Help me install W7 on a Dell inspiron 3583

[Edy88]

Hey there, this is my first post.
After a very bad experience with W10, I decided I want to go back to W7. So I researched about it across the internet (including this forum) and I understood that the only problem is that my modern computer components don’t have drivers for W7. So I have some questions.
How did you guys overcome this driver problem? If I install the W7 drivers, will it erase my W10 drivers and I won’t be able to go back to W10 if the W7 installation fails? Can I permanently ruin my computer? Is there any other problems I can have based on my specs? Do you have any tutorial you reccomend me to follow?
I saw in some threads here that there is this updated windows 7 installation thing, that is a very big file, and it will make ssds and usb3.1 works, but I don't get it, does it have all the drivers I need?

Here are my PC specs:
It’s a Dell Inspiron 15 3583
CPU: Intel core i5 8th gen (i5-8265U)
Motherboard: 0T0MC0. It has 1 USB 2.0 port (that I read that it’s important to install W7) and 2 USB 3.1 ports.
RAM: 8GB
GPU: Intel UHD graphics 620
HDD: toshiba mq04abf100 1tb

I'm *very* noob, so please be patient. Tell me if I forgot to mention any important component of my pc.
And my pc is currently not working, W10 decided to update something and now I can't access the OS or my files, I'm stuck in a dumb blue screen. This is the second time this happens, and thank god I was able to backup my files the 1st time. I don't currently have any important files on my computer. And this kind of thing is among the reasons I'm done with W10 and I rlly hope it's not the only microsoft OS I can run on my computer.

 

[Megahertz07]

Welcome to the Forum.

Even if you clean your current drive, win10 can easily be reinstalled and activated. This is not a problem.

I suggest you buy a small SSD (128G or 256G) to install Win 7 and if you succeed you use the HDD for data (is what I have on my computer) so you have the speed of a SSD and the space of a HDD at low cost.

You need a Win 7 license to use on your computer. Do you have one?

Win 7 installation files doesn't have some drivers needed for some new hardware like USB3.x, SATA and M.2 drives.
You have to add those drivers to the Win 7 installation files.
SIW2 has created a script to add them.
Update your Win 7 installation media

In this thread it has installed Win 7 on computer similar to yours
Comet Lake Windows 7

 

[Edy88]

I suggest you buy a small SSD (128G or 256G) to install Win 7 and if you succeed you use the HDD for data (is what I have on my computer) so you have the speed of a SSD and the space of a HDD at low cost.

You need a Win 7 license to use on your computer. Do you have one?

Win 7 installation files doesn't have some drivers needed for some new hardware like USB3.x, SATA and M.2 drives.
You have to add those drivers to the Win 7 installation files.
SIW2 has created a script to add them.
Update your Win 7 installation media

In this thread it has installed Win 7 on computer similar to yours
Comet Lake Windows 7

I actually have one SSD (240 GB) I got as a gift. But it's one of those that replaces the HDD (SATA or something like that), so I can't have both. I'm thinking about replacing my HDD and using it as an external HDD (that I read I can buy a special case and plug it via usb), to store larger files like movies. But isn't it even harder to instal W7 in a SSD?
One of the reasons I wanted to use W7 is that it run faster in HDDs than W10/11 (that, honesly, you just can't have a nice experience with unless you have a SSD).

And yes, I have an old license.

And I tried to follow SIW2 tutorial, but I didn't know how to add the drivers he reccomended to the installation media... (this one: https://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/event/H310_windowstool/win7_8th_i3_i5_Driver_2.0.rar)

And I've seen this thread, but didn't pay attention to it. I'll try what he did.

Thanks for helping me!

 

[ian50]

Edy88

My spec is an HP 250 G7 i5-8265u, 16Gb RAM, USB3.1 and USB2 ports and an internal 1Tb NVMe Crucial P5 SSD, so it's quite close to yours. I've been successful on installing Win7 Pro SP1 (64 bit) when the initial OS was Win10, and having it boot off the internal P5 SSD. So I've done exactly what you're intending to, albeit on a different brand of machine. I've found Win 7 drivers for all the bits (audio, wifi, touchpad). The Biostar graphics driver works perfectly on a UHD620 chip and there is also a perfectly workable driver with a later version of this as well.

If you wish, I could give step-by-step help but first we would sort out where you'd like to end up. For example, do you wish to retain Win 10 as a dual boot ? Can you open your machine to physically install an SSD inside (and then reassemble without problems) ? If not, perhaps you could use an external USB boot disk (Win 7 "to go", as it were).

There will be some necessary jargon - and you do need to use a program to update your Win 7 media first (SWI2 has a perfectly useable updater right here, with tutorials). So if I've read your comments correctly, you need to have your PC working again (Win 10 to begin) or access to another working machine.

If you choose some other route, that's no problem.

 

[Megahertz07]

Your profile specs mention that you have a Desktop not a laptop

Your computer may have a SLIC table for win 7
Run as on this post install windows 7 on Dell Inc. Inspiron 15-3567

 

[SIW2]

I would be surprised if it does. I think the last machines to have slic 2.1 were 6th and 7th gen.

