Windows 7: New laptop

My new laptop will be arriving anytime and I'm trying to figure out best way to get everything going.

Its coming pre-shipped with Windows 8 on a hhd. I'm placing 2 SSDs into the laptop. I might play with windows 8 sometime in a dual boot but for now I need to put windows 7 on it.

It will be a clean install and I'm guessing the uEFI will be on but I know it might not. It will have to be something I check.

so if its enabled should I install window 7 with the uefi bootable flash drive. I really don't understand all that I just read a tutorial on it here.

Or should I turn it off and just install windows 7 normal.



I also plan on a clean install of windows 8 can you get isos from dell like you can for windows 7?

Thanks everyone.

- Update -

Laptop is a ASUS K55A-DH71 which says it has uefi bios.

First study about UEFI so you can decide if you even want it:
The 30-year-long Reign of BIOS is Over: Why UEFI W... - Input Output
Technical Note: UEFI BIOS vs. Legacy BIOS - YouTube

Then if so you'll at least need the steps here: Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7

Or you can choose to Bypass UEFI to Install WIn7

Thanks greg. I will read it after my lecture.

Okay i read up on it, and i love the idea behind UEFI.

Thanks for the articles.

I'm going to follow these guides.

UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with

Let us know how it goes

Everything went find. One small snag on the way but its all got worked out. Thanks again.

Greg, I was looking into cant install windows 7 in the preinstalled windows 8 laptop

if you do boot like this are you still using uefi? or are you using legacy bios?

You are using Legacy BIOS or CSM if you follow those steps to bypass UEFI. That's why changing the BIOS settings is a first step.

UEFI is completely cut out unless you use CSM Dual Mode which allows Dual Mode choice to mix UEFI and MBR installs.

This is new enough that while some are opting to Bypass UEFI using those steps, it remains to be seen if that is the Best Practice given that UEFI offers some promised advantages and is where BIOS are heading. You'd have to compare to know what these advantages are until there is more reported for your BIOS. We are only providing the steps for users who don't care about UEFI and just want to get installed.

I actually had to had CSM enabled in order for the uefi bootable usb device to work.

I was only asking because i plan to put linux my 2nd hard disk in my laptop and i wasnt sure if i could even do it now. I will have to mess around with it later though.

I would ask in a Linux forum which versions are able to be installed in UEFI mode, or install it to another HD formatted MBR in CSM Dual mode.