HP stream 7 cannot revert to windows 8 factory image

[magicyama]

My HP steam 7 tablet (1 Gb RAM, 32 Gb eMMC) was upgraded succefully to windows 10 two years ago, but now it keeps trying and failing update to 1803. I am sick of this, I don't want to spend my time trying to keep windows 10 working on this tablet. Now I want to revert to windows 8 which this tablet was made for.

I did made a USB recovery key while it was still under windows 8 and tested it by performing succesfull recovery at this time. 

But now, when I boot on the very same USB key (F9 > USB Hard Drive (UEFI), I get the windows 10 repair light blue screen

"Choose the language -> English -> français)

 then "Choose keyboard layout -> US ...."

 then "Choose an option"

-> Continue, Exit and continue to windows 10

-> Use a device, Use a USB drive or Windows recovery DVD

-> Troubleshoot, Refresh or reset your PC, or use advanced tools  (I choose this one)

-> Turn off your PC

 then "Troubleshoot"

-> Refresh your PC

-> Reset your PC , If you want to remove all your files, you can reset your PC completely  (I choose this one)

-> Advanced options

 then "Reset your PC"

Choose a target operating system

-> Windows 10

As you can see,  there is no choice for Windows 8 although I have all the needed files on my USBkey :

But it seems the boot on this recovery USB key won't use the files on this key and divert to Windows 10 repair which is actualy on the Hard Drive I  want to revert back to what it was when I bought it. 

How can I make this happen ?

Thank you for your help

[kyle_b]

I also have a Stream 7 and have tested restoring Windows 8.1 with Bing from the recovery USB although it was probably back in late 2014, early 2015.  I don't think I tried it after upgrading to Windows 10.  It seems like yours is still finding Windows 10 on your eMMC drive and trying to do the recovery from there. 

One fix might be to download the Windows 10 install media from Microsoft and boot from it and delete all partitions on the eMMC drive.  Then boot from the Windows 8.1 USB and hopefully the recovery would work.

You might also try just doing a fresh install of the latest Windows 10 after wiping the drive clean, there would be around 19 GB available on the C: drive afterwards which might be enough for coming upgrades.

[magicyama]

Thank you for answer,

I already  tried fresh install from Windows 10 (1803) usbkey made with wmicrosoft windows media creation tool. My goal was to clear all partitions (including old Windows Bing Recovery) to allocate the full 32 Gb for windows 10 and ease major updates (compulsory and happening every 6 months  :-(((( ) 

The problem is you cannot boot from USBkey and Keyboard. Keyboard is neceesary and can't be avoided to go trhrough windows installation screens.

I tried with a USB hub... without success. You can use keyboard and select USBkey for boot in BIOS, but you will be stuck on the HP logo after launching the boot on usb.

Just to point that this usbhub is fully fonctionnal in BIOS and under windows 10 normal boot where I can use it with 1 or2 usbkeys + keyboard + mouse with no problem on this same tablet. 

Any other idea ?

[kyle_b]

You need a OTG adapter, powered USB hub, keyboard and mouse to do a fresh install of Windows 10.  I think some may have done it without a powered hub but the USB port on the Stream puts out low power since it is operating on the battery so it will read the USB slowly if it can read it at all in my experience.  I have done fresh installs of Windows 10 and Ubuntu Linux on my Stream 7 with this arrangement and it works well.

If you got stuck on the HP logo, I think it probably got hung trying to read the installation USB, or possibly gave up and tried to recover Windows on the eMMC drive.

[magicyama]

Thank you again for your answer,

I think you are right, because I checked the file transfer speed with my usb hub under win10 and it's only 1 Mb/s when I get 25-30 Mb/s with direct connection.

But I don't own a usb hub and did not plan to buy one only to try a fresh install of Windows 10. This tablet was designed to work fine with Windows 8, not 10. It will always be a pending problem and I would much prefer reverting to the original OS.

I think maybe I boot again on my USB recovery key and navigate to "advance repair" option and delete all partitons using command line and diskpart.... then try boot again on recovery key and hope it will recover to its factory state.

BUT... if this does not work...  my HP stream 7 wil have been changed to a Nice High Tech Paperweight.

How could I avoid this and be sure this recovery process will goi fine till it ends ?

[magicyama]

In fact, I feel unsafe because I do not understand why my Usb Recovery key worked fine under Windows 8 and now divert to Windows 10 repair.

It should ignore what's on the internal drive and put it back to factory state (that is the purpose of making a recovery key when you get your new device).

If somebedy could answer this question, I would feel better erasing my disk before recovery.

[kyle_b]

Yes, I agree, the recovery USB should ignore what it on eMMC drive and just overwrite it all.  I am wondering if the screens you are seeing are actually from Windows 10, not the recovery USB.  I am thinking the recovery USB cannot boot so it is falling back to Windows 10, not sure. 

Since both the 8.1 recovery drive and Windows 10 installation media are both failing to load, I suspect a problem with your OTG adaptor or hub.  I have 4 OTG adaptors and only 2 of them work on my Stream 7 for some reason.

[magicyama]

I used the same OTG cable which worked fine 2 years ago with the key to recover this tablet.

No problem to boot with this cable and Windows 10 installation media -> you just land on select you windows 10 version (home/pro, x32/64) but without keyboard you cannot go further.

I tried anyway another OTG adapter (in 1 piece, not cable) but the result is the same -> boot to Win 10 recovery tools.

Do you think it possible to boot from the internal SD card ? that would be a solution for Windows install with keyboard on the free external usb port ?

[kyle_b]

The Stream tablet cannot boot from the SD card slot unfortunately, only the USB.

I'm confused when you said you can boot the Windows 10 Install media but cannot select options due to the lack of a keyboard since further up you said you were using a hub with a keyboard attached?

[magicyama]

I can boot on my usb hub only to access the BIOS. After selecting USB boot device UEFI, launching it will show the HP logo forever.

Maybe I will invest little monney in a powered usb hub, just to test windows 10 fresh install. I can't erase my eMMC HD before trying Windows 8 recovery without being certain I can install Windows 10 (or linux) again.

I like using this tablet. It's quality hardware, well built and the choice of hardware components is well balanced for a reasonable price. It's a shame it is crippled by a very poor bios not allowing to boot on SD card + external keyboard.

Thank you for your help.