Windows 7 install crashes on language selection screen

[NeilK]

I am trying to install Windows 7 on my Vorke V2 mini PC. I get to the screen where you select the language and at that point the PC is unresponsive.

I managed to install Fedora OK. So the machine seems to be OK.

The Windows ISO works OK when I run it in Virtual Box.

The hardware of this box is

i5-7200 CPU
8GB ram soldered in place
120GB SSD (Lenovo)
2 USB 2 sockets on one side (I tried using both for the mouse/keyboard and USB stick)
2 USB 3 sockets on one side

In the BIOS there are few options. I turned off secure boot. I tried ACHI and the alternative which is R something premum something (sorry this is vague, but I tried both options).

I have separate keyboard / mice and also a combo which goes through a single USB. I've tried the various combinations.

 

[Megahertz07]

Your computer is a Intel Kabylake (CPU and chipset).

Is your Win 7 installation disk original or did you downloaded? Did you added any drivers to it?

To install win 7 on a Kabylake you will need to add some drivers (mainly USB 3.x and SATA).
Is your SSD a 2.5" or a M.2?
The installation is unresponsive because your USB need a driver.
When you began installation you received a message on a needed driver on a CD, that was the USB 3.0 driver (even if you're using the USB 2.0 port).

On BIOS, you must set:
- Secure Boot = Off
- Fast Boot = off (you can turn it on after installation)
- SATA = AHCI (is the other option IRST premium?)

Read my Tutorial
Create a Windows 7 USB flash installation with new drives for new MB's - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[Megahertz07]

As your PC uses i5 internal GPU (internal graphics) you will need to do a trick to install the graphics driver.
Fix for Windows 7 drivers for Intel 7th gen HD graphics 620 610 615 630 Iris 640 650 - YouTube

M$ is installing a update that prevents updates on a Kabylake. My suggestion is to install SP2 and Security ONLY updates. (turn WU to never check, and manually run it to see updates for office).
Use the off line updates. MS releases SP2 for Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums
Unofficial Patch Unblocks Windows 7 and 8.1 Updates for Kaby Lake, Ryzen - ExtremeTech

 

[NeilK]

Thanks for the help!

Skip to the end to see where I am with your installation guide.

I bought a never used Windows 7 ultimate license from ebay. The vendor gave me this link to download Windows 7 ultimate. It is SP1

Download Windows 7 Ultimate ISO 32-64bit Full Version [2017] - Softlay

The drive in this thing is an M.2

"is the other option IRST premium?"

Right.

After I posted this SOS I found the drivers for Windows 7/8 for this Mini PC here

Vorke V2 X64 Drivers for Windows 7/ 8.1 and Windows 10 -

There are a bunch of exes, dlls, infs, etc in that directory. So they presume you have Windows installed. But I haven't gotten that far, as you know.

---

regarding the install guide

I have looked over the install guide. It seems to be something to be executed on a Windows installation (I have a Win 8.1 install on my laptop I could use). I think the instructions modify a "virgin" Windows 7 installation flash disk to incorporate the drivers which are needed for the install to work.

Is that correct?

 

[Megahertz07]

Sad to say but most all license on sale on ebay are fake / pirate. Hope you lucky. Did he gave you a license key by email? If all he gave you was the link, you have been robber. If you payed with CC, cancel it NOW.
This is good Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit OEM - Newegg.com

As you have more than 4 G of memory you must install the 64 bit version.
- Most M.2 disks also require a driver that you have to add to the installation disk. The difficult is to find the right one.
- If you read my tutorial, you'll see that is going to modify the win install wizard, the win maintenance wizard and the installed package (in your case, Ultimate - index 4)

 

[NeilK]

Thanks.

I am putting the same drivers in boot and install.

First try failed. I used the drivers given by the manufacturer of this mini pc. I will try again more carefully.

Once I have it booting in will try the license he emailed me. The main thing for me is to get a working image. I can buy another license. Small price compared to this effort.

 

[NeilK]

The drivers supplied by the manufacturer are based around Setup.exe files.

Do I have the wrong thing? They seem to assume you will get Windows started, which is of course impossible without those drivers.

 

[NeilK]

I managed to extract USB drivers from an executive. Still crashed on the language screen.

I am sure your tutorial would work if I managed to get all of the drivers out of the manufacturer.

I installed Windows 10 and used my Windows 7 license to activate.

Thanks for your help.