Installing Win 7 on AM4 system

[shezz]

Having to endure Win 10 for 3 years really makes me want to go back to 7, I have heard that AM4 mobos/chipsets are more or less the last kind that somewhat works well for installing Windows 7 (because of CSM), I had a few questions regarding this:

1. Is there much of a difference between chipsets? Supposedly 300 and 400 series would work better for Ryzen cpus on 7 because of Ryzen optimized power plan and the later 500 series (again) supposedly not having drivers for it

2. Is this Optimized Power Plan really a dealbreaker?

3. Is it likely my system will work with it in the first place?

specs:
ASUS TUFF B550M Plus II
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
Gskill Tridentz 16 GB DDR4 RAM
MSI GTX 1660 Ventus

The HDD I want to use has no OS on it

 

[samuria]

Welcome to the forum assuming there are 7 drivers for the motherboard it should work fine have same cpu and it evens 10 +11 ok
you do need to goto the MB makers site and check for drivers if there arnt any your stuck

 

[SIW2]

Try it and find out. Presumably there are win7 drivers for your gpu ?

canonkong has this

:ar: winraid.level1techs

AM3, FM1, FM2, X300, A320, B350, X370, X399, B450, X470, TRX40, A520, B550, PRO565, X570, WRX80, A620, B650, X670, B850, X870, TRX50 motherboards


Update 2024.12.14:
Drivers update. Add new device support.

Using driver package for win7 requires image pre integration of SHA256 patch.

AMD official USB driver modified version (Especially ASUS motherboard must use this version)
AMD_Chips_Drivers_For_ASUS_Win7_8.1_SHA256_RE_J.7z

Users who are not ASUS motherboards strongly recommend using this driver package, which supports UASP and better compatibility（This package also can work for Intel and Zhaoxin platforms）AMD_Ryzen_Drivers_S11_Win7_64_SHA256_RE_J.7z

If you meet A5 BSOD, you can use mod acpi.sys to replace the file use PE system:
Replace C:\Windows\system32\drivers\acpi.sys
Replace C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\acpi.inf_amd64_neutral_476d4b744f1f6916\acpi.sys
MOD acpi.sys download link: WIN7_A5_FIX_ACPI.7z

SHA256 patch
kb4474419 Microsoft Update Catalog

 

[videobruce]

Funny you asked that, I just went thru a failed (big time for numerous reasons) project that involved a upgrade of equipment (MB, Video card, Memory) with the difference of tiring to live with W10. I ruled out staying with W7 with the assumption that drivers etc would be a huge issue.
Neither the O/S or the AM4 based MB etc worked out w/ W10 for many reasons.
I went back to W7 Pro with a AM3+ MB etc since none of it was broken!
Unlike W10!

 

[MisterEd]

Checking the ASUS support site showed that AMD 300 and 400 series motherboards had drivers for Windows 7. That is not true for AMD 500 series motherboards. You would have to check each motherboard manufacturer to see which motherboards had drivers for Windows 7.

This was my original computer configurations.

Computer #1
MDB: Asus PRIME X370-PRO
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X (AM4)
GPU: ASUS ROG-STRIX-RTX3060TI-08G-V2-GAMING
O/S: Windows 11 Pro

Computer #2
MBD: Gigabyte GA-990FXA v1.0
CPU: AMD FX8350 (AM3+)
GPU: ASUS ROG STRIX-GTX1060-6G-GAMING
O/S: Windows 10 Pro/Windows 7 Home

One day when I tried to boot Computer #2 I could get no video. I narrowed it down to either CPU or motherboard. It made no sense to replace these with new/used ones. I decided to replace the motherboard, CPU, and RAM for Computer #2 with those from Computer #1. I bought a new motherboard, CPU, and RAM for Computer #1. Each computer kept their original drives.

Computer #1
MDB: Asus ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING WIFI II
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D (AM4)
GPU: ASUS ROG-STRIX-RTX3060TI-08G-V2-GAMING
O/S: Windows 11 Pro

Computer #2
MBD: Asus PRIME X370-PRO
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 1700X (AM4)
GPU: ASUS ROG STRIX-GTX1060-6G-GAMING
O/S: Windows 10 Pro/Windows 7 Home

My biggest challenge with Windows 7 was that it has no native support for USB 3.0. Since all the available front and back panel USB ports were USB 3.0 neither the mouse or keyboard worked with Windows 7. I temporarily used a PS/2 keyboard and no mouse until I could install the USB 3.0 driver. Note the following week I added a 4-port USB 2.0 rear panel bracket connected to USB 2.0 headers on the motherboard.

