Windows 10 - Go Back to 7 - Option Missing

[Mainstay]

Couldn't find this posted anywhere else, and am was a bit stumped.

A Windows 7 Pro machine was upgraded this morning to Windows 10 Pro.

The system has its windows.old and $windows.~BT folders, and there is content in both. The windows.old has user profile data and all looks OK.

However, in Recovery, there is no option to restore to 7 (Go Back to Windows 7).

It only has Advanced Startup (not even Refresh).

After looking closely at the user profiles I noticed there was a locked and hidden user profile in W10... it was the name of the users original account under 7.

I'm not sure if the user or the W10 installer created a new User Profile for the user, and locked out the other account... or what happened there.

Anyways, un-hiding that original user account and logging into it (in W10) allowed the option to "Go Back to Windows 7" to appear.

It is running through the restore now.

Just passing this on.


(This post originally started as a, "what's going on here, please help!" and turned into a "here's what worked for me").

 

[MDD1963]

I'm not sure if the user or the W10 installer created a new User Profile for the user, and locked out the other account... or what happened there.
Anyways, un-hiding that original user account and logging into it (in W10) allowed the option to "Go Back to Windows 7" to appear.

Having only just recently made the 'leap' to Win10 on my own Win7 HP laptop (still wondering how long it will take either MS, HP, or AMD to make youtube videos play in Edge, vs. the blackscreen each gives, yet, they work on Chrome), MS certainly seems to prefer pushing setting up the acct with an MS acct, vice simply defaulting to the account/login used to DL the upgrade...

 

[Porthos]

MS certainly seems to prefer pushing setting up the acct with an MS acct, vice simply defaulting to the account/login used to DL the upgrade...

Don't have it connected to the net during the upgrade will fix that.

 

[MDD1963]

Unfortunately, the type of free upgrade I was doing seemed to necessitate/require the connection; even though Win updates implied the 2.8 GB Win10 update was ready, I guess MS meant 'ready to download', as it certainly took well over 90 min to get...; all the little tricks I thought I had lined up to quicken the process (Win10 iso setup to both DVD and USB) would only assist those with valid Win10 product keys, which, for an intial free upgrade, I clearly did not have.

 

[Porthos]

Win10 iso setup to both DVD and USB) would only assist those with valid Win10 product keys, which, for an intial free upgrade, I clearly did not have.

I had to back space this reply trying to not come off about windows 10 as arrogant so I will try again.
Just reread your location and try this

Get your ISO from here and choose Win 10 and your bitness and choose win 10. It has home and pro in the ISO as a AIO. Make your usb or dvd and stick the stick or dvd in and run from windows. It will automatically choose home or pro for you, No internet needed. After you get your ISO of course.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/techbench Hope it is available in your location.

 

[MDD1963]

No doubt, if there was room for a mistake or two, I likely made both in rapid succession, and chose the longest route.

(It was my first Win10 upgrade, and was neither as quick or painless as I had hoped)

I did not opt for running a setup from within Win7, as a few other sources told me I could simply put it on USB or DVD and reboot, which clearly did not work. (Invalid product key) I merely ran the Upgrade to Win10 advisory from GWX or one of the regular win updates to intentionally include Win10 that time, I don't recall which, unfortunately. Anyway, thanks for any and all tips, I am admittedly no expert in this area after one upgrade under my belt, but, will gain more experience as I'm sure I will be called on to do our offices six or seven Win7 Pro rigs at some point in the future. (Our boss actually did not really care for my pointing out that it was not legal for any of the office's computers to be relying on MS Security Essentials for an AV solution, although that issue seems still 'unresolved')

 

[Porthos]

Our boss actually did not really care for my pointing out that it was not legal for any of the office's computers to be relying on MS Security Essentials for an AV solution,

It can be used in bushiness that run 10 or less computers legally.

 

[Porthos]

(It was my first Win10 upgrade, and was neither as quick or painless as I had hoped)

My apologizes, I never think it might be a techs first.

 

[MDD1963]

I doubt that MS' licensing agreement means/intends that MSSE may be used by some of the largest defense contractors with 20-30 divisions with umpteen thousands of employees, as long as one of the hundreds of smaller remote offices in question using it only contains only 6-7 computers...