I downloaded Windows 8 Consumer Preview (because I was unhappy with Vista). Now ALL my programs are gone. I am unable to find the Vista CD which should have come with my computer, and spent over 8 hours attempting to uninstall Windows 8, but was unsuccessful. I did try system restore, but there was only one choice, a time when Windows 8 was already downloaded.

Would someone be so kind as to share their knowledge and advise what I should do at this point?

Thank you!

My advice would be to buy yourself a copy of Windows 7, install it and stick with it. It's much better than Vista and, from what I've seen, better than Windows 8.

Windows system, including Windows 8 consumer preview, doesn't offer an option for you to uninstall the advanced version to lower version. I recommend you get use to it, because in my opinion, Windows 8 Consumer Preview has little difference with Windows 7, just the Metro UI.

You will soon get used to this version, it is really quite good. Though maybe it is a little more unstable, cause it is beta version, and maybe some drivers are not compatibly, this won't be a problem in the following 2 - 3 months. I suggest you to use Windows 8 Consumer Preview for free at this moment, and then purchase Windows 8 final version this Sep or Oct.

Thank you for your suggestion

I am appreciative of your replies!

You are welcome. I just think that your Vista CD is lost, if you want to install new system, you have to buy one, or you have to use free system, such as Ubuntu, that kind of system will make you upset. So why not try to use Windows 8 consumer preview as it is free, (though maybe it is a little inconvenient at this moment for you), and buy WIndows 8 final version half year later, and at that time, you will surely get used to it.

No, do yourself a favor and buy a Windows 7 installation package and forget Windows 8. It's a waste of time.

Hello from deano526, First I would like more info such as; what programs have you lost ? What is your system build ? etc... The more info about the problem, the better I can help you. Well lets start here ! I assume you saw the Windows 8 evaluation some where on the web and thought you would download it because you didnt like VISTA ? If you had read the terms, it did say it was for users that had legal copys of there operating systems, blah, blah, blah and then then more blahs. 1 option to get your version of Windwows VISTA back, is to contact HP, DELL, Acer or who ever built your pc and request a FACTORY RESTORE DISK for your machine. The disk will cost you a few bucks, but it will restore your pc to "out of the box" . But you still wont have the programs that you have lost ! Now if you do have the programs on disk, or flash drive like I do, just reinstall them. If you downloaded windows 8 and just overwrote, it should pick up the files that were saved and went with the program. For example, I had widows vista and download windows 8 and lost windows mail, then I downloaded windows live essentials and it applied (what I thought was lost) my incoming and out going mail servers ! So I dought everything is lost. another option to get your lost programs back, in windows 8 download a free recovery program like RECUVU. You can get it from filehippo.com and its safe and free. Create a folder on your desktop and name it something like "lost programs" or what ever then when your Running RECUVU chose to save the lost programs that the software to that folder. Then open the folder, then run setup on the program(s) and I hope that you wrote down the product keys somewhere cause your going to need them ! HOPE this helps, and good luck, if you need more help, just post it, ill be back, later deano

Originally Posted by socrfan

My advice would be to buy yourself a copy of Windows 7, install it and stick with it. It's much better than Vista and, from what I've seen, better than Windows 8.

Yeah, I'll go along with that. Windows 8 has as many annoyances as Vista had. I'll most certainly NOT be buying it. Back to 7.
Watching the bloke sing it's praises that was involved with its making annoyed more than encouraged (Jensen Harris or something) showing what it could do, and not HOW to do it is irritating in the extreme.
Little things too - like how the hell do I get the folders to view as large icons ? It was straightforward until now.
(Oh I can get it to view OK, just it won't STAY in large icons)
Go close to the edge of the screen and unasked for black band appears, and the time at the bottom left.