As reported on LifeHacker.
by Whitson Gordon
If you aren’t a fan of Windows 8 but want a new laptop that comes with Windows 8 preinstalled, you’ll be happy to know you can actually downgrade it to Windows 7 withouthaving to reformat. Here’s how.
Maybe you’ve given Windows 8 a fair shake and it just isn’t working for you, or maybe you’re so against upgrading that you don’t want to buy a new computer until you know you can downgrade. No matter your reasons, you may actually have a way out. Some Windows 8 PCs come with what are called “downgrade rights.” If your PC comes with Windows 8 Pro, you can downgrade to Windows 7 Pro just by installing it on top of your existing OS. You’ll need a legitimate disc and product key, but you can just use an old or used one—after you install, you can call Microsoft and they’ll activate your downgrade for you. You can even downgrade multiple machines with the same CD and key.
Not all computers come with downgrade rights, so be sure to do a bit of research before you try this out or buy your new Windows 8 computer. It can be a bit of a hassle, but it’s a nice option if you really want to keep using Windows 7. Hit the link to see the full step-by-step process.
Understanding Downgrade Rights | Microsoft via How-To Geek