Question How to install Windows 7 on a secondary SSD in my PC ?

[MaskedRiderChris52]

I'm at the point where my Montech case is leading me to believe that maybe my mobo is somehow incompatible with the case (going to try one more option before continuing on to this one in the title). So to this end, instead of that case, I'm going to try taking the clean SSD (a M.2 NVME Inland SSD) and installing it into my main desktop machine to see if I can install Windows 7 on it and dual boot alongside the main SSD that has Linux Mint on it. To be clear; this means I will ideally have two separate SSDs running two different OS's in the same box. Question is, how do I go about doing this without totally boofing it up, and is Windows 7 workable on modern hardware? I imagine so.

 

[kanewolf]

I'm at the point where my Montech case is leading me to believe that maybe my mobo is somehow incompatible with the case (going to try one more option before continuing on to this one in the title). So to this end, instead of that case, I'm going to try taking the clean SSD (a M.2 NVME Inland SSD) and installing it into my main desktop machine to see if I can install Windows 7 on it and dual boot alongside the main SSD that has Linux Mint on it. To be clear; this means I will ideally have two separate SSDs running two different OS's in the same box. Question is, how do I go about doing this without totally boofing it up, and is Windows 7 workable on modern hardware? I imagine so.

What is the motherboard / CPU ? Newer hardware does not have Windows 7 drivers available. You may not be able to successfully do a Win 7 install.

 

[MaskedRiderChris52]

What is the motherboard / CPU ? Newer hardware does not have Windows 7 drivers available. You may not be able to successfully do a Win 7 install.

Mobo is a ASUS Prime B-350M-A, CPU is a AMD Ryzen 3 (I think, it's been a minute since I took a look). How likely is it I could download and install Win7 drivers if what you said applies here?

 

[kanewolf]

Mobo is a ASUS Prime B-350M-A, CPU is a AMD Ryzen 3 (I think, it's been a minute since I took a look). How likely is it I could download and install Win7 drivers if what you said applies here?

You are in luck, the B350M does have Windows 7 drivers -- https://www.asus.com/motherboards-c...a/helpdesk_download/?model2Name=PRIME-B350M-A

There are lots of pages like this one -- https://helpdeskgeek.com/how-to/how-to-dual-boot-linux-mint-and-windows/
on how to dual boot Linux Mint and Windows

 

[MaskedRiderChris52]

You are in luck, the B350M does have Windows 7 drivers -- https://www.asus.com/motherboards-c...a/helpdesk_download/?model2Name=PRIME-B350M-A

There are lots of pages like this one -- https://helpdeskgeek.com/how-to/how-to-dual-boot-linux-mint-and-windows/
on how to dual boot Linux Mint and Windows

ACK. I hadn't had my morning coffee yet while posting this! The Linux machine has a MSI MPG Z390M Gaming Edge AC (MS-7B50) mobo; the Montech box is the one with the ASUS mobo in it. My apologies!

Thank you for the input, because if I can get that Montech box up and running, all will be well. It's the Linux machine I ought to be concerned about.

 

[kanewolf]

ACK. I hadn't had my morning coffee yet while posting this! The Linux machine has a MSI MPG Z390M Gaming Edge AC (MS-7B50) mobo; the Montech box is the one with the ASUS mobo in it. My apologies!

Thank you for the input, because if I can get that Montech box up and running, all will be well. It's the Linux machine I ought to be concerned about.

That motherbord DOES NOT have Windows 7 drivers.
You might be able to slipstream USB drivers into your Windows install media -- https://www.sevenforums.com/install...stall-windows-7-z390-board-no-ps-2-ports.html
I would not try it, especially with dual boot unless you are OK with potentially losing everything.

 

[MaskedRiderChris52]

That motherbord DOES NOT have Windows 7 drivers.
You might be able to slipstream USB drivers into your Windows install media -- https://www.sevenforums.com/install...stall-windows-7-z390-board-no-ps-2-ports.html
I would not try it, especially with dual boot unless you are OK with potentially losing everything.

I poked the Internet and you're right about that. However, it appears I will need to invest in a more powerful PSU, since the one I installed isn't powerful enough to allow my machine to boot up (this is the Montech box machine I speak of). I'll see what happens when I get that together, and thank you for your input and advice!

 

[MaskedRiderChris52]

You are in luck, the B350M does have Windows 7 drivers -- https://www.asus.com/motherboards-c...a/helpdesk_download/?model2Name=PRIME-B350M-A

There are lots of pages like this one -- https://helpdeskgeek.com/how-to/how-to-dual-boot-linux-mint-and-windows/
on how to dual boot Linux Mint and Windows

Oh, before I forget--can I install the drivers via USB port, or do they have to be downloaded to the relevant machine and installed from there?

 

[kerberos_20]

Oh, before I forget--can I install the drivers via USB port, or do they have to be downloaded to the relevant machine and installed from there?

you need usb3 drivers to slipstream into installation, without it you wont be able to even use your usb devices (keyboard/mouse) during installation and windows installator also wont see your nvme drive so you also nend nvme driver which can be loaded during drive selection

 

[MaskedRiderChris52]

you need usb3 drivers to slipstream into installation, without it you wont be able to even use your usb devices (keyboard/mouse) during installation and windows installator also wont see your nvme drive so you also nend nvme driver which can be loaded during drive select

I'm a bit confused by your reply--what is slipstreaming and how do you do it, first? Second, where to get the NVMe driver from and how to get that in there so that I can even try to use my peripherals?

 

[kerberos_20]

I'm a bit confused by your reply--what is slipstreaming and how do you do it, first? Second, where to get the NVMe driver from and how to get that in there so that I can even try to use my peripherals?

https://download.asrock.com/Utility/UsbPatcher/Win7UsbPatcher(v2.0.21_AM4).zip

run at this app, it will patch your windows 7 USB installator

you can create usb installator with rufus if you have just dvd

 

[MaskedRiderChris52]

Another question; will Win7 install better on a SATA SSD than a M.2 NVMe? I have a couple of SATA SSDs kicking around that I could use to this end if need be.

 

[MaskedRiderChris52]

https://download.asrock.com/Utility/UsbPatcher/Win7UsbPatcher(v2.0.21_AM4).zip

run at this app, it will patch your windows 7 USB installator

you can create usb installator with rufus if you have just dvd

Sorry, I'm not following you...how do you go about patching the install media in the first place? Specifics, please? The Internet is not being very helpful to me, here.

 

[kerberos_20]

Sorry, I'm not following you...how do you go about patching the install media in the first place? Specifics, please? The Internet is not being very helpful to me, here.

you run that app, it will load win 7 install disc from dvd and patch it onto usb flash drive, then you can boot from that usb flash drive which will have driver included