Hi I was watching a Youtube that showed that in Win8 upgrade there was a setting to keep all programs when upgrading from Win7 to Win8 On the Win 8.1 disc that option was removed, but there was a program attached call shc.rar. By running it the option to keep all programs and settings was available on the Win 8.1 upgrade. I can't find the program anywhere, as the link from the Youtube is dead. Anyone heard of such a thing and where I could find the program?
I have shc.rar (Show Hidden Controls - although it doesn't quite really show them) and I have used it numerous times. I can work on getting you the program, it's only 1.5mb. The bigger problem is explaining how to use it - I had to watch the YouTube clip more more than once to figure it out. Prep work: The first time I tried it, the upgrade failed (reverted back to Windows 7 with error code 0x101-0x20017). Turns out Windows 8.1 is not compatible with any Windows 7 wifi driver. You will have to go to the Device Manager and delete the wifi driver. You won't have an internet connection at this point, nor will you need it. Windows 8.1 upgrade loaded it's own driver - at least it did on my upgrades. 1 - Turn off antivirus/malware. SHC didn't harm my stuff, but some A/V don't like it. 2 - Extract the shc.rar to the desktop. 3 - Run "Setup" on your Win8.1 DVD/USB to start the upgrade. 4 - After a couple of of screens, you will see your two choices - "Keep nothing" or "Keep your files and personal settings". You will not see "Keep your files, personal settings and applications". 5 - Minimize the Windows 8.1 upgrade dialog. 6 - Run shc.exe that you extracted to your desktop. 7 - There will be a list of functions in the upper part of the dialog box - select "Windows 8.1 upgrade". 8 - Scroll down the list in the center section and select "[HIDDEN] Keep your files, personal settings and applications". 9 - There are five buttons at the bottom and they are in Russian. Click on the middle (third) button. 10 - Restore the Windows 8.1 upgrade dialog. Notice that both of the two choices are blank, yet the "Next" button is still enabled. Click on "Next" and the upgrade dialog should display "Keeping your files, personal settings and applications". That's it. Hope these instructions are clear enough or someone else can help. Again, if someone can't get you SHC.RAR, then I'll figure something out. I have a Mega.nz account - never shared anything before - guess it's time I learned.
You have completely lost me here. If you have an activated copy of 7, why would you want to go to 8. I found 8 good, but 10 even better. I have a friend with a 4 year old Dell Laptop who cannot switch to 10. The process starts, and then aborts, saying machine is not compatible. My old machines have all worked perfectly. Any problem with drivers seems to get sorted out provided you are on-line. Just use an Ethernet connection. If neither connection works, not sure what to do, but I have not had that problem.
Never done this, but clearly this should work. As for why the OP wants to do this - that's their business. PS - Actual executable name is "ShowHideControls", not "ShowHiddenControls", like I was babbling about.
I've never heard of doing it with the "ShowHideControls" and I have a tendency not to trust something I only see posted once on YouTube. Especially when the Vid cuts off before showing that it actually works. But I downloaded the 383KB exe file from the link and I'll give it a run in VMWare and see what happens when I get a chance. I'm a Win 8.1 user and If it was Me, I'd be doing a Clean Install Update: Well I'll be Bat I upgraded a copy of Win 7 HP in VMWare Workstation directly to Win 8.1 Core without any problems. Unlike upgrading to Win 10, it does lose activation so I went with a KMS solution.
@Meat I can't get the file because needs decryption key to download and looks like you've got receive private messages turned off...
I have received your PMs and replied. The latest reply is a Mega link containing both file and decryption key. You should be able to receive the file now. I tried Gmail, but it won't permit sending of .rar, .exe, etc. I could try renaming it to shc.gif or shc with no extention. Then you rename it.