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X501U Downgrading Windows 8 to Windows 7

post #1 of 5
12/10/12 at 3:25am
Thread Starter 

Just got an ASUS X501U with Window 8 preinstalled (can't be Windows 8, it don't have multiple windows!). Ye gods, what a cock up, this is a notebook with mouse and keynoard, not a tablet. So, downgrade to Windows 7. Asus support say not possible. Hmm, thats a challange if ever I heard one.

 

Actually the only thing stopping you downgrading is you have to supply your own copy of Windows 7 64 bit (32bit will not suffice). If you have one on disk then it is 'simply' a case of downloading all the Windows 7 x64 drivers that are available on the Asus web site, wiping the disk and clean installing Windows 7 x64, install the drivers and then let Windows 7 x64 update itself over and over again until its all finished. Presto, a nice new X501U with Windows 7 x64 as you could have purchased pre-Window 8 launch.

 

However, the brick wall I initially hit was that the X501U has no built in DVD drive so I had to use a USB external one and I could not for the life of me get the BIOS to detect it and boot from it. After much guess work I finally sorted it out.

 

First, download all the drivers from the ASUS site as you will initially be unable to connect to the internet without them once you have installed Windows 7 x64. Put them on a USB stick ready to use later.

 

Secondly, the two USB ports supplied are NOT equal. The one on the left next to the power jack is USB 2, the one on the right is USB 3. The BIOS does not recognise the USB 3 port when I plug the DVD drive into it. Switching to the left one sorted that out!

 

Then you also need to change some BIOS settings to get the BIOS to detect and boot from an external USB DVD drive. Boot the notebook and press F2 immediately as many times as needed until the BIOS comes up. In the Advanced menu make sure 'Legacy USB Support' is enabled. In the Boot menu enable 'Launch CSM'. Now make sure your USB DVD drive is connected to the USB 2 port on the left hand side with the Windows 7 x64 install disk up and running in it. Now go to Save & Exit menu and Save and Exit.

 

When the X501U restarts it will now see the USB drive and make it available for booting. It will probably, however, still boot to Window 8 as you need to re-enter the BIOS to configure the boot sequence. Return to the BIOS as described previously and then go to the Boot menu. You should now see a 'UEFI DVD' or similar available in the list of boot options. The other 2 that are there by default are Window 8 and the recovery system. Go to 'Boot Option #1', press enter and then select the UEFI DVD entry and press enter. This will make the DVD the first port of call when booting. The other two entries will then be shifted down.

 

Save and Exit from the BIOS and when you reboot you will be asked to press a key to boot from the DVD. Do so and then you are ready to install Windows 7 x64.

 

Now, I tried several times to install Windows 7 x64 in volume 3, overwriting Window 8, without success. The disk is formated as a 'GPT' disk and it seems very sensitive to how its partitions are handled. Maybe some one else will solve this one but I eventually decided to throw away the recovery options and deleted every partition available using the Windows 7 installer until I had a clean disk and then I created a new 100GB partition to install to. The installation warns that it will create some other partitions to support the UEFI/GPT way of doing things to which I agreed and then the install went through unchallenged and without a hitch. I then created another partition for the remaining space using the Windows disk manager.

 

Once in Windows 7 x64 get those Windows 7 64 bit drivers you download earlier onto a USB stick and copy them on to the notebook. Install the LAN drivers first and you will quickly find the internet comes up working okay. Plough through all the other drivers to get full functionality. Note there are sometimes two sets of drivers for different hardware. Just install everything, those that are not required will abort when they can't find the hardware.

 

Phew, hope that all makes sense. Would be nice if Asus just gave us the option of buying a Windows 7 system in the first place (as we could prior to October).

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post #2 of 5
12/10/12 at 9:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by philmurray View Post

Just got an ASUS X501U with Window 8 preinstalled (can't be Windows 8, it don't have multiple windows!). Ye gods, what a cock up, this is a notebook with mouse and keynoard, not a tablet. So, downgrade to Windows 7. Asus support say not possible. Hmm, thats a challange if ever I heard one.

Actually the only thing stopping you downgrading is you have to supply your own copy of Windows 7 64 bit (32bit will not suffice). If you have one on disk then it is 'simply' a case of downloading all the Windows 7 x64 drivers that are available on the Asus web site, wiping the disk and clean installing Windows 7 x64, install the drivers and then let Windows 7 x64 update itself over and over again until its all finished. Presto, a nice new X501U with Windows 7 x64 as you could have purchased pre-Window 8 launch.

