Win 7 installation via (only) USB 3.0 ports

[mane02]

Hi Guys,

actually I'm struggeling with the installation of Win 7 Pro x64 on a MSI Cubi N, which has unfortunatly only USB 3.0 ports.

First I put the Win 7 setup from an iso image to a usb key of 4 GB space with the Microsoft usb and download tool. To work around the ubs 3.0 problem I added the usb 3.0 drivers (I got from the MSI homepage) to the boot.wim and install.wim with the help of "Win Toolkit" 1.5.4.4

Setup is starting and mouse and keyboard, plugged in via usb 3.0, are working as expected.

But after the installation comes my problem: When Win 7 is started the first time after the setup process (I mean, when it's first time started form the SSD and not the usb key, but somehow still within the setup process, if you want to say) I can see the mouse and keyboard are not active anymore, their little lights are off also and no more input can be made.

Hopefully you can explain to me, why are the drivers, I added, working within the setup process, but not in the (nearly) complete installation, allthough I added them to boot.wim AND install.wim???

Thanks alot,
Mane

 

[Urthboundmisfit]

Hi Guys,

actually I'm struggeling with the installation of Win 7 Pro x64 on a MSI Cubi N, which has unfortunatly only USB 3.0 ports.

First I put the Win 7 setup from an iso image to a usb key of 4 GB space with the Microsoft usb and download tool. To work around the ubs 3.0 problem I added the usb 3.0 drivers (I got from the MSI homepage) to the boot.wim and install.wim with the help of "Win Toolkit" 1.5.4.4

Setup is starting and mouse and keyboard, plugged in via usb 3.0, are working as expected.

But after the installation comes my problem: When Win 7 is started the first time after the setup process (I mean, when it's first time started form the SSD and not the usb key, but somehow still within the setup process, if you want to say) I can see the mouse and keyboard are not active anymore, their little lights are off also and no more input can be made.

Hopefully you can explain to me, why are the drivers, I added, working within the setup process, but not in the (nearly) complete installation, allthough I added them to boot.wim AND install.wim???

Thanks alot,
Mane

Hi Marie,you need to enable "xHCI Handoff" In your BIOS settings:



On my MSI PE60 it's under Advanced >> USB Configuration.
Source: Intel Communities.


Hope this helps.

 

[AddRAM]

Are you getting to the window where you enter the user and computer name and your keyboard and mouse no longer work ?

If your mouse and keyboard are plugged into usb 3.0 ports, windows has not been able to install the 3.0 drivers for them yet so the ports aren`t gonna work for the keyboard and mouse yet.

 

[mane02]

If your mouse and keyboard are plugged into usb 3.0 ports, windows has not been able to install the 3.0 drivers for them yet so the ports aren`t gonna work for the keyboard and mouse yet.

Yes, that's the point! So why, do you think, the drivers aren't loaded and do know a methode, to work around this problem?

Thanks!
Mane

 

[mane02]

Hope this helps.

Thanks for your answer. I will try, when I'm at home, but actually I can't imagine, that this will help. First of all, the BIOS, as far as I remember, has no option to en/disable the XHCI Hand-off explicitly and also the usb 3.0 is working at the beginning of the setup routine. So I think, it's more a driver problem. Or do you have another explanation or hint for me?

By the way, the Legacy USB Support is enabled in BIOS. Doesn't this may include the XHCI Hand-off?

Tanks!
Mane

 

[Urthboundmisfit]

Thanks for your answer. I will try, when I'm at home, but actually I can't imagine, that this will help. First of all, the BIOS, as far as I remember, has no option to en/disable the XHCI Hand-off explicitly and also the usb 3.0 is working at the beginning of the setup routine. So I think, it's more a driver problem. Or do you have another explanation or hint for me?

By the way, the Legacy USB Support is enabled in BIOS. Doesn't this may include the XHCI Hand-off?

