# Upgrade to Windows 8.1



## DoctorBen (Feb 20, 2015)

I bought a "new" older model laptop. It was supposed to have Windows 8.1 Professional (64-bit) but arrived with Windows 7 Professional. The Genuine Microsoft Label implies it is "pre-installed with a Windows 7 Professional downgrade".

Is there anyway to get to Windows 8.1 Professional (64-bit) for $0 besides the seller company making good on their ad?

BTW, just what does "pre-installed with a Windows 7 Professional downgrade" mean?


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

> Is there anyway to get to Windows 8.1 Professional (64-bit) for $0 besides the seller company making good on their ad?


Unless you have a Windows 8.1 License key, you cannot upgrade for free. I would contact the seller.



> BTW, just what does "pre-installed with a Windows 7 Professional downgrade" mean?


This is typical when purchasing business laptops. They will ask manufacturers like Dell or Lenovo to sell them a Windows 8.1 system with Windows 7 instead.


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Look on the laptop on the bottom and see if there is any type of Windows 8 or 8.1 sticker. If there is and you have a code you can just buy the media on eBay for a fraction of the cost of Windows. You really don't even need the code because if 8 was on there then the bios will have the code so again all you need is the media.


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## bassfisher6522 (Jul 22, 2012)

What is the make/model of this laptop?


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## DoctorBen (Feb 20, 2015)

Dell - Latitude E7444 - Intel Dual-Core i5-4300U 1.9GHz - 4GB RAM - 256GB SSD - 14.0inch - Win 8 Pro 64-bit (Note: Of course it came with Win 7 Pro 64-bit).

I made the purchase via Amazon but the best they, and the seller, have come up with is to return it (apparently at my expense). All that means is that the seller will pass it off to another unsuspecting customer. The seller still has at least 1 of these available and is still advertising it as "Win 8 Pro 64-bit".

From what I can get out of Dell sales in India, they have no way to upgrade at all.


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Have you looked to see if there is a recovery partition because I would bet that would take you back to Windows 8.1? You can buy a Dell disk on eBay for $10 or less and the coa would be in the laptop already so no code would be necessary.
Dell Windows 8.1 dvd | eBay


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## DoctorBen (Feb 20, 2015)

When I first booted up and saw Windows 7, I stopped there. I didn't want to do anything to the computer that the (less than honest) seller could use.

If I decide to look for the recovery partition, where would I look and How would I know it was Windows 8?


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

We need the model # to answer that.


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## DoctorBen (Feb 20, 2015)

Dell - Latitude E7440

Service Tag #8KVY282
Express Service Code: 18677239490

Under the battery (not on it) there is a label that says "Reg Model / P40G (not counting all the Chinese).

Is that enough?


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Fortunately until ,you start the recovery partition you won't really know if it is 8.1 but that is most likely actually.
https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-restore-dell-latitude-to-factory-default


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## bassfisher6522 (Jul 22, 2012)

You can find all your drives and partitions in the "disk management" window. This will show you all your physical drives and any partitions on them. If you have a "recovery partition" it will be on the C drive but labeled as D drive and it's usually around 20 GB in size.


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## DoctorBen (Feb 20, 2015)

options at https://www.techwalla.com/articles/h...actory-default did nor work, nor I do not see evidence of a "recovery partition".

I am not happy with this seller or with Amazon.


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Amazon normally bends over backwards for the buyer. Have you actually contacted Amazon as they have 100% control of their sellers. There may not be a recovery partition but remember I gave you a link where you can buy Windows disk for less than $5 and you should nto need the product code as it is in the bios.


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## DoctorBen (Feb 20, 2015)

Yeah, Amazon's solution was to return the laptop to the seller who misrepresented it, i.e. sweep it under the rug. 

I found the laptop, from a manufacturer with a good reputation, that meets my requirements for a price I can afford (I'm retired). I've tried Windows 10 last year on my desktop and it failed miserably. I went back to Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit. 

The seller is still advertising this item with Windows 8 Pro 64-bit however I'm now more than reasonably certain they only have Windows 7 Pro 64-bit. Amazon has been informed but has taken no action to correct this false advertising.


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Your experience with Windows 10 on your desktop no doubt was with an upgrade and I found the upgrade unless it was on a new clean install of Windows 7 or 8, failed miserably in every case I saw it. But that is a comment on the upgrade process and not Windows 10.That has nothing to do with the fact Windows 10 is fine with a clean install and runs great on most hardware and actually a much better OS than 8.1 in my opinion. I think you should return it as asking Amazon to have him take it back and reinstall Windows 8.1 is unlikely. I would bet though they can at least get seller to supply you with a Windows dvd though honestly I would have spent the $5 by now gotten a dvd and done what you want to do.


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## DoctorBen (Feb 20, 2015)

The Windows sticker under the battery has 4 blue rectangles and says Pro Windows. 



Apparently that means it is "...licensed for a Windows Pro product, but have been pre-installed with a Windows 7 Professional downgrade. These devices are licensed for Windows 8 Pro but not pre-installed with Windows 8 Pro. These devices would include a GML. "


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