Rolled back to Windows 8.1 from Windows 10

[Dhruvjariwala]

I upgraded my pc to Windows 10 from Windows 8.1 around 6 months ago and now I want to roll back to Windows 8.1. I can't do that directly from recovery setting as that option isn't there anymore. But I have windows.old file in c drive. How can I restore windows 8. 1 from those files?

[Huffer]

You cannot. If it has been more than 30 days the system files for the previous OS have been removed and likely the original recovery partition is deleted or non-functional. What problem are you having that makes you want to roll back? 

[Dhruvjariwala]

My laptop isn't connecting to any protected wifi network. It was working fine on Windows 8.1. I have tried every possible solution available on hp support forum but none of them worked. I have set of recovery disks so How can I restore windows 8.1 from Windows 10 through recovery disks?

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

Just boot from the recovery disks and run them following the onscreen prompts. It will wipe the hard drive and return everything to factory state just like when you opened the box. 

[IISireII]

Hello. I have done the same thing. I have bought a 8.1 Windows computer desktop. Later I upgraded to Windows 10, but later I downgraded back to Windows 8.1.  If I decide to return to Windows 10, how would I go about that? Lets consider the Windows 10 that I had was given to me free from Microsoft when Microsoft 10 first came out.

[Huffer]

You should start your own thread but basically once Windows 10 is installed and activated you can always go back to Windows 10 and it will just activate. You just need to go to the Microsoft Media Creation Toll site and download the disk image file and make a DVD or thumb drive to reinstall 10. No Key Code needed. 

[IISireII]

Thanks for the response.