However, the brick wall I initially hit was that the X501U has no built in DVD drive so I had to use a USB external one and I could not for the life of me get the BIOS to detect it and boot from it. After much guess work I finally sorted it out.

First, download all the drivers from the ASUS site as you will initially be unable to connect to the internet without them once you have installed Windows 7 x64. Put them on a USB stick ready to use later.

Secondly, the two USB ports supplied are NOT equal. The one on the left next to the power jack is USB 2, the one on the right is USB 3. The BIOS does not recognise the USB 3 port when I plug the DVD drive into it. Switching to the left one sorted that out!

Then you also need to change some BIOS settings to get the BIOS to detect and boot from an external USB DVD drive. Boot the notebook and press F2 immediately as many times as needed until the BIOS comes up. In the Advanced menu make sure 'Legacy USB Support' is enabled. In the Boot menu enable 'Launch CSM'. Now make sure your USB DVD drive is connected to the USB 2 port on the left hand side with the Windows 7 x64 install disk up and running in it. Now go to Save & Exit menu and Save and Exit.

When the X501U restarts it will now see the USB drive and make it available for booting. It will probably, however, still boot to Window 8 as you need to re-enter the BIOS to configure the boot sequence. Return to the BIOS as described previously and then go to the Boot menu. You should now see a 'UEFI DVD' or similar available in the list of boot options. The other 2 that are there by default are Window 8 and the recovery system. Go to 'Boot Option #1', press enter and then select the UEFI DVD entry and press enter. This will make the DVD the first port of call when booting. The other two entries will then be shifted down.

Save and Exit from the BIOS and when you reboot you will be asked to press a key to boot from the DVD. Do so and then you are ready to install Windows 7 x64.

Now, I tried several times to install Windows 7 x64 in volume 3, overwriting Window 8, without success. The disk is formated as a 'GPT' disk and it seems very sensitive to how its partitions are handled. Maybe some one else will solve this one but I eventually decided to throw away the recovery options and deleted every partition available using the Windows 7 installer until I had a clean disk and then I created a new 100GB partition to install to. The installation warns that it will create some other partitions to support the UEFI/GPT way of doing things to which I agreed and then the install went through unchallenged and without a hitch. I then created another partition for the remaining space using the Windows disk manager.

Once in Windows 7 x64 get those Windows 7 64 bit drivers you download earlier onto a USB stick and copy them on to the notebook. Install the LAN drivers first and you will quickly find the internet comes up working okay. Plough through all the other drivers to get full functionality. Note there are sometimes two sets of drivers for different hardware. Just install everything, those that are not required will abort when they can't find the hardware.

Phew, hope that all makes sense. Would be nice if Asus just gave us the option of buying a Windows 7 system in the first place (as we could prior to October).

Impressive piece of information, guide and tips thumbup.gif

cheers ...
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post #3 of 5
1/12/13 at 3:51am

Nice work ! - Thanks for the info, saved me time and frustration reverting this system back to win 7

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post #4 of 5
5/6/13 at 9:48pm

This worked for my asus X501A - Thank you so much :)

 

thumbup.gif

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post #5 of 5
5/18/13 at 1:27pm

I wish things were that easy for me.  My P.O.S ASUS X501u is getting very close to going out the Window or in the compactor at work

 

To cut a long story short, when i purchased my X501U it had that completely useless excuse of an operating system Windows 8 installed on it.  I played with it for about an hour and then after spending half an hour trying to figure out why you couldn't make re-installation media on it I promptly bit the bullet and totally deleted the HDD and put Linux Mint on it.

 

All went well for a few months or so until i was offered a much better spec Lenovo laptop at a price i couldn't refuse. I decided to give the Asus notebook to my daughter to use for school.  This is where the fun has started.

 

I went out and purchased a copy of Windows 7 from work with COA sticker and plugged my Samsung USB DVD into it.  I started the installation process, booted from the Windows disk and started the process.  I entered the usual UK English settings and then i was hit with the "CD/DVD driver required"???

 

I thought OK it doesn't like the DVD rom so i made up a bootable USB stick, which got to the same point and then asked for the very same CD/DVD driver.   Does anyone have any ideas whats going on.  I would really like to get this up and running with Windows again so at least my daughter can get some use from it.

 

Just to rub it in, ASUS have also told me that no recovery media is available for this notebook as it came with Windows 8 on it, They have point blank refused to sell me the Windows 7 one as they say i don't have a licence for it and there are no plans to supply Windows 8 recovery media.

 

If anybody can help me it would be really appreciated.

 

Thanks

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