Can't install windows to hdd!!

[CHERRYxMUSTANG]

I have a Dell Inspiron 15 3531 that came installed with Windows 8.1 but I want to downgrade to windows 7 since the hdd went kaputz.

So I installed an extra hdd I had lying around that works (I have tested it on my desktop multiple times now ). A pain in my rump is that the laptop has no disk drive and no connectors to install one either. So I made a bootable win 7 thumb drive, just to find out that my bios A01 doesn't allow thumb drives to load Windows up. It shows Windows loading files but then crashes. I can't flash the A02 bios though as I have no OS to run it..

I decided to put the hdd in my desktop and install Windows 7 that way, which worked for the installation and activation of my Windows key.

YES!!

Now to put the OS loaded drive back in the inspiron and load up Windows! Wrong.. the bios doesn't show the drive at all. That and whether I turn off secure boot or turn it on, use legacy or uefi boot it does not show anything.

The one time the drive appeared it said it had no os yet when I put the drive back in my desktop it booted win 7 perfectly fine!

How can I flash the bios if no drive with an os will work!?

If you read all this and think you have a solution please tell me!! Any advice to fixing this issue is appreciated!!

 

[i7Baby]

If you got Windows 7 to work in the laptop, are their Windows 7 drivers that you can install into the laptop?

I have a feeling that you have a laptop that will only run on Windows 8.1.