SOLVED How to downgrade to Windows 7 if I can't open Settings?

[HungryButler]

I upgraded to Windows 10 earlier this week and I've had nothing but problems with it, namely that all of the new apps (Mail, Calendar, Microsoft Edge, etc) and a few of my 3rd party programs (namely iTunes) won't open. When I click on them from the taskbar, the Start menu, or Cortana, either nothing at all happens or I get a box that says "Explorer.exe: Element not found" or "RuntimeBroker.exe: Element not found."

After a long time on the phone with Microsoft support, we realized that my computer (Lenovo Ideapad Y580) wasn't yet compatible with Windows 10 because Lenovo hadn't developed the drivers for it yet. They said I should revert to Windows 7 until they create them. Here's the problem though: One of the apps that won't open for me is Settings, which means I can't get to the Recovery page to downgrade back to Windows 7.

Am I screwed? Or is there some way to downgrade without using Settings?

 

[davidhk129]

Does right click at Start button still work ?
I am assuming that it does. If it does not, please post back.

If you right click at Start > click Shut down or Sign out > you will have Restart option. Yes ?

Now press Shift key and HOLD > click Restart > select Troubleshoot > select Advanced Options > select Go back to previous build > follow the prompts.

That will get you back to Win 7.

Good luck.

 

[HungryButler]

I was able to do all this, but a thing popped up saying"We ran into a problem and won't be able to take you back to the previous build. Try resetting your current build instead (Troubleshoot > Reset this PC)."

Any idea what would cause this?

 

[davidhk129]

Any idea what would cause this?

No, I have no idea why or what causes it.
But the message asked you to do the Reset option.
Then do the reset option.
At Advanced Options, there is an option to Reset your PC. Yes ?

BUT before you do that.............
At bottom right next to the Time and ENG, there is a Notification icon. Yes ?
Can you click open it ?
If you can, clicking at All Settings will bring you to Settings > click Update and Security > left side, click Recovery > right side, click Get Started under Go back to Windows 7.

Please post back the result.

 

[HungryButler]

Opening Settings through the Notifications bar doesn't work. Nothing happens, just like when I try opening it through the Start menu.

I might go through the process of backing up my files and resetting my PC tomorrow, but I wonder what the point would be if my computer won't have the right drivers regardless. Maybe I'll stick with Windows 10 and hope the drivers show up soon. Right now my computer's having problems but it's not unusable. Really wishing I'd never upgraded though, would have saved myself a lot of trouble.

 

[davidhk129]

WAIT.
I have not been clear in what I wrote. It's 3:45 in the morning.

Clarifications ;
If you decide to run the Reset option..............
1. Press Shift key and HOLD > click Restart > select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC
2. Reset option will let you keep your files.

 

[HungryButler]

Problem solved! Someone on a different forum recommend I run Windows in Safe Mode and see if I could open Settings that way. This worked, so I was able to downgrade to Windows 7 the normal way.

Turns out I was getting the error while downgrading before because you have to delete any additional users created under Windows 10 before going back to Windows 7. Microsoft had created a new user at some point in the troubleshooting process so when I downgraded this way, it told me to delete it first.

Now I'm running Windows 7 again and everything works great. I really appreciate all your help dude.