Installing Windows 7

[robm]

Does anyone know if this is possible? I understand I'll have to disable secure boot, the Surface site makes it seem this is easy to do.

I'd be buying a retail copy of Win7 since it seems there are no downgrade rights.

I'm a little worried that drivers won't be available though.

Oh, for those wondering why, I am trying to use the tablet for a medical program which really doesn't work well without the windows 7 input panel (see How do I turn on tablet PC input panel in Windows 8? - Microsoft Community)

 

[oion]

You'll probably run into driver and firmware problems. Microsoft does make their firmware/driver packs available separately, but both Surface products were really built to showcase Windows 8...

What about using remote desktop (or one of the 3rd party tools) to log into a desktop running the software?

Honestly, finding a Windows 7 tablet would be less of a headache in your case, unfortunately, if you want a tablet form.

 

[beman39]

why would you want to ruin a good tablet by installing windows 7? nobody likes win7 more than me but on a tablet it isn't good

 

[oion]

why would you want to ruin a good tablet by installing windows 7? nobody likes win7 more than me but on a tablet it isn't good

Read:

Oh, for those wondering why, I am trying to use the tablet for a medical program which really doesn't work well without the windows 7 input panel

OP must have decided he prefers a tablet form factor, and if this is for medical software, that probably means he'd be holding it in-hand as his use case. A tablet is the only way to go there. Win7 isn't ideal on tablets, but compatibility with one's work software has higher priority.

Like I said to OP, finding a Win7 tablet instead is easiest in this case. And there are Win7 tablets.

 

[revmike]

Go to the windows 7 forum they have the directions to do, but it is not easy.

 

[beman39]

sorry but I had win 7 tablet and the input is not better than win8 and that's why I sold it, I find it hard to believe that win7 would be better... perhaps try running the medical app in compatibility mode which might help...

 

[oion]

sorry but I had win 7 tablet and the input is not better than win8 and that's why I sold it, I find it hard to believe that win7 would be better... perhaps try running the medical app in compatibility mode which might help...

OP said the input is better for that particular software they use, so it's really not your place to say one is better than the other when we don't know what kind of compatibility/bugs the medical software has. It's not uncommon for businesses to run a full generation or more behind in corporate software. Compatibility mode might or might not help, but why go through the trouble when just buying a Win7 tablet, maybe used, is a lot less "iffy" than trying to stuff Win7 into a Surface--and MS would never support that.

 

[Krooked]

Does anyone know if this is possible? I understand I'll have to disable secure boot, the Surface site makes it seem this is easy to do.

I'd be buying a retail copy of Win7 since it seems there are no downgrade rights.

I'm a little worried that drivers won't be available though.

Oh, for those wondering why, I am trying to use the tablet for a medical program which really doesn't work well without the windows 7 input panel (see How do I turn on tablet PC input panel in Windows 8? - Microsoft Community)

I would say, return the SP and get this instead:
Amazon.com: Samsung Series 7 XE700T1A-A03US 11.6-Inch Slate (128 GB, Win 7 HP) - Dock and Keyboard Included: Computers & Accessories

It is as close to the functionality of the SP (digitizer and all) with Win7 pre-installed.

 

[beman39]

OP said the input is better for that particular software they use, so it's really not your place to say one is better than the other when we don't know what kind of compatibility/bugs the medical software has. It's not uncommon for businesses to run a full generation or more behind in corporate software. Compatibility mode might or might not help, but why go through the trouble when just buying a Win7 tablet, maybe used, is a lot less "iffy" than trying to stuff Win7 into a Surface--and MS would never support that.

how is it not my place to say? I have owned a win7 device and I know how the input is like! IT SUCKS! and who's to say your suggestion of getting a win7 device and then the OP is NOT going to have the same problem? we don't know if it's user error or app error or whatever so I think your in no better position to say anything either, but that hasn't stopped you from giving your 2 cents... and I know how common or uncommon it is for business to be behind and that's why MS has included the compatibility mode for those instances, so what are talking about MS not supporting that? cuzz it's obvious they DO! And BTW let's let the OP try my suggestion first and see if it will fix the problem and maybe he wont have to go through the hassles of bringing back the device and then going to another store or surfing the net to try and find another win7 tablet, before telling me "it's not my place"

 

[T-Bob]

how is it not my place to say? I have owned a win7 device and I know how the input is like! IT SUCKS! and who's to say your suggestion of getting a win7 device and then the OP is NOT going to have the same problem? we don't know if it's user error or app error or whatever so I think your in no better position to say anything either, but that hasn't stopped you from giving your 2 cents... and I know how common or uncommon it is for business to be behind and that's why MS has included the compatibility mode for those instances, so what are talking about MS not supporting that? cuzz it's obvious they DO! And BTW let's let the OP try my suggestion first and see if it will fix the problem and maybe he wont have to go through the hassles of bringing back the device and then going to another store or surfing the net to try and find another win7 tablet, before telling me "it's not my place"

I think the point being made was that the OP clearly indicated that he/she HAD to have Win7 for his/her particular software. Therefore the whole discussion of Win 8 is better than Win 7 is moot.

 

[beman39]

wasn't saying win 7 better than win 8, just the input panel is not made very good on win 7 and def not made for a tablet in mind... that's all

 

[D1vad]

Have you seen this? Windows 7 on a Surface Pro?

It states that windows won't install.

Also,
Windows 7 Setup hangs at "Starting Windows" on Surface Pro
Windows 7 Setup hangs at "Starting Windows" on Surface Pro
The Surface Pro is a Class 3 UEFI device that does not support legacy BIOS Interrupt 10 (INT 10H) video transitioning and it requires Windows 8 or later operating systems to run.