Need help installing Windows7 on 8th Generation CPU

[Dumbledoor007]

Hey,


Pretty new here. Found this forum when searching for a Win7 forum.
Anyways, I'm having a huge problem with the current OS I'm using (Win10),
as I can't simply stand out it's look and I like win7 way more than any other OS.

Can someone help me install Windows 7 on 8th gen CPU? I'd be more than glad if someone could help me out here! Win10 is extremely hard to navigate around and it's costing me precious time. However, I have heard that 8th gen does not support earlier versions of Windows anymore, you can install it, but no drivers are available(?).

Are there any workarounds or am I forever stuck with Win10?


PC Specs;
I5 8500 3.0Ghz
Asus prime H310M-K motherboard
1x 8GB DDR4, 1x4GB DDR4. 12 GB in total.
Goodram SSD CX300 120GB SSD
1TB Toshiba Hard Drive
GTX 1050 TI 4GB
550 Watt power supply, Corsair VS550

 

[SIW2]

Windows 7 Image Updater - SkyLake\KabyLake\CoffeLake\Ryzen Threadripper

Untick "update all images".

 

[Megahertz07]

Welcome to the Forum.

You need to add to the Win 7 installation disk the USB 3 and SATA drivers. SIW2 gave you a link
Before you begin, make a disk image of your SSD so if things go wrong you can go back. Save the image to the HDD.
Use Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free
My suggestion is to try to install win 7 on another disk (HDD or SSD). Then, if everything works, you can clone to the SSD replacing win 10.
Remember to detach all other disks (power or SATA cable) leaving on only the target disk.

Edit: Your MB has H310 chipset. USB won't work. You will need to install a external PCI controller.
Amazon.com: Inateck Superspeed 7 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card - 5 USB 3.0 Ports and 2 Rear USB 3.0 Ports Express Card Desktop with 15 Pin SATA Power Connector, Including Two Power Cables (KT5002): Computers & Accessories

 

[Dumbledoor007]

Seems promising, I did notice that USB with win7 didn't even want to boot.

Will contact someone who might have it. (USB Expansion card)

 

[SIW2]

This one doesn't need extra power connector
Inateck 2-Port PCI-E USB 3.0 Express Card, Mini PCI-E USB 3.0 Hub Controller Adapter, with Internal USB 3.0 20-PIN Connector - Expand Another Two USB 3.0 Ports for Windows XP/7/8/ Mac OS 10.8.2 or Above - No Additional Power Connection Needed: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

 

[Paul Black]

Hi SIW2,

Windows 7 Image Updater - SkyLake\KabyLake\CoffeLake\Ryzen Threadripper

Very interesting thread. Takes a while to read but very informative .

 

[file3456]

That utility looks promising. But I don't like its lack of USB chipset choices. I think that may narrow down my MOBO selections down significantly.

Downloading now for future use.

 

[Paul Black]

Hi F22 Simpilot,

That utility looks promising. But I don't like its lack of USB chipset choices. I think that may narrow down my MOBO selections down significantly.
Downloading now for future use.

Yes, it does.

Obviously the utility file is quite large, due to the fact that he tries to accommodate all the necessary drivers for every scenario. Do you really want all those superfluous drivers adding to and clogging up the newly installed OS?

Reading through the thread though, people have had different problems trying to get it to work and boot correctly on their particular system. Atak is very good at quickly answering these problems [although there doesn't seem to be a lot of activity at present], and he does indeed either update the utility or he supplies a link to the necessary drivers needed etc.

I would be interested F22 Simpilot, if you test this out, what the results are and what you think!

 

[SIW2]

Paul,

1. Drivers:

Not all of Atak's drivers will be needed. E.G. If you are going to install on intel, you can delete the
Windows7\Drivers\install\x64\AMD MISC folder ( it is over 500mb)
You can also look through
Windows7\Import\Windows\Setup\Scripts\
and delete anything in there you don't want, gadgets, graphics drivers,Realtek Audio is massive - you could delete that and get your audio stuff later after installing etc.Then just comment out the relevant lines in Setupcomplete.cmd. Alternatively, just add If exist before each of them

eg.
change

cmd.exe /c %windir%\Setup\Scripts\vc_redist\Install.cmd
%windir%\Setup\Scripts\NET_Framework\NDP472-KB4054530-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU.exe /q /norestart
%windir%\Setup\Scripts\Realtek_Audio\Setup.exe /s
ETC.

To

[COLOR="Red"]IF EXIST %windir%\Setup\Scripts\vc_redist\Install.cmd[/COLOR] cmd.exe /c %windir%\Setup\Scripts\vc_redist\Install.cmd

[COLOR="Red"]IF EXIST %windir%\Setup\Scripts\NET_Framework\NDP472-KB4054530-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU.exe[/COLOR] %windir%\Setup\Scripts\NET_Framework\NDP472-KB4054530-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU.exe /q /norestart


ETC...

2. Updates:

Atak's method of integrating updates is a bit clunky. You might prefer adding the updates yourself, then use Atak's thing to integrate the drivers ( after removing the drivers you don't want as per 1 above).

3. You could do 1 and 2 above ( using image 1 in install.wim ) then use my 7updater to ensure ALL images are updated.

 

[mrjimphelps]

You have plenty of memory. You could install Linux Mint 64-bit as your host OS, and then install Windows 7 as a virtual machine in Linux Mint. With 12 GB of RAM, I expect that the Windows 7 VM will run so well that you won't even notice that it is running as a vm on top of Linux Mint. And the fact that you are running Windows 7 in a VM rather than installed directly on the machine means that you should be able to do auto-updates, because Windows 7 will be interfacing with the VM software, not with the machine.

