Setup was unable to create a new system partition....

[wykyd]

okay, so... where to start...

I built a new rig 4 days ago. started installing windows 7 and had nothing but issues. I wanted to install the os on my SSD, but it wouldn't show up in the windows install. I found out that I had to prep the drive and install drivers before I could use it. so I installed the os on one of my HDDs which wasn't easy either. for some reason I had to convert the disk to MBR, after doing so everything went easy. installed the os, downloaded the software and drivers for the SSD, cloned the os to the SSD and continued. then after trying to fix a sound issue something went severely wrong. I tried updating all my drivers and I'm assuming something got messed up. my keyboard stopped working, then wouldn't show up except as a default keyboard. sound stopped working right, games wouldn't load (kept getting a (0xc0000005) error). so I opted to reinstall windows since I figured out how to do it now.... wrong.

so I did end up getting the os to install again, tho this time it said that UEF or EFI systems have to be gpt. I got all the way to cloning the drive to the SSD only for it to say it took it offline due to it having the same signature as another drive. I turned it back on and tried to boot... it was successful except it sat at preparing desktop for 20 min before going to a light blue screen that says "Not a valid version of Windows" or something along those lines.

since then I have tried reinstalling Windows both ways that it worked before and have not succeeded... I'm currently following some instructions on another post to see if that works, but I'm highly doubtful. someone ease rescue me from this nightmare!!!

I can provide much more detailed info if needed

 

[Layback Bear]

After you installed Windows 7 did you install the drivers that are on the motherboard DVD/CD?

Jack

 

[wykyd]

So, it seems as if I was able to get everything installed properly. Got windows installed, cloned to my SSD and most updates/drivers installed without much issue.

I start with installing most drivers from their CD, I did use and install updated drivers for my gfx card, sound, ssd and updated bios.

My OS drive just doesn't look like most screenshots I've seen. It doesn't have the System Reserved or Boot partitions that most UEFI setup drives have. Curious if maybe I will have issues down the road.

 

[samuria]

Are you installing with service pack included on DVD normally it should see the SSD drive or you can give it drivers during installation. Windows writes a signature to the disk so if you clone and leave both drives in it sees they both have same signature. Swap ports so c is disk 0

 

[wykyd]

No, the Win7 DVD I have must be pre SP1.

My SSD is a PCI card while my other drives are SATA... Is there another way to make it drive 0?

 

[Megahertz07]

I build my skylake computer last June and also had some problems.
I'll give you a general guide. If you need more details, please be free to ask.
- Download the Win 7 SP1 iso - With the MS iso downloader (https://www.heidoc.net/php/Windows ISO Downloader.exe) download your win 7 brand.
- You have to add the SATA, AHCI, USB 3 and M.2 drivers to the Win 7 SP1 installation disk. Asus has an application to do it. http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/misc/utils/ASUS_EZInstaller.zip?_ga=1.228515669.9532852.1488762401
Read my tutorial Create a Windows 7 USB flash installation with new drives for new MB's
- Once the drivers are inserted to the Win 7 SP1, burn a DVD or use Rufus to make a USB flash disk boot able. Make it UEFI boot able. Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way
- On BIOS, disable fast boot, secure boot and enable CSM (Compatible System Mode). Under CSM, set boot disk priority to UEFI and disable net boot.

Detach all other HDD or SSD leaving on only the M.2 960.
Boot your modified Win 7 SP1 installation disk on UEFI mode, not legacy.
Go to install - Advanced - Delete ALL partitions - create new. It will create 3 partitions.
- UEFI - 100M - Fat32
- MSR - 120M - RAW
- Large NTFS
Choose to install on the large NTFS.

Once installation is over, open device manager and load all missing drivers.

For the updates:
MS releases SP2 for Windows 7

 

[wykyd]

Whelp, I think I will be giving this a shot tomorrow so that way everything is the way that it should be. Do I need to unhook all my other HDDs? I was very intrigued by a post I was reading about a legit way to install windows, customizing the install the whole way thru and I would love to move the User folders as was described in the post. I just want to do this one last time and not have to deal with it anymore. My computer also failed upgrading to Windows 10 today so I'm assuming there are still some issues.

 

[wykyd]

What are the benefits to upgrading to Windows 10? I was discussing my issues with someone from one of the games I play and they highly recommended me upgrading to Windows 10. What would the benefits be if any? Is it worth it?

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
The only way to tell is to create a system image of your 7 to a separate hdd = so you can restore it later in case 10 does not workout well for you
Imaging with free Macrium

Create Backup Image with Macrium Reflect by Britec - YouTube

 

[wykyd]

I've done some reading here and there and had windows 10 on my old rig (the free upgrade). But since I'd either have to pay for it now... or use a verify hack, I think I'll just stick to 7. What size USB drive should I get for the installer? 2.0 or 3.0? I don't have anything currently big enough (largest is 4gb).

