your biggest problem is whether W7 drivers are available for your particular device.
Even if you find a legit W7 CD/DVD (actually a legit license is the big issue), no guarantee HP drivers are available, and the douchebags at Geek Squad could install your W7, which provides generic device drivers and call it good, at which point you’d have a pretty crippled W7 device, in particular the graphics and sound wouldn’t be very good, and things like WiFi might not work at all.
In point of fact, HP W7 drivers don’t exist for your Envy and there’s no way G.S. will spend the time to try to track them down from the chip vendors, assuming they even exist.
Your best bet is to see if you can find a legit retail W8 license/DVD, which shouldn’t be difficult, and there’s a better chance HP W8 drivers exist. Don’t buy the W8 until you know for a fact that you can get the drivers.
W8 isn’t as far down the cell-phone-OS path as W10, and can be made to look and function pretty close to W7 by installing Classic Shell and a couple of other minor tweaks to restore F8 safe mode, nuke the lock screen, etc.
Nonetheless, I wouldn’t trust Geek Squad to plug in a blank USB stick much less do the above work. Hunt around and see if you can find a GOOD independent shop and go in and talk to a couple and see if they know what they are talking about.
Thanks SO MUCH for the input. I despise Geek Squad but we’re new to our area so don’t know any independents. I’ll just keep the Envy as is, and resort to my pathetic Samsung netbook w/7. The Envy is heavy; I can use it for a doorstop.
Again... thanks!