ASUS laptop - will it run Windows 7

[oscarcat]

I have an ASUS F555LD laptop, purchased with Windows 8.1 pre-installed (and now updated to Windows 10. At the time of purchase ASUS were still producing similar models with Windows 7 installed. My choice was made on the basis that it was a ‘special’ offer and represented excellent value as a ‘jack of all trades’ Laptop.
I’d like if possible to install Windows 7. I have a full retail version DVD of Ultimate from a wrecked desktop and this laptop has a DVD writer installed.
ASUS Support have advised that Windows 7 is not supported on this particular model but is this true or laziness on the part of ASUS?

The specs are:
Asus F555LD – DM777H (or X555LDB in some countries)
Intel Core i5 5200 Broadwell
Ram 8GB
M/Board ASUSTek Computer Inc. X555LDB (Socket 0)
Chipset Revison 9
1TB Seagate HD showing under Disk Management - 451MBs unallocated, 100MBs Healthy (EFI System Partition) and ‘C’ 930.96Gb NFTS Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition).
Graphics
Intel HD Graphics 5500 (ASUStek Computer Inc)
NVIDIA GeForce 820M (ASUStek Computer Inc)
Audio Realtek High Definition Audio
Qualcom Atheros
AR9485 Wireless Adaptor
BIOS is American Megatrends Version X555LDB.303
It has a DVD Writer Name HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GUC0N

I can’t believe that ASUS would be producing machines with motherboards so radically different that some models were factory installed with Windows 8.1, some still with Windows 7.
I’ve made a restore USB just in case but would appreciate the forums thoughts and advice before possibly wasting time on what would ultimately be a fruitless exercise.
My questions are
Can I safely do a full reformat of the hard drive and install Win 7 on this machine?
What is a foolproof method for finding and installing the drivers and which of these can be left to Windows Update to install?

 

[AddRAM]

If I were you and wanted to install 7 but be cautious, I`d pull the drive, install a ssd and dive into it. The most important driver and the only one I`d worry about now is the network driver.

There is no fool proof method for getting drivers, but I`d go right to the manufacturer`s website and punch in your model and start looking.

Once you have the network drivers installed just run windows update.

 

[derekimo]

Drivers can be hard to find on those models that claim to be not supported to run Win 7.

This guy here,

http://www.sevenforums.com/drivers/396449-no-intel-r-adapters-present-computer.html

Had an ASUS and it was sold with Win 8/8.1 but we found some drivers for him to get it working.

The key is in the hardware ID's, they may not offer win 7 drivers from ASUS for that model but there is usually a driver somewhere that works.

It just takes some searching and you can usually find them.

Looking at your wireless adapter, this driver should work,

https://www.atheros-drivers.com/download-driver-nr-306-for-atheros-AR9485-and-Windows7.html

From there at least you'll have network access.

 

[oscarcat]

That's helpful, as is the possibility of changing drives.
I've noticed that there are am alarming number of drivers listed for this model, many of which are cleared for all window OSs from 7 to 10. A problem is knowing which are the correct ones - though going for the network driver and letting Update take care of t sounds good.
Some sites advise small apps that carry out an automatic 'find and install' whatever is necessary. Has anyone had success with any of these?

 

[derekimo]

Some sites advise small apps that carry out an automatic 'find and install' whatever is necessary. Has anyone had success with any of these?

Those are usually more trouble than good, if you need drivers just come here, post one of these reports,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/374583-system-information-file-create-windows.html#Part1

That will give us the hardware ID's and we will find it.

 

[AddRAM]

I would not install any driver programs they are mostly garbage, but if Asus has an updater for it, by all means install it, they are quite handy.