 

[Megahertz07]

- For installing any Win (7 or 10) you must detach (power or SATA cable) of ALL other HDD or SSD or you may end with Win in one disk and the boot loader on another.
- I don't like win 10. There is nothing there I like or need. And I don't like the idea to share my stuff without permission.
- You can install win 10 using the Win 7 key. Still works.
- For the USB flash disk to have win 7 (or 10) installation, you should look for 4G or bigger.
- As your M.2 is 256G there is no need to move \Users to the HDD. In my case I have a 128G with Win 7 and Lubuntu, so I moved \Users to D: using Kari tutorial. The needed files to relocate on Win 7 are here. https://www.sevenforums.com/attachm...-while-hdd-light-turns-solid-red-relocate.zip
Attached are the files to relocate on Win 10

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
4gb's should be large enough for a 7 or 10 installer I would normally use Rufus I believe option 3 here,
USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create

I also believe one can still upgrade for free one just has to contact MS directly or use the win-7 activation key after 10 is installed.

 

[wykyd]

Once installation is over, open device manager and load all missing drivers.

What exactly do you mean by this? I had planned on downloading driver software once I was finished. From what I read, I was under the impression that pre-loading all the drivers was so they would install themselves. I'm looking to try and at least setup the Win7 install tonight if not do the install as well. I just want to be 100% before I do anything else.

Not gonna lie, I'm a bit daunted by the process, but I've never turned down a challenge. I've been out of the computer tech game for a long time, but this can't be much harder than the html coding I used to do... I can only hope at least xD

 

[wykyd]

From your guide...

- From your MB manufacture site, download the latest chipset USB 3, SATA drivers (32 and 64 bits) and any other drivers you need (like MVMe disk driver). They must be multi file type (*.inf, *.cat, *.sys) and not a *.exe, *.msi or *.msu type.

And here is where I have ran into my first problem. My SSD drivers are on an .exe as are my chipset and SATA. Is there a work around for this?

(EDIT)
I think I was able to figure out the SATA drivers. I also think I figured out the drivers for Intel(R) Management Engine Interface (if I even need these), but am curious because on Intel's site they say I need to do a win7 update before installing those drivers. (Kernel-Mode Driver Framework 1.11 (KB 2685811) must first be installed if you are using Windows 7*.) My question for those is they go in the "others" folder?

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
You would only install 64 bit drivers if using a 64 bit machine so it would not need the 32 bit driver so discard those.
Each one would have a setup.exe it is the installer but as stated you only install the one that applies to the bit you're installing 64 bit or 32 bit not both.

Device Manager - Finding Unknown Devices

 

[wykyd]

(EDIT)
I think I was able to figure out the chipset drivers.

I'm sorry, I meant the SATA drivers.

Also, how do you do that folder view to show the different paths? I would like to post my current setup to make sure I'm doing this right...

(EDIT)
Not sure if this is how it should be done, but worked

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Not sure what you're showing exactly
That screen shot shows the chipset zipped folders contents you extracted all from ?

 

[wykyd]

I build my skylake computer last June and also had some problems.
I'll give you a general guide. If you need more details, please be free to ask.
- Download the Win 7 SP1 iso - With the MS iso downloader (https://www.heidoc.net/php/Windows ISO Downloader.exe) download your win 7 brand.
- You have to add the SATA, AHCI, USB 3 and M.2 drivers to the Win 7 SP1 installation disk. Asus has an application to do it. http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/misc/utils/ASUS_EZInstaller.zip?_ga=1.228515669.9532852.1488762401
Read my tutorial Create a Windows 7 USB flash installation with new drives for new MB's
- Once the drivers are inserted to the Win 7 SP1, burn a DVD or use Rufus to make a USB flash disk boot able. Make it UEFI boot able. Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way
- On BIOS, disable fast boot, secure boot and enable CSM (Compatible System Mode). Under CSM, set boot disk priority to UEFI and disable net boot.

Detach all other HDD or SSD leaving on only the M.2 960.
Boot your modified Win 7 SP1 installation disk on UEFI mode, not legacy.
Go to install - Advanced - Delete ALL partitions - create new. It will create 3 partitions.
- UEFI - 100M - Fat32
- MSR - 120M - RAW
- Large NTFS
Choose to install on the large NTFS.

Once installation is over, open device manager and load all missing drivers.

For the updates:
MS releases SP2 for Windows 7

This is what I'm doing. I'm trying to make an installer that I can directly install Win7 to my SSD. The problem I'm running into is the drivers for the chipset and the NVMe drive. Using this guide: Create a Windows 7 USB flash installation with new drives for new MB's

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Okay,
Which manufacture each has a utility to create the installation media
Access Denied

 

[wykyd]

And not that I've made it this far yet, but I had another question. In the guide, at the end the different cmd files that are made does not include the "Discharge" cmd that is included in the zip file. What is it's purpose and when would you run that cmd? (Left image is from your guide, right image is from the Drives7.zip

Go to Drives7\Install.
Run Install_info.cmd. You’ll see the four indexes.
Run Install_X.cmd as administrator (right click).
Every step finishes with a pause so you can check if successful.
When all successful and done, run the Clean.cmd and then Mount_Info.cmd. Mount_Info should give you a No mounted images found. Congratulations: first step done