Tanks!
Mane

Windows 7 doesn't natively support USB 3.0. However, the USB3 drivers integrated in boot.wim & install.wim enables USB 3.0 support. The BIOS "owns" the USB 3.0 (xHCI) controller when you first power on the PC (install from USB in this case). Eventually the OS loads (first reboot). The OS needs to obtain exclusive control of the USB 3.0 controller from the BIOS (xHCI handoff)... at least that's how I'm understanding it. When I first installed Win 7 on my laptop I ran into the same problem upon first reboot, after changing the BIOS setting it was smooth sailing.

As far as it being a "driver problem" I do know that I used the generic USB3 drivers from the Intel site and integrated them with DISM.exe.

 

[mane02]

Windows 7 doesn't natively support USB 3.0. However, the USB3 drivers integrated in boot.wim & install.wim enables USB 3.0 support. The BIOS "owns" the USB 3.0 (xHCI) controller when you first power on the PC (install from USB in this case). Eventually the OS loads (first reboot). The OS needs to obtain exclusive control of the USB 3.0 controller from the BIOS (xHCI handoff).

Aah, I see, want you are meaning. I think, this looks reasoned to me. Thanks again! I'll try this, as soon as I'm at home, what unfortunately will be not until saturday.

May be you allow me an additional question. If it's nessecary for the OS the get the xHCI handed out by the BIOS, why should someone disable this hand off respecitvely why does Win 10 does not has need to this? The installation of Win 10 has worked without any problems ...

Thanks!
Mane

 

[Urthboundmisfit]

Aah, I see, want you are meaning. I think, this looks reasoned to me. Thanks again! I'll try this, as soon as I'm at home, what unfortunately will be not until saturday.

May be you allow me an additional question. If it's nessecary for the OS the get the xHCI handed out by the BIOS, why should someone disable this hand off respecitvely why does Win 10 does not has need to this? The installation of Win 10 has worked without any problems ...

Thanks!
Mane

It was disabled by default on my laptop probably because it came installed with Windows 10 which supports USB3 natively... an uneducated guess is I'm assuming that means the "handoff" is written into the OS's code...or something like that USB3 support became native as of Windows 8:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/li...067(v=vs.85).aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

 

[AddRAM]

If your mouse and keyboard are plugged into usb 3.0 ports, windows has not been able to install the 3.0 drivers for them yet so the ports aren`t gonna work for the keyboard and mouse yet.

Yes, that's the point! So why, do you think, the drivers aren't loaded and do know a methode, to work around this problem?

Thanks!
Mane

The 3.0 drivers you are talking about are the ones you integrated into the installer, that`s just so you can install with a usb stick into a 3.0 slot, you still have to install the 3.0 drivers in windows 7 after your install for 3.0 ports to work, this has always been the case with windows 7.

I can easily install windows 7 on my Z170 using a usb stick after setting it up with Asus`s EZ Installer, but the usb 3.0 ports still don`t work until I install the 3.0 drivers, fortunately I have the MB CD and of course the Sabertooth has 2.0 ports


Hope that clears it up for you.

The way around it is for the dumb#@@ motherboard manufacturers to keep putting usb 2.0 ports on them, if not then they should at least have a PS2 port on it.

 

[mane02]

Hi Guys,

thanks a lot for your help! Unfortunatly I'm still not able, to get the USB working after installation of Win 7. So I gave up and installed Win 10, which is working fine. I've wasted enough time with this ...

At last I also tried to use the MSI Smart Tool, to include the USB 3.0 drivers into my stick, but this always throws an insignificant error msg...

Mane

 

[AddRAM]

Yep Windows 8 and 10 have the 3.0 drivers built into the installer, so no issues.

10 is fine once you customize it and find your way around, it`s just another OS

It`s a shame because Windows 7 is, and will always be the best OS ever made by MS

 

[Megahertz07]

I had the same issues to install Win 7 on my new MB.
I've found the way to have Win 7 installed and create a tutorial.
Don't give up. Have a look at my tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...sb-flash-installation-new-drives-new-mbs.html