 

[Paul Black]

Thanks for the clarification and detailed answer SIW2, it is appreciated.

I was just curious, because I am thinking of getting a new laptop in the January sales, and I would ideally like to install Windows 7 [it will probably come with Windows 10]. It is the drivers that I think will be the problem, so I was just curious how other people approach this aspect of it. I will either use your 7UPDATER or DISM++ [or BOTH] for the updates anyway when it comes to it. Then it will just be a case of sorting out the drivers needed.

Anyway, that will be a thread I post in the future rather than interupt the OP's thread here.

Thanks again SIW2.

 

[Dumbledoor007]

You have plenty of memory. You could install Linux Mint 64-bit as your host OS, and then install Windows 7 as a virtual machine in Linux Mint. With 12 GB of RAM, I expect that the Windows 7 VM will run so well that you won't even notice that it is running as a vm on top of Linux Mint. And the fact that you are running Windows 7 in a VM rather than installed directly on the machine means that you should be able to do auto-updates, because Windows 7 will be interfacing with the VM software, not with the machine.

I've thought about linux for a long time, but I'm not so sure about it; I used to have Ubuntu 14.01 on old PC, and it had lots of problems. Mostly the apps not opening or something like that.

I did try VM, yes, and I was amazed as to how fast it was by operating with just 3 cores and 4GB RAM (It's what I allocated to it), so that's one of the main reasons why I want to go back to Windows 7 too. Windows 10 tends to just freeze all over me and it just generally feels a lot slower than any other OS I've used, even though this motherboard I have only supports Win10/Linux - I found Linux drivers on the motherboard install DVD.

 

[file3456]

I would be interested F22 Simpilot, if you test this out, what the results are and what you think!

That won't be for a long time. Right now I'm not interested in the latest and greatest CPU, I am thinking of upgrading to a 6700k though for increased single thread capability.

My issue is that when I finally build a new machine, I want to see about still using 7, and so with a new CPU I have to try this utility out. But then again I'm thinking it may not be such a great idea since many programs and games won't run in 7. Especially if the game requires a version of DirectX that 7 simply doesn't have. But, I'm not so much of a modern gamer anyway. As it stands now I mostly play FSX and BF2 with the AIX mod. I have BF3, but after I got shot up despite shooting them and I couldn't figure out just how the hell you fly an aircraft, I promptly uninstalled. I don't even remember my Origin username and password anymore. And I don't even use Steam. I love ma physical media. LOL

 

[Paul Black]

Hi F22 Simpilot, I am going to download it today and have a look at it, especially the drivers and scripts parts as mentioned by SIW2. Just out of curiosity for now really. I still think that for updates, 7UPDATER [for a comprehensive updated media] and DISM++ [for customized updated media] is the way to go, especially as his update method is a bit clunky!

 

[SIW2]

You will need to install the MS nvme updates to support 3rd party nvme drivers.

They need to be installed into install.wim and boot.wim image 2. Then copy the contents of the sources folder from boot.wim image 2 into the sources folder of the installation media ( that overwrites the original setup files with the updated versions).

Ideally, they also need to be installed into winre.wim ( it only has one image )

 

[mrjimphelps]

I am thinking of getting a new laptop in the January sales, and I would ideally like to install Windows 7 [it will probably come with Windows 10]. It is the drivers that I think will be the problem, so I was just curious how other people approach this aspect of it. I will either use your 7UPDATER or DISM++ [or BOTH] for the updates anyway when it comes to it. Then it will just be a case of sorting out the drivers needed.

Do you have a retail Windows 7 license? You will have a hard time getting a Windows 7 retail license these days if you don't already have one. A "retail" license allows you to activate your copy of Windows 7 on any PC, one at a time. Without a license, you won't be able to activate Windows 7 on your new laptop.

There are still a few new Windows 7 laptops available for purchase. Here are some that Dell is selling. They are quite expensive.

Acer has some Windows 7 laptops at about half the price Dell is charging:
Laptops | View All Our Laptops | Acer Professional Solutions

Here is a really nice Windows 7 laptop from Acer, for $700:
TMP259-M-55GW | Laptops | NX.VDSAA.002 | Acer Professional Solutions
I guess this laptop has an internal hard drive or SSD, but it isn't mentioned in the specs.

 

[Megahertz07]

You will need to install the MS nvme updates to support 3rd party nvme drivers.

They need to be installed into install.wim and boot.wim image 2. Then copy the contents of the sources folder from boot.wim image 2 into the sources folder of the installation media ( that overwrites the original setup files with the updated versions).

Ideally, they also need to be installed into winre.wim ( it only has one image )

SIW2,
The MVMe drivers are on a Windows update file (*.msu). Could you please explain how to integrate those updates into the *.wim images?

 

[Paul Black]

Hi Megahertz07,

SIW2,
The MVMe drivers are on a Windows update file (*.msu).
Could you please explain how to integrate those updates into the *.wim images?

The *.MSU files are a kind of ZIP file.

DISM / DISM++ can do this.

Something like this [if there is more than one update in a folder]:

DISM /image:C:\Win7ISO\Offline /Add-Package /Packagepath:C:\Updates\

Something like this [if you want to do them individually]:

DISM /image:C:\Win7ISO\Offline /Add-Package /Packagepath:C:\Updates\Windows6.1-KBxxxxxxx-x64.msu

I hope this helps!

 

[SIW2]

Or use dism++. Though mostly it uses the cbs api, It can be used as a gui for dism.

PowerIso now also includes a little dim gui thing. In addititon, I made one myself.

 

[Juanipon]

mrjimphelps

Which edition of Linux Mint do you recommend?