 

[videobruce]

I ran Passmark Performance Test v10 on my current GB 970A system running W7 and compared that with a GB AM4, both with NVidea cards.
There wasn't a whole lot of actual difference in speed. The score was better with most, but not all the categories.
Considering the number of Processors that are running, in W10 which is at least 3x more than W7, I can see why there wasn't a big difference.
The svchost.exe count in W10 had to be over 50 compared to around 15 or so in W7.

Agree about the USB3 issue. I ran a 'jumper' USB2 cable from the rear panel to the front with s female plug to solve the problem.

 

[MisterEd]

I had the opposite problem with another computer. In that case the motherboard didn't have any USB 3.0 ports. Backing up the computer over USB 2.0 was rather slow. I solved the problem by installing a USB 3.0 card.

Computer #3
MBD: ASUS M4N82 Deluxe
CPU: AMD Phenom II 960T X4 (AM4)
GPU: ASUS ENGTX560 DCII OC/2DI/1GD5
O/S: Windows 10 Home/Windows 7 Pro

PCIex1 USB 3.0 card: SYBA SY-PEX20140.

Performance Test v10 Windows 7 Home vs Windows 10 Pro on same computer.

Computer #2
MBD: Asus PRIME X370-PRO
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 1700X (AM4)
GPU: ASUS ROG STRIX-GTX1060-6G-GAMING
O/S: Windows 10 Pro/Windows 7 Home

 

[videobruce]

I have no idea why the overall score on your W7 setup was so low. Also, why is the Disc score lower on the W10 machine? I've never used a 'Home' version with any of their O'S's, but I find it hard to believe the overly bloated W10 would score faster overall.

Frankly, I have reservations about their testing software.

 

[SIW2]

Looks like there is problem with the graphics

 

[shezz]

I found out that the B450 supports Win 7 by default (or so it says) since there are drivers specifically for Win 7 on ASUS site, so I took the ASUS B450M Plus 2 instead of the B550 thing is, when I tried to install Win 7 through a bootable USB drive, the mouse and keyboard don't respond despite them working in the bios and during the booting of the system. I tried to put one of those USB to PS2 converters on my mouse but it still does nothing

 

[SIW2]

the mouse and keyboard don't respond

post#3 of this thread

 

[shezz]

post#3 of this thread

How do I use this?

 

[MisterEd]

That motherboard only has two USB 2.0 ports. You will have to use these during setup. They are the top two USB ports. Hopefully that will work until you boot into Windows 7 and install the chipset drivers. After that the USB 3.0 ports should work.
I installed Windows 7 on a computer with an Asus PRIME X370-PRO motherboard. That motherboard doesn't have any USB 2.0 ports on the back panel so I had to plug an old keyboard into the PS/2 port. I used that until I got into Windows installed and installed the chipset and USB 3.0 drivers.

The motherboard also has two USB 2.0 headers. You can use these for up to four USB 2.0 ports with a rear panel bracket.

 

[SIW2]

How do I use this?

install the sha2 patch into your windows 7 install.wim image ( must be SP1 )

install the linked asus amd drivers into your install.wim image

They can be installed into mounted wim image with dism commands or dism++
https://github.com/Chuyu-Team/Dism-.../download/v10.1.1002.2/Dism++10.1.1002.1B.zip

get a win10 installation media.

replace win10 media \sources\install.wim with the updated windows 7 install.wim

 

[shezz]

That motherboard only has two USB 2.0 ports. You will have to use these during setup. They are the top two USB ports. Hopefully that will work until you boot into Windows 7 and install the chipset drivers. After that the USB 3.0 ports should work.
I installed Windows 7 on a computer with an Asus PRIME X370-PRO motherboard. That motherboard doesn't have any USB 2.0 ports on the back panel so I had to plug an old keyboard into the PS/2 port. I used that until I got into Windows installed and installed the chipset and USB 3.0 drivers.

The motherboard also has two USB 2.0 headers. You can use these for up to four USB 2.0 ports with a rear panel bracket.

I tried that, I also enabled Precision Boost Overdrive and disabled PBO FMax Enhancer in the BIOS, still doesn't respond/freezes?

Also, do these modified AMD files for the B550 make it work just as well as the B450 (in terms of combability, speeds, stability)?