Windows 7: How to install Windows 7 on Skylake Dell XPS 8910

I think Dell meant the win10 product key is stored in the motherboard firmware.

AFAIK, there isn't any Dell win 7 Ultimate install media for Skylake.

That is why you need to make your own.

Start with win7 ultimate media. Extract the iso onto your drive. In the sources folder is boot.wim. It contains 2 images.

Use Dism7 tool I posted earlier.

Mount boot.wim image 2, then install the updates and drivers I posted. Commit and unmount the image.

Mount Install.wim image 4. Install the updates and drivers. Commit and unmount the image.

Microsoft make a Windows 7 iso with usb 3.0 drivers ? Do you actually think Microsoft gives a dam about Windows 7 after all they did to push Windows 10 ????

Only the board makers have programs to integrate usb 3.0 drivers, such as Asus`s EZ Installer.

But if you would just install from a dvd you don`t need it.

So why are you so hung up on installing Ultimate ?

You don`t have a legitimate key, so why bother

Anybody can install usb3.0/3.1 drivers with dism . I do it all the time.

Just a matter of finding the right version. Dell skylake machines use the drivers I posted .

They also include MS nvme driver, which is in the updates I posted. Not sure it works for all nvme devices, but it is used on at least some Dell machines.

In addititon, these may also be useful:

NVMe.zip

usb.zip

INTEL.zip

Testing now on the HDD, the windows 7 ult install from USB was working then got hit with a weird bug. It did the restart thing then all the sudden the mouse wasnt responding the cursor wouldnt move, then after awhile it said Windows "Couldnt update the computers hardware". Trying some other ways then might try the xcopy method since it appears to work up until reboot for some reason. This is on top of that other win7pro install so might clean it then xcopy it over and try from there to try to minimize any other conflicts. will update.

[QUOTE=tigpoppa;3291708]Testing now on the HDD, the windows 7 ult install from USB was working then got hit with a weird bug. It did the restart thing then all the sudden the mouse wasnt responding the cursor wouldnt move, then after awhile it said Windows "Couldnt update the computers hardware". Trying some other ways then might try the xcopy method since it appears to work up until reboot for some reason. This is on top of that other win7pro install so might clean it then xcopy it over and try from there to try to minimize any other conflicts. will update.


It really does look great and seems to be very user friendly, all that support their dumping into it seems to be paying off from listening to the MS community maybe? Thing is Im caught in the inbetween stage of skylake not being mainstream yet meaning some of my drivers for stuff work and others dont work in win 10 which sucks... In a year they all should I hope.

No user anywhere has gotten those dvd's to work with their mouse through USB on skylake sadly due to some new form of USB controller intel is using or whatever the tech jargon is but yea it doesnt work at least on certain dell's, maybe its a mobo issue? The discs are not useless for everyone though as you said. They can work under a specific circumstance on skylake systems during install. The problem is that the mouse freezes or keyboard, well the easy way around that is to use a ps/2 port if the computer has one, if not like the 8910 doesnt then were stuck where we are now...

Not sure what you mean by "those dvd`s" I had no problems installing 7 on my Asus Z170 using a dvd.

You can see what was added to the Dell iso boot.wim image 2 using 7-zip.

Thanks for helping with the install to the HDD. Following these steps using your files I can confirm successful installation and activation of Windows 7 ultimate 64 on Skylake on the HDD. Next step maybe tonight or tomorrow after properly backing up the win 10 image on the ssd will be to attempt installation on the ssd.

*Using Dell OEM Windows 7 Ultimate on USB
*Mounted boot.wim image 2
*Used button "ADD DRVR FOL" to add all the drivers I placed in one folder 28 total.
*Then I use the button "UNMOUNT-COM'... waited and it completed.

*Using Dell OEM WIndows 7 Ultimate on USB
*Mounted install.wim image 4
*Used button "ADD DRVR FOL" to add all the drivers I placed in one folder 28 total.
*Then I use the button "UNMOUNT-COM'... waited and it completed.

*Only error encountered is with a driver installation for the "Intel Serial IO driver" upon installation shows the error, "This platform is not supported". Do I need this driver?
*Installed a driver for windows 7 from here: Download Proc IO: Intel Processor IO Controller Driver for Windows 7
(Weirdly it asked me to connect my hardware after installation, so not sure if that is what I wanted or not.)
*Checking device manager there are no "!" present.
*All other 8910 drivers installed successfully.