Rolling back to 8.1 on Dell tablet

[pankaj981]

Ok, I will try that but Windows 10 doesn't seem to want to accept bootable ISOs regardless of what they contain. But I'll certainly try it. Any idea where I can get that 8.1 evaluation? I have a tablet version on a USB drive sent to me by Microsoft, as I said, so I can try that. Any reason why that would be different from xandros9's files?

It does accept bootable USB drives. You can create one from the 8.1 Evaluation Edition which can be downloaded from here: https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...valuate-windows-8-1-enterprise&token=7yjrk3Bm

The files from xandros9's version are the contents of the recovery partition and not the bootable version of 8.1. If MS has already sent you a bootable tablet version of the OS then yes, you can use that instead

 

[tpapictures]

It does accept bootable USB drives. You can create one from the 8.1 Evaluation Edition which can be downloaded from here: https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...valuate-windows-8-1-enterprise&token=-JgZMtIm

The files from xandros9's version are the contents of the recovery partition and not the bootable version of 8.1. If MS has already sent you a bootable tablet version of the OS then yes, you can use that instead

Ok but I have this feeling, and I'm almost 100% certain that I'm right, that the V8P came with Windows 8.0. Will that cause me any problems going to the xandros backup from this Enterprise 8.1? Or is the xandros also 8.1?
Couple of questions...
1. what do I do with the xandros backup? I feel like I tried everything and it didn't work. Turn it into an image? Put it on the C: drive? I don't even know anymore. :unhappy:
2. I don't seem to have a product key. Is that going to be a problem down the road? I tried to get one once with some app someone recommended and it never worked. I have an envelope with a product key in the box but it claims to be for the "Windows 8.0 + Office" version and has never worked for me in trying to validate Windows.

 

[pankaj981]

You'll need a keyboard and mouse attached while you go through the process, for that you'll need a USB hub since the tablet lacks multiple USB ports. Windows 10 does not allow restoring back to the previous version due to a higher version bootloader or something (I am not sure about it but it has to do with compatibility) hence it doesn't work with xandros9's 8.1 image. It definitely works with the evaluation version I suggested.

1) Perform a clean install of 8.1 using the evaluation version or the MS provided tablet version
2) Move the contents from xandros9's image into the root of a blank USB drive and from restore from there. You dont have to convert his files into an image but uncompress it using 7zip or WinZip and move its contents and restore.
3) You can get done with the entire process using a keyboard, mouse, USB hub (micro USB), 8GB USB flash drive.

 

[tpapictures]

You'll need a keyboard and mouse...

Ok, I have all those pieces to get through it, but the Windows 10 tech preview will not allow me to perform a clean install using the tablet version Dell provided me with. It comes with instructions to load it as a bootable drive, causes errors every time, and reloads Windows 10.

 

[pankaj981]

Try referring to this link and see if it works:

Imaging requirements and process for the Dell Venue 8 Pro 5830 Tablet | Dell US


I don't have the detailed instructions because I remember it was a hassle since I had already removed the system partitions using diskpart commands and the only option that worked was the 8.1 evaluation to recovery restore

 

[tpapictures]

Try referring to this link and see if it works:
Imaging requirements and process for the Dell Venue 8 Pro 5830 Tablet | Dell US

Yeah, been there, that was the process that began this whole wretched journey. When you run the Windows 8 installer through that method it doesn't boot, causes an error and boots back to Windows 10.

 

[pankaj981]

Okay in that case you'll have to remove all the partitions using diskpart commands first and then attempt the install

 

[tpapictures]

Okay in that case you'll have to remove all the partitions using diskpart commands first and then attempt the install

That's why I said before "If I go this diskpart route, how do I find out what the Windows 8 partitions were to recreate them? "

 

[pankaj981]

I didn't have to create any disk partitions manually. I just whacked everything off using the clean command. Then ran setup after booting from the USB and the 8.1 evaluation installation took care of the reset.

