How To Uninstall Windows 8
So you have decided to remove Windows 8 from your PC but you are not sure how to uninstall Windows 8. If you are running Windows 8 in dual boot with Windows 7, you will be able to safely remove Windows 8 from your computer.
Scenario 1: You installed Windows 8 in dual boot with Windows 7 or Vista on a separate partition
If you have installed Windows 8 in dual boot Windows 7 on a separate partition by following our dual boot Windows 8 with Windows 7 guide, uninstalling Windows 8 is pretty easy. Just follow the simple procedure given below to completely remove Windows 8 from your PC.
Step 1: Switch on the PC and boot into Windows 7 desktop. Download a small free tool named EasyBCD from here and install the application. We are using this tool to remove the Windows 8 entry from Windows Boot Manager. Though we can always use System Configuration Utility to remove this boot entry, we are using the EasyBCD to be on the safe side.
Step 2: Run EasyBCD application. If you are prompted with User Account Control (UAC) dialog, click Yes.
Step 3: In the EasyBCD application window, on the left pane, click on the Edit Boot Menu button to see all existing boot menu entries. Here, you can see Windows 8 or Windows Developer Preview entry.
Step 4: Select the Windows 8 or Windows Developer Preview entry, click Delete button. Click Yes for the confirmation prompt. EasyBCD will immediately remove the Windows 8 entry from the boot menu. Click Save Settings and exit the application.
Step 5: As you have installed Windows 8 on a separate partition, you may want to format the partition to reclaim the disk space. To format the drive, open Computer (My Computer), right-click on the Windows 8 drive and click Format.
Select the File System as NTFS and click Start button to format your Windows 8 drive. Once completed, you will see Format Complete message.
Step 6: You have just removed Windows 8 from your PC. Reboot the PC to see Windows 7 boot entry.
Scenario 2: You installed Windows 8 after formatting (or deleting) the Windows 7 installation
As you have installed Windows 8 after formatting the Windows 7 partition, you have to use Windows 7/Vista/XP installation media to remove or uninstall Windows 8. Boot using XP/Vista/Windows 7 installation media, format the Windows 8 partition, and then install your copy of Windows. Follow our how to install Windows 7 or Windows 8 from USB flash drive guide to quickly install Windows 7 on your computer.
Scenario 3: You installed Windows 8 on a computer that didn’t have an operating system
In this case, you have to use Windows 7 or earlier versions of Windows installation media to format the Windows 8 partition and then install other versions of Windows.
Scenario 4: You upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 8
The Developer Preview build of Windows 8 neither supports upgrade from Windows 7 nor allows downgrade. So, if you are running Windows 8 Developer Preview, you can’t downgrade to Windows 7. Will update this guide once Microsoft adds an option to downgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 7.
NOTE: All data on Windows 8 partition will be erased while removing Windows 8. Backup your data on Windows 8 partition before starting the procedure.
Scenario 1: You installed Windows 8 in dual boot with Windows 7 or Vista on a separate partition
If you have installed Windows 8 in dual boot Windows 7 on a separate partition by following our dual boot Windows 8 with Windows 7 guide, uninstalling Windows 8 is pretty easy. Just follow the simple procedure given below to completely remove Windows 8 from your PC.
Step 1: Switch on the PC and boot into Windows 7 desktop. Download a small free tool named EasyBCD from here and install the application. We are using this tool to remove the Windows 8 entry from Windows Boot Manager. Though we can always use System Configuration Utility to remove this boot entry, we are using the EasyBCD to be on the safe side.
Step 2: Run EasyBCD application. If you are prompted with User Account Control (UAC) dialog, click Yes.
Step 3: In the EasyBCD application window, on the left pane, click on the Edit Boot Menu button to see all existing boot menu entries. Here, you can see Windows 8 or Windows Developer Preview entry.
Step 4: Select the Windows 8 or Windows Developer Preview entry, click Delete button. Click Yes for the confirmation prompt. EasyBCD will immediately remove the Windows 8 entry from the boot menu. Click Save Settings and exit the application.
Step 5: As you have installed Windows 8 on a separate partition, you may want to format the partition to reclaim the disk space. To format the drive, open Computer (My Computer), right-click on the Windows 8 drive and click Format.
Select the File System as NTFS and click Start button to format your Windows 8 drive. Once completed, you will see Format Complete message.
Step 6: You have just removed Windows 8 from your PC. Reboot the PC to see Windows 7 boot entry.
Scenario 2: You installed Windows 8 after formatting (or deleting) the Windows 7 installation
As you have installed Windows 8 after formatting the Windows 7 partition, you have to use Windows 7/Vista/XP installation media to remove or uninstall Windows 8. Boot using XP/Vista/Windows 7 installation media, format the Windows 8 partition, and then install your copy of Windows. Follow our how to install Windows 7 or Windows 8 from USB flash drive guide to quickly install Windows 7 on your computer.
Scenario 3: You installed Windows 8 on a computer that didn’t have an operating system
In this case, you have to use Windows 7 or earlier versions of Windows installation media to format the Windows 8 partition and then install other versions of Windows.
Scenario 4: You upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 8
The Developer Preview build of Windows 8 neither supports upgrade from Windows 7 nor allows downgrade. So, if you are running Windows 8 Developer Preview, you can’t downgrade to Windows 7. Will update this guide once Microsoft adds an option to downgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 7.
Join the conversation