP will appear.
You can press ESC, but the support tech said that you can also press and
hold the power button for 30 seconds to turn off the Surface, and then press
it again to turn it back on.
14. Enjoy Windows 8.1 and wait for the Consumer Preview of 10!

I think I love you. And Microsoft support.

I will definitely be trying this process as soon as I have a good amount of time to my surface. But this looks like the most promising process so far

 

[Elezium]

Trying it right now!!!

Keep you post! Don't know why... I have good feeling.

 

[Elezium]

Microsoft Tech Support helped me get back to 8.1 from 10. I was having the
same problems as all of you.

1. Either use your previously created USB recovery stick from your own
machine OR download the image from the support website. Follow the
directions on creating the USB recovery stick (quick format doesn't matter,
but FAT32 does).
2. Boot into the recovery tools using the instructions provided by
Microsoft or on this forum.
3. Select your language and keyboard
4. Press Troubleshoot
5. Press Command Prompt (I'll use CAPS for commands, but they can be in any
case)
6. Type DISKPART.EXE
7. Type LIST DISK (there's a space between LIST and DISK) (a list of your
disk partitions will appear)
8. Type CLEAN (it will come back with a success message)
9. Type EXIT
10. Close the command prompt, which will return you to the recovery screen
11. Press Troubleshoot, Reset, Next (skip the recovery key is asked),
Repartition the drives, Just Remove my files (which is faster, but either
choice works), and Reset (I think I got that order right..in any case, reset
your Surface).
12. The Surface will go through the reset process.
13. A bios screen asking you whether you want to reset the TMP will appear.
You can press ESC, but the support tech said that you can also press and
hold the power button for 30 seconds to turn off the Surface, and then press
it again to turn it back on.
14. Enjoy Windows 8.1 and wait for the Consumer Preview of 10!

Well!!! I love you!!!

I used the same SP2 image, on the same USB key. And followed your instructions and it's working!

Just one little thing:
Between the LIST DISK and CLEAN. You must select a disk:
"SELECT DISK 0" (without the quote) did the trick for me.

Time to install some update! Thanks so muuccccch!!!

 

[PepperdotNet]

PepperdoNet: I guess you are mostly using your Surface as a laptop with a mouse and keyboard!

Hardly! It works as good or better than it did on 8.1 in my estimation. Just because it's a tablet does not mean I want everything full-screen all the time. Most of what I use is desktop apps. But I almost never use the Type Cover or any other physical keyboard with it.

 

[jhfronk]

Oops! You're right. I forgot a step. Step 7a would be Type SELECT DISK SYSTEM, and then type CLEAN.
Sorry about that! I fixed my original post to include that step.

 

[Elezium]

Oops! You're right. I forgot a step. Step 7a would be Type SELECT DISK SYSTEM, and then type CLEAN.
Sorry about that! I fixed my original post to include that step.

No worries You did the hardest part!!!

 

[Magdy Samir]

Microsoft Tech Support helped me get back to 8.1 from 10. I was having the
same problems as all of you.

1. Either use your previously created USB recovery stick from your own
machine OR download the image from the support website. Follow the
directions on creating the USB recovery stick (quick format doesn't matter,
but FAT32 does).
2. Boot into the recovery tools using the instructions provided by
Microsoft or on this forum.
3. Select your language and keyboard
4. Press Troubleshoot
5. Press Command Prompt (I'll use CAPS for commands, but they can be in any
case)
6. Type DISKPART.EXE
7. Type LIST DISK (there's a space between LIST and DISK) (a list of your
disk partitions will appear)
7a. Type SELECT DISK SYSTEM
8. Type CLEAN (it will come back with a success message)
9. Type EXIT
10. Close the command prompt, which will return you to the recovery screen
11. Press Troubleshoot, Reset, Next (skip the recovery key is asked),
Repartition the drives, Just Remove my files (which is faster, but either
choice works), and Reset (I think I got that order right..in any case, reset
your Surface).
12. The Surface will go through the reset process.
13. A bios screen asking you whether you want to reset the TMP will appear.
You can press ESC, but the support tech said that you can also press and
hold the power button for 30 seconds to turn off the Surface, and then press
it again to turn it back on.
14. Enjoy Windows 8.1 and wait for the Consumer Preview of 10!

You're the one, can't thank you enough. I had really hard time trying everything and searching the whole global internet to get back to windows 8.1,
But don't know why once I started the reset I thought I loved the windows 10, but then remembered the missing modern IE, the windowed apps and many other stuffs. I believe when they introduce continuum ill give it a try as long as i now know the safe way back to windows 8.1

 

[awilliams1701]

Modern IE is still there, but you need a workaround to get to it. I do not know what it is off the top of my head, but I believe its on this site somewhere.

You're the one, can't thank you enough. I had really hard time trying everything and searching the whole global internet to get back to windows 8.1,
But don't know why once I started the reset I thought I loved the windows 10, but then remembered the missing modern IE, the windowed apps and many other stuffs. I believe when they introduce continuum ill give it a try as long as i now know the safe way back to windows 8.1

 

[Magdy Samir]

I used it, but really it's not that good without the swipe and the idea that you have to right click with a mouse

 

[pippyo03]

Microsoft Tech Support helped me get back to 8.1 from 10. I was having the
same problems as all of you.

1. Either use your previously created USB recovery stick from your own
machine OR download the image from the support website. Follow the
directions on creating the USB recovery stick (quick format doesn't matter,
but FAT32 does).
2. Boot into the recovery tools using the instructions provided by
Microsoft or on this forum.
3. Select your language and keyboard
4. Press Troubleshoot
5. Press Command Prompt (I'll use CAPS for commands, but they can be in any
case)
6. Type DISKPART.EXE
7. Type LIST DISK (there's a space between LIST and DISK) (a list of your
disk partitions will appear)
7a. Type SELECT DISK SYSTEM
8. Type CLEAN (it will come back with a success message)
9. Type EXIT
10. Close the command prompt, which will return you to the recovery screen
11. Press Troubleshoot, Reset, Next (skip the recovery key is asked),
Repartition the drives, Just Remove my files (which is faster, but either
choice works), and Reset (I think I got that order right..in any case, reset
your Surface).
12. The Surface will go through the reset process.
13. A bios screen asking you whether you want to reset the TMP will appear.
You can press ESC, but the support tech said that you can also press and
hold the power button for 30 seconds to turn off the Surface, and then press
it again to turn it back on.
14. Enjoy Windows 8.1 and wait for the Consumer Preview of 10!

OMG!!! Thank you so much!!!! I've been on this quest for 3 days just to reverse my mistake!!! Thank you thank you!!! And thank you MS support. I finally have my surface back and I cant thank you enough! Idk bout yall but my lesson has been learned! Thanks to everyone for all the help and ideas! Awesome!