Is Win7 running on LGA1151 + Skylake Motherboards?

[Hugo smalls]

The workaround for the System partition has been the same since Windows 7 was released - It will not overwrite existing partitions. Create as many partitions as you need before you start and don't leave any spare space and the installer will not create a system partition. simply select the windows partition you wish to use during the install process

It also apparently will only install to an MBR partitioned disk when installing via dvd. I tried as many different ways as I could think of when using a usb stick with the Gigabyte drivers added on, but no matter what, it would not install on a partitioned drive. MBR? Nope, Windows can only install to a GPT. GPT? Nope, Windows could not create a partition, or locate an existing partition.

I'm sure there's a reason for this, but I don't seem to have the patience to find out. And now I have no need to.

 

[AddRAM]

I have a Gigabyte Z170 MB and a i5 6600k and I'm running Win 7 HP 64.
As new MB has only USB 3 ports and new SATA drivers that Win 7 doesn't have, you must add them to the Win 7 installation disk.
Many manufactures has a program to do so, even Intel.
Read my tutorial Create a Windows 7 USB flash installation with new drives for new MB's
You will find all you need there.

I also just upgraded my cpu/ram/mobo to Skylake and am in the process of installing W7 x64. Took me a while messing with Gigabyte's packaged usb drivers combined with a usb install drive, but because it would not let me prepare my ssd the way I liked (WITHOUT the useless 100mb system reserve partition that you can't remove), I instead just installed w7 the traditional way with the dvd. Install went fine, no issues.

However, my question now is how do I get my usb ports (any of them) to work with anything other than mouse and keyboard? I would download the USB drivers from Gigabyte, but my LAN driver is located on my 2TB wd Passport that I cannot currently access.

Your LAN drivers are on the CD that came with your new board

In fact all your drivers are on that CD.

And of course W7 will install to a Partitioned MBR drive, it won`t install to a GPT partitioned drive because it has to make it`s own system partition.

Just use Partition Wizard to prep your ssd. Bootable Partition Manager| MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable Edition

 

[Hugo smalls]

I have a Gigabyte Z170 MB and a i5 6600k and I'm running Win 7 HP 64.
As new MB has only USB 3 ports and new SATA drivers that Win 7 doesn't have, you must add them to the Win 7 installation disk.
Many manufactures has a program to do so, even Intel.
Read my tutorial Create a Windows 7 USB flash installation with new drives for new MB's
You will find all you need there.

I also just upgraded my cpu/ram/mobo to Skylake and am in the process of installing W7 x64. Took me a while messing with Gigabyte's packaged usb drivers combined with a usb install drive, but because it would not let me prepare my ssd the way I liked (WITHOUT the useless 100mb system reserve partition that you can't remove), I instead just installed w7 the traditional way with the dvd. Install went fine, no issues.

However, my question now is how do I get my usb ports (any of them) to work with anything other than mouse and keyboard? I would download the USB drivers from Gigabyte, but my LAN driver is located on my 2TB wd Passport that I cannot currently access.

Your LAN drivers are on the CD that came with your new board

In fact all your drivers are on that CD.

And of course W7 will install to a Partitioned MBR drive, it won`t install to a GPT partitioned drive because it has to make it`s own system partition.

Just use Partition Wizard to prep your ssd. Bootable Partition Manager| MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable Edition

Yup, exactly, and just as I remembered there was a shiny new un-opened CD sitting there in the Mobo box, I had literally just finished using a laptop to burn the files from the website onto a CD that I used instead

So, all updated now. Happily installing my programs onto a fresh drive, my system boots in about 3 and a half seconds, ready to *finally* give BF1 a try this evening.

Thank you, and thanks to the others herev who looked in, I think just being on a forum with smarter people than myself was all I needed to get that spark of inspiration. Much respect 7f.

 

[AddRAM]

Ya well, enjoy that 3 seconds while it lasts.

 

[Hugo smalls]

Maybe, but I try to make sure nothing I add is added onto the boot list, if possible. I also don't have very much installed on this machine. Try to keep it light and fast.

