Dan Mc Loc: NM

I bought a new Dell 17" laptop a few months ago and had no choice but to capitulate and accept Win 8.1. I have a copy of Win 7 and decided I would simply format the laptop and install Win 7 myself, but....you lose drivers and peripheries and once Win 8.1 is ramped up and operating, the BIOS is activated and you are stuck with it.

I assume Win 10 will be the same...a BIOS issue and any SysRestore will not be of any value other than to Win 10 OS and apps. Can't say that definitively, but I strongly susoect that will be the case.

ebbote Loc: Hockley, Texas

Bios has nothing to do with Win 10, 8 or 7, bios doesn't
care what OS is on it. You can download all the drivers for
your laptop off the Dell website and put them on a thumb
drive before you redo your laptop to Windows 7.

Dan Mc Loc: NM

Dell advised me otherwise, so I stayed with Win 8.1 and have yet to do anything at all on that laptop other then turn it on....I hate thew Win 8 GUI!!!

ebbote Loc: Hockley, Texas

Then wait for 10, it will be a lot better than 8 and you don't
have to worry about the GUI.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

There is definitely some misunderstanding here....

BIOS is firmware on the motherboard that manages/controls settings on the motherboard basically, like a bios password, boot up speed, hard disk type, and of course allows the computer to boot from the CD/DVD and or hard disk.

It has NOTHING to do with the OS installed. Yes, if you wipe the disk and install another OS you will need to have the proper drivers for the hardware specific to the computer, but these drivers would easily come from either DELL's site or be found on the internet for download.

BTW - Dell does an excellent job of maintaining all the drivers for their hardware, so users can easily find and download them.

Usually this is sound card drivers, video card drivers and network card drivers including wireless.

If you wanted you could install Windows 7 or Windows XP provided you download the proper drivers for the specific hardware on the computer. OR, you can install a flavor of Linux, again, if you can obtain the proper drivers.

Dan Mc Loc: NM

So is Win 10 supposed to be more like Win 7????

ebbote Loc: Hockley, Texas

In many respects, yes and it will have a start menu. It will
be faster, more stable and all around better operating
system. I have been using it for months, I like it.

EdJ0307 Loc: out west someplace

With all the commentary about Windows 10 whether it's good, bad or indifferent, I'm having flashbacks to Y2K and all the hype about it.