Solved Windows cannot be installed to Disk

[Re69]

Hello all,

For a few days now, I have been trying to install Windows 7 on my old laptop, as my dads laptop with Windows 7 recently died.

I used my own legit iso file, opened it with winrar and put it on a USB and used AnyBurn. I think it's like Rufus.
Here's my adventure:

- booting the laptop in UEFI, the USB didn't show up
- changing UEFI to Legacy, the USB does show up, but I get "Windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file"
- I disable Digital signatures, I get "winload.efi missing or corrupt"
- I fixed winload.efi, I finally get the install screen, it says "Windows cannot be installed to disk because the disk is GPT"
- *googles how to change disk to MSR* = Boot in UEFI
- Turns on UEFI, disable Secure boot, downloaded efi\boot\bootx64.efi so USB shows up in boot screen, which works
- Windows is loading files, screen freezes on startup
- Change back to Legacy, screen doesnt freeze, same disk GPT issue
- Cry
- Ask for help here

Specs:
acer-aspire-e5-471
4gb ram
500 gb hdd
Intel Core i3-4030U

What do I do?

 

[Megahertz07]

On a laptop with 4 G of memory I recommend you install Win 7 32Bits.
Win 7 32 bits can only be installed as Legacy - MBR
Win 7 64 bits can be installed as Legacy - MBR or UEFI - GPT

1)To make a Win 7 (32 or 64 Bits) USB boot able drive:

Open a CMD window as administrator and type:

diskpart
list disk (it will list all drives. Identify the USB drive number)
select disk n (replace n by the USB drive number obtained with list disk)
clean
convert mbr
create part primary
select part 1
format fs=fat32 quick
assign
active
exit (to exit diskpart)

If you have a Win 7 installation iso file
On Win 7 use 7Zip to extract all files and folders from the Win 7 iso file to the USB drive.
On Win 10, mount the iso file and copy all files and folders to the USB drive.

If you have a Win 7 installation DVD
On a computer that has ODD, copy all files and folders from the DVD to the USB drive.

To make it universal (all Win 7 versions), go to \sources on the USB drive and delete \sources\ei.cfg

It will boot as Legacy to install as Legacy - MBR

2) To make a Win 7 64 bits USB UEFI boot able you must add the \efi\boot folder

It will boot as Legacy to install as Legacy - MBR or boot as UEFI to install as UEFI-MBR.

On BIOS
- Set Disk mode to AHCI, not RAID
- Select OS mode = UEFI or Select OS mode = other + UEFI (depends on BIOS).
- Disable fast boot and secure boot (win 7 isn't compatible)

Windows can be installed in two ways: Legacy-MBR or UEFI-GPT
To install as Legacy-MBR you must boot the installation drive as Legacy
To install as UEFI-GPT you must boot the installation drive as UEFI.

If you have a UEFI BIOS, you should install as UEFI-GPT
Detach any other drives (SATA or Power cable) from the MB.

During POST, press F12(?) to launch the boot menu. You will see two options for the USB drive. USB UEFI (Name) and USB (Name). Select USB UEFI (Name).
Go to install and delete ALL partitions on the main drive till you have one and only one unallocated space and then proceed.

 

[Re69]

On a laptop with 4 G of memory I recommend you install Win 7 32Bits.
Win 7 32 bits can only be installed as Legacy - MBR
Win 7 64 bits can be installed as Legacy - MBR or UEFI - GPT

1)To make a Win 7 (32 or 64 Bits) USB boot able drive:

Open a CMD window as administrator and type:

diskpart
list disk (it will list all drives. Identify the USB drive number)
select disk n (replace n by the USB drive number obtained with list disk)
clean
convert mbr
create part primary
select part 1
format fs=fat32 quick
assign
active
exit (to exit diskpart)

If you have a Win 7 installation iso file
On Win 7 use 7Zip to extract all files and folders from the Win 7 iso file to the USB drive.
On Win 10, mount the iso file and copy all files and folders to the USB drive.

If you have a Win 7 installation DVD
On a computer that has ODD, copy all files and folders from the DVD to the USB drive.

To make it universal (all Win 7 versions), go to \sources on the USB drive and delete \sources\ei.cfg

It will boot as Legacy to install as Legacy - MBR

2) To make a Win 7 64 bits USB UEFI boot able you must add the \efi\boot folder

It will boot as Legacy to install as Legacy - MBR or boot as UEFI to install as UEFI-MBR.

On BIOS
- Set Disk mode to AHCI, not RAID
- Select OS mode = UEFI or Select OS mode = other + UEFI (depends on BIOS).
- Disable fast boot and secure boot (win 7 isn't compatible)

Windows can be installed in two ways: Legacy-MBR or UEFI-GPT
To install as Legacy-MBR you must boot the installation drive as Legacy
To install as UEFI-GPT you must boot the installation drive as UEFI.

If you have a UEFI BIOS, you should install as UEFI-GPT
Detach any other drives (SATA or Power cable) from the MB.

During POST, press F12(?) to launch the boot menu. You will see two options for the USB drive. USB UEFI (Name) and USB (Name). Select USB UEFI (Name).
Go to install and delete ALL partitions on the main drive till you have one and only one unallocated space and then proceed.

Hey, thank you for trying to help me. However, it did not work.
1. I cleaned up the USB like you said

2. I opened my Win7 iso and put the files onto the USB
3. I downloaded \efi\boot folder and put it there
4. I deleted \sources\ei.cfg
5. I changed from RAID to AHCI using this command: bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal
6. Changed from Legacy to UEFI
7. Disabled Fast boot
8. Removed charging cables, mouse, anything else besides USB
9. Booted and pressed F12
10. Again, freezes after "Loading Files" like I said in the beginning

 

[Megahertz07]

Where did you get the Win 7 iso?

"I changed from RAID to AHCI using this command: bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal"

I said to change BIOS settings from RAID to AHCI ( A laptop will probably only have AHCI)
Does it only have two options (Legacy or UEFI)? Does it say UEFI Win 8?

 

[Re69]

I downloaded my Win7 iso file from Microsoft's website back when you had to type in your licence key.
Anyway, I fixed it. I booted in Legacy, which gave me the "Cannot install on GPT" error
So I did Shift+F10 and cleaned C-drive and converted to MBR through CMD. Then it worked, it downloaded, booted, started up. It's all working now

 

[Megahertz07]

Glad to hear it's done.
For the updates, use Single file with all updates - Simplix

 

[file3456]

Some time in the future they'll make little programs that can write an OS to a USB device for booting. Some of these might be called Wintousb, Balena Etcher, Rufus, and Microsoft may even make their own...

https://alternativeto.net/software/etcher/

- - - Updated - - -

= sudo nerd mode =


PXE from an Android! LOL

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Amazon.com

Servers Ultimate - Apps on Google Play

"Dude! What kind of LAMP stack are you running? It's hela fast! Oh, it's just a Google Pixel. LOL!

All joking aside, use NTlite next time to customize and slipstream updates...