 

[torchwood]

we can check, run this tool copy/paste the output --- there were a load of models than had the auto downgrade option

Download Microsoft Genuine Advantage Diagnostic Tool - MajorGeeks

 

[Edy88]

I've been successful on installing Win7 Pro SP1 (64 bit) when the initial OS was Win10, and having it boot off the internal P5 SSD. So I've done exactly what you're intending to, albeit on a different brand of machine. I've found Win 7 drivers for all the bits (audio, wifi, touchpad). The Biostar graphics driver works perfectly on a UHD620 chip and there is also a perfectly workable driver with a later version of this as well.

If you wish, I could give step-by-step help but first we would sort out where you'd like to end up. For example, do you wish to retain Win 10 as a dual boot ? Can you open your machine to physically install an SSD inside (and then reassemble without problems) ? If not, perhaps you could use an external USB boot disk (Win 7 "to go", as it were).

There will be some necessary jargon - and you do need to use a program to update your Win 7 media first (SWI2 has a perfectly useable updater right here, with tutorials). So if I've read your comments correctly, you need to have your PC working again (Win 10 to begin) or access to another working machine.

If you choose some other route, that's no problem.

it's nice to hear that you got it working!

I'm currently using W11 (my pc is working again, and better than I expected tbh), but I didn't remove W10, so I think I have both installed (I can choose W10 or W11 when I open safe mode). It would be nice to have both W11 and W7 installed, but only use one at a time. I think that's what people call a dual boot. Not sure if this is possible tho.

And yes, I think I can open my machine and install the SSD.

- - - Updated - - -

Your profile specs mention that you have a Desktop not a laptop

Your computer may have a SLIC table for win 7
Run as on this post install windows 7 on Dell Inc. Inspiron 15-3567

I just used the app SIW2 reccomended in that thread and it says my SLIC version is 2.1

What does that mean?

 

[Megahertz07]

I just used the app SIW2 reccomended in that thread and it says my SLIC version is 2.1

What does that mean?

It means that you can use Dell Win 7 media to install win 7 pro.

Use Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool to download Dell Win 7

 

[ian50]

[Edy88]

... to have both W11 and W7 installed, but only use one at a time

I've not done that (why I asked in the beginning, of course). Both OS's have different boot requirements so someone who's put Win11 and Win7 on the same boot disk would be helpful on this point.

 

[Megahertz07]

[Edy88]

... to have both W11 and W7 installed, but only use one at a time

I've not done that (why I asked in the beginning, of course). Both OS's have different boot requirements so someone who's put Win11 and Win7 on the same boot disk would be helpful on this point.

Agree
Win 11 requires Safe boot that isn't compatible with win 7

 

[SIW2]

I had win7, win11 and vista multibooting. All on the same gpt hd. Efi on Secure boot off. 300 series mobo and 8th gen cpu.

- - - Updated - - -

- - - Updated - - -


I just used the app SIW2 reccomended in that thread and it says my SLIC version is 2.1

What does that mean?

That is a pleasant surprise.

the dell
GDXKK_X8V66A00_W7SP1PRO64_ROW.iso
is a bit more recent than
G13K9_PW4KGA00_W7SP1PRO64_ROW(DL).iso

You probably need to use the usb2 port to install from either of them. Or split it onto 2 dvds.

If doing the dvd split thing, delete the language packs if not needed. Default is en-US.

 

[Megahertz07]

From HeiDoc tool - https://www.heidoc.net/php/Windows-ISO-Downloader.exe





To make a Win 7 USB boot able drive (8G minimum):

Open a CMD window as administrator and type:

diskpart
list disk (it will list all drives. Identify the USB drive number)
select disk n (replace n by the USB drive number obtained with list disk)
clean
convert mbr
create part primary
select part 1
format fs=fat32 quick
assign
active
exit (to exit diskpart)

On Win 7 use 7Zip to extract all files and folders from the Win 7 iso file to a folder on your drive.

Sources\install.wim is bigger than 4 G, You have to split it into two smaller Install.swm files
Download View attachment Split_Wim.zip
Extract the Split_Wim folder
Move the Install.wim from \sorces folder to Split_Wim folder and run the Split.cmd
When done, delete Install.wim and Move the install.swm files to the \sorces folder.

Finally copy all files and folders to the USB drive you prepared like above.

Try to install Win 7 as UEFI-GPT

Reset BIOS or load defaults.
Set Disk mode to AHCI, not RAID
Select OS mode = UEFI or Select OS mode = other + UEFI (depends on BIOS).
Disable fast boot and secure boot (you can turn it on after installation)

Windows can be installed in two ways: Legacy-MBR or UEFI-GPT
To install as Legacy-MBR you must boot the installation drive as Legacy
To install as UEFI-GPT you must boot the installation drive as UEFI.

As you have a new MB, you should install as UEFI-GPT
Detach any other drives (SATA or Power cable) from the MB.

During POST, press F12(?) to launch the boot menu. You will see two options for the USB drive. USB UEFI (Name) and USB (Name). Select USB UEFI (Name).
Go to install and delete ALL partitions on the SSD till you have one and only one unallocated space and then proceed.

Before you connect the internet and begin to download a lot of trash, run Simplix

 

[ian50]

[from SIW2]

...I had win7, win11 and vista multibooting. All on the same gpt hd. Efi on Secure boot off. 300 series mobo and 8th gen cpu.

That's what I was hoping for