Why does Win10 not allow overwrite by new Win7 disc?

clydebern said:

I get a continuous "windows failed to start" error with,
"insert windows install disc and restart
file\$windows.~bt\windows\system32\winload.efi
status: 0xc000000f
os could not be loaded because a required file is missing or contains errors."

I know it is a long time there, but if you are interested, you may read it.

Error status 0xC000000F means STATUS_NO_SUCH_FILE, and reads as "{File Not Found} The file %hs does not exist."

It is happening during boot, that means some boot files are missing.

Why the boot files will be missing? Because, in my best guess, it is the BIOS feature that is not being compatible with the windows 7 installation. Windows 10 uses UEFI on its own, whereas a normal windows 7 installation does not go to UEFI, it assumes the Legacy BIOS.

If Windows is installed on Legacy BIOS, it keeps the boot records in a way that is different from the required boot records for UEFI. And here may be the root of the boot failure.

I doubt that a branded computer shipped with Windows 10 preinstalled will allow you to set the Legacy BIOS. If you can do it, then there will be no problem installing windows 7.
But if you cannot, try installing Windows 7 by running the installer as UEFI. The "Boot Menu" key will be required to do that. Go through this guide: UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with.

Everything should go normal.

Next, the most important question raised by the persons who posted here is about the drivers. It will be most possible that the vendor will not list the necessary drivers for windows 7. No problem. You can always use the drivers suggested by windows update. Follow this guide: Device Installation Settings

Windows 7 should work now. I have installed Windows 7 on my colleague's Dell (W10 preinstalled) following the same process, just a few days ago.

Finally, about windows 10 .... I am using it for a few months. It is not bad. It does not require a lot of new things to learn. It just looks a bit different and some things works slight differently. If you want, you use it for a few days, there will be no problem when you will be accustomed with the changed GUI.

I think we mentioned the driver problem. See post #2.

whs said:

I think we mentioned the driver problem. See post #2.

I mentioned your contribution, with a possible solution. :)

Here I mentioned ....

Arc said:

Next, the most important question raised by the persons who posted here is about the drivers

And here is the workaround as I thought ....

Arc said:

It will be most possible that the vendor will not list the necessary drivers for windows 7. No problem. You can always use the drivers suggested by windows update. Follow this guide: Device Installation Settings

Right Arc. Reps coming.

Something in the partition table or/and the BIOS setup is incompatible which is causing it.

but it froze at the "starting windows" icon screen and the disc drive stopped.

If you have any running windows on the computer, Post a screenshot of the disk management window.
Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

If you dont have, download Partition wizard Bootable CD (the last one in the link). Burn it in a blank CD or in a USB flash stick.

Boot into Partition Wizards GUI following this instructions. When you are on the last screen, take a camera snap of the screen and upload the snap here.
Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

We need to see the partitions and parameters.

All the best. I should have said you to get the network driver earlier. Thats a big fault from my part.