 

[AddRAM]

It`s those dammed Windows updates, first the 4 colors don`t even come together and it goes to windows, then after fully updating windows, the 4 colors come together then pulse for 3 or 4 seconds before it goes to windows

Happened on my Saber Z77, my Saber Z87, and now this Z170 :shock: and this Saber is the worst because it does a bunch of tests before it finishes the POST.

 

[Hugo smalls]

Do you have Intel rapid storage installed?

 

[AddRAM]

Of course.

But that doesn`t kick in til well after windows boots, so that`s not part of my issue.

It`s this board and it`s damned tests, I`ve contacted Asus, and I even bought another board and it did the same thing, I just bought it as a test, then shipped it back.

I would like to get the Formula, but it`s so expensive.

ASUS ROG MAXIMUS VIII FORMULA LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard-Newegg.com

But who knows, it could take longer to boot then mine

 

[Hugo smalls]

Hmm.. you must have quite a bit more content installed than I do. After I update w7 as much as it can be, I still never see the 4 colors even get close to each other.

 

[AddRAM]

I have a spare SSD, I may do a fresh install, but that`s not gonna help any with the motherboard POST, it`s ridiculous.

Windows 10 boots fast, but I only plug that drive in once in a while.

 

[Hugo smalls]

I have yet to play around with this new chipset very much, but I think it has some kind of ultra fast boot settings that might skip some post stuff. I'll look into it more tonight and post up any results.

 

[Layback Bear]

Hugo just a thought.

Going off the beaten path just to get a few seconds faster boot can cause problem.
My system boots in about 40 seconds and shut down in 5 seconds. It all depends on many things.
The boot time will vary even on the same computer.

I don't judge a computer on a few seconds difference on boot time. The few seconds difference will not change my life even a little.

Most new motherboards do have something they call (fast boot, quick boot) in bios. When I tried those settings I had problems at times.
Sometimes all the drivers would not load with such a fast boot. Most of the time the drivers that would not load were the USB 3.0 and Ethernet. Reboot and things would work again. Not much of a time saver.
I believe it's more important for a proper boot every time rather than a 10 second faster boot some times.

Just my thoughts gathered through tinkering and testing.

Jack

 

[Hugo smalls]

Yea, you are absolutely right about that. I like to have some control over what loads at boot, and often I can monitor it and test, but the truth is there are many subtle programs that either load on boot or delayed which are not readily configurable. So you have to work around them.

It's funny because I texted my brother last night after installing the Intel rapid storage component, and said the same thing, damn this boots fast, and he was saying the same things as you. And I told him that I wasn't bragging, just that it kind of shocked me how fast it was.

I still haven't gotten a chance to play around with the BIOS settings however... the updates were still being downloaded when I went to bed.

 

[Hugo smalls]

Hmm... seems like Windows Update isn't connecting at all. Was still searching for updates this afternoon.

Also Security essentials fails to update virus definitions...

Is there something I forgot to do? I have Internet, can browse fine.

 

[Megahertz07]

For the updates MS releases SP2 for Windows 7

 

[AddRAM]

Check your time and time zone.

Did you do this yet ??

Windows Update will not update and I've tried multiple fixes

 

[Hugo smalls]

Check your time and time zone.

Did you do this yet ??

Windows Update will not update and I've tried multiple fixes

I actually did just that and it worked. All good now.

Although, I bypassed the issue in a much more conventional way.... I just unplugged the cat5 cable.


edit: although, 2 quick questions.... When I got finished the first big mass of updates (over 214 or so), a couple of them failed to install - I have not checked and it subsequently installed about 24 more after that, but does WU normally just re-acquire those that failed the next time it updates? And 2nd, what exactly triggers Silverlight to get installed, as I don't see it in my list yet.

 

[AddRAM]

Windows update will continue to offer you uninstalled updates, unless you don`t want them and hide them.

Silver light is a Microsoft thing, nothing triggers it, it`s just offered, you don`t have to install that either, but you should.

Access Denied

What is Microsoft Silverlight and why do I need it? - Microsoft Community

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Unless you use NetFlix you would never probably use Silverlight
And even NetFlix is going to start using html5 sooner or later just like Amazon prime is finally using