Problems with UEFI windows 7 install!

Hi guys.
I have been sitting with this problem for 3 days now.
So, I just bought a HP Pavilion 15 notebook with a 1TB hard disk and a preinstalled windows 8.
I absolutely HATE win 8 but nevertheless I need to keep it on my comp for certain things I might need to do in the future. And I want to dualboot Win 7 ultimate x64 with it.

I run into problems both ways:
I created an UEFI bootable USB on a 16 GB stick with Win 7 Ultimate x64. I am completely positive I have done it correctly, started from diskpart, followed all the steps for cleaning and partitioning it that has een posted to VEY many forums and from there, I extracted the windows 7 ISO and copied it on the prepaired stick. I then made sure that the bootx64.efi is located not only in /efi/Microsoft/boot but also in efi/boot, since loads of people say the UEFI boot expects to find the file from there.
When I have disabled the secure boot from the BIOS, and enabled UEFI boot, I restart the pc. I use the f9 button to load into the boot options and it show me the stick as UEFI boot ready. I boot from it, and as soon as it gets to the Starting Windows logo BEFORE it lets me to choose the install options, it freezes. Tried taking the stick out and putting it back in, nothing. Also tried leaving it hang overnight, all the same in the morning. still hangs (people have said in forums that sometimes it may hang for half an hour but then still goes further with the install.

Then I decided ill try the legacy enabled boot. It Boots up fine (from a DVD as well as from the USB stick) but I realised soon that it will not allow me to do the legacy boot MBR install since the partitions are GPT.

I have followed steps from AT LEAST 15 different guides and every single one tells you to do the exact same steps:
make sure the USB is UEFI bootable. To do that you need to blablabla and that's the part when I need to copy the bootx64 file and so on. I have managed that ok.


Would anyne come up with some new ideas how could I finally get the windows 7 next to my windows 8 please?

To add, I also tried an install straight from within Windows 8:
It said that the partitions are not a recommended type, but are GPT. are u sure you want to continue.
I did, it loaded windws files fine, and also extracted the files. As soon as the pc restarts in order to proceed with the install, it freezes the same way, at the logo.
Also, when I use the pre-boot selection in the middle of the install, it has 3 options: Windows 7, Installation rollback, or windows 8. Both the rollback and win 7 options restart the pc and leave me hanging at the logo again. But when I use the win 8 option, it boots into win 8 and also shows me a window saying "this version of windows could not be installed" etc.


What to do?


and please don't give me simple replies like "have you tried a different windos 7 iso" and so on, yes. I have tried different DVD types, 3 different versions of win 7 ultimate x64, and 2 differend USB sticks.


I need more complex ideas

Have you tried updating the bios?

1) Downgrade to Windows 7.
Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7
Warning you must have the UEFI/BIOS firmware setting in Step Three set.

Make sure you read the NOTE at Step three.

2) If Using a USB Pen drive on a PC with a UEFI BIOS.
USB Pen drive need to be formatted to FAT32 as in
UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows
Take note of Step 11 for Windows 7.
Also you will need to use a USB 2.0 port, as there are no USB 3.0 drivers in Windows 7.


You will need to buy Windows 7.

You cannot install Win7 in Legacy mode if you want to leave Win8 on the drive. It must be installed in UEFI mode. The problem is likely with the flash stick which requires special file editing shown in UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows.

But sometimes it's not possible to install Win7 with Win8 still on the HD. If you make every attempt to install correctly with the flash stick edited per the tutorial, and then with DVD, what I would do is make your Win8 Recovery media and save a Win8 backup image, set BIOS to legacy or CMS, delete all partitions during the booted Custom install so it will format to MBR for install.

Then if you want Win8 on the PC, shrink C to do a Clean Install - Windows 8 without the bloatware which is a grossly inferior install to begin with. This will auto-activate from the BIOS, and configure a Dual Boot menu with Win7.

its been a while since last reply on this thread, but i want to share this trick that may work in your case.
I have the same exact issue that you did have, i just have an option in my "bios" settings that CLEAR SECUREBOOT LOG or something like that. Its in boot settings.
Good luck with that.