 

[tpapictures]

Ok, so you're saying run diskpart to essentially wipe the emmc on the tablet. So, at that point, you have a tablet with no OS.
Then, boot from the USB drive using that 8.1 Enterprise ISO (why enterprise by the way?) to install it to the tablet. And just copying the ISO contents onto the USB drive will make it bootable?
Then once that's installed and created all the partitions it needs in the process, you then restore to the xandros recovery?

 

[pankaj981]

I am going to keep this as short as possible



Note: The process would wipe off everything and in the end you'll have the Venue 8 Pro with the clean recovery image contents from the forum user



1) Open command prompt and clean all partitions on the eMMC using diskpart commands (you can refer to this link to start with. There are other ways if you look around, doesn't matter which one you use). This step will remove all traces of Windows 10 and your tablet will be clean to start with 8.1 installation. If you turn ON the tablet at this point it would say no media detected, meaning its not able to detect any internal eMMC media



2) Using the Windows 7 USB Tool, create an 8.1/8.0 bootable USB from any Windows 8.1/8.0 ISO file (If you do not have a x86 copy then use the evaluation version to begin)



3) Change the BIOS settings to boot from the recovery media. You will have to tinker with the UEFI firmware settings and allow the USB as the primary boot device and boot from the USB to install Windows 8/8.1. Since the OS does not have any touch drivers the touch screen won't be functional hence have a keyboard/mouse ready



4) Complete the process like a regular Windows 8.1 install.



5) After the OS is installed, use the existing USB drive to create the recovery partition to restore. Format the USB in FAT32 (I don't remember this) and then move all the contents from xandros9's image file to the root of the drive



6) Connect the USB and from Windows 8.1's advanced startup options, restore using System Recovery Image option

 

[tpapictures]

I am going to keep this as short as possible...

Thank you so much for taking all that time. Really appreciate it.
I still don't get what's going to happen with my product key though. It doesn't seem like my particular product key works with any version of Windows other than the one the tablet came with which I can't get anywhere. Even Dell said they didn't have it. I tried it on 8.0 and 8.1.

 

[pankaj981]

Thank you so much for taking all that time. Really appreciate it.
I still don't get what's going to happen with my product key though. It doesn't seem like my particular product key works with any version of Windows other than the one the tablet came with which I can't get anywhere. Even Dell said they didn't have it. I tried it on 8.0 and 8.1.

After you restore the image file from xandros9 it won't ask you for the product key and will be activated automatically using the product key burned into your BIOS. You should be fine

 

[tpapictures]

2) Using the Windows 7 USB Tool, create an 8.1/8.0 bootable ISO from any Windows 8.1/8.0 ISO file (If you do not have a x86 copy then use the technical preview to begin)

So, should I not use the Enterprise version you mentioned, then? Why did you specifically refer to the enterprise edition?

 

[pankaj981]

So, should I not use the Enterprise version you mentioned, then? Why did you specifically refer to the enterprise edition?

Shoot, I don't know why I said technical preview. I meant the enterprise evaluation version. I've rectified it in my post so someone else doesn't get confused

 

[tpapictures]

And, sorry, but I'm not clear on this... the Enterprise edition which I already got, how do I turn that ISO into a bootable USB drive?

 

[pankaj981]

Windows USB/DVD Download Tool - Microsoft Store

 

[tpapictures]

Windows USB/DVD Download Tool - Microsoft Store

I could be totally wrong about this (you obviously know more about this than I do) but I thought that couldn't be used because it doesn't create a UEFI bootable USB drive and therefore doesn't work? I think what I had to do was get a FAT32-formatting application so that the thing could be made readable in boot by this tablet. Is this totally wrong?

 

[tpapictures]

I am going to keep this as short as possible...

Doing this now, I'll keep you posted. So far so good, I've got the Enterprise edition running on there. Now going to try to load that recovery image. Thank you so much for your explanations and patience. It's what gave me the confidence to try it.

 

[tpapictures]

6) Connect the USB and from Windows 8.1's advanced startup options, restore using System Recovery Image option

It just doesn't want to load it. I'm definitely running Enterprise now. It sees my xandros USB drive, allows me to choose it as the drive to recover from but then boots right back into advanced startup mode like I didn't just choose the USB drive. Is there more to this setup that I haven't done?