I want to delete a fresh Windows 10 installation and replace it with Windows 7.

[Goldenerik]

I bought a laptop with a SSD loaded with Windows 10. I don't want to use that. Do I need to format the drive before I can install a different OS? I have a bootable USB stick that for some reason the machine just ignores.

 

[drtweak]

What brand of PC is it? If it is Dell then you can downgrade using a Dell install disk. If it is any other maker you will have to buy a Windows 7 License.

 

[royalcrown]

The machine ignores it because you need to tell the machine to boot off of it.

There are 2 ways to do this, one is through the windows 10 menu and the other is through the bios. It used to be that you get to the bios a POST time by pressing the Delete, F1 or F2 key when the message appears on the screen. New computers post so fast however that you need to get to the bios through the Windows 10 menu. You get to it by holding down the SHIFT key while clicking on the RESTART option under POWER (start menu). I don't remember all the menus exactly, but I think it is troubleshooting and then to UEFI settings or some such options. From there you go to the boot menu and have it boot of your install media (DVD, USB ...whatever). From there you can reinstall or reformat your drive to get ready for a Windows 7 install.

One problem is that there may not be Windows 7 drivers available if it's a new computer.

 

[Goldenerik]

What brand of PC is it? If it is Dell then you can downgrade using a Dell install disk. If it is any other maker you will have to buy a Windows 7 License.

It's an MSI GS60. I'm perfectly fine with buying a new license, I just don't want to use Windows 10.

 

[drtweak]

Go here and buy Windows 7 Pro here (Home edition is only a buck less so better to get Pro).

http://www.aakeys.com/windows-7-professional-sp1-product-key-sale-p-480.html

Once you get your Key Go here to download the Windows 7 ISO. You need your Key before you can download.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

Then download this tool here.

https://rufus.akeo.ie/

Put in a USB drive of 8GB or more, it WILL FORMAT IT, select the USB from the top drop down. Then where it says Chreat a Bootable Disk image select ISO image if not already selected. Then click on the CD Icon next to it. Find your Windows 7 ISO and then click ok. Then click start.

Once it is done, you can plug it in, not sure what the MSI GS60 boot menu key is but you either need to find it or go into BIOS and set either Removable devices as first boot, or sometimes they show up under hard drive boot order and set it to the first.

Then go in, boot from it, delete ALL partitions, and then install windows.

Not sure what model of the GS60 you have but i looked up the 6QE Ghost and if you click on the Service or Support right in the middle of the page and then go to drivers and then select your OS there IS Windows 7 64 Bit drivers there.

It doesn't look like you need to load a Controller drivers for the SATA Driver.

Also I would go in and download ALL the drivers BEFORE you wipe the drive in case you don't have access to internet due to lack of drivers. I would do this.

1) backup your data,
2) Download your drivers
3) make your USB Boot drive
4) Copy all your drivers to a folder called drivers on that USB Boot drive
5) install windows
6) install your drivers
7) Restore data

If you have any other issues let me know.

Also what is the reason for going back to 7? Their are a lot of benifits with windows 10 and gaming.

 

[jsmithepa]

I just don't want to use Windows 10.

Nothing stops you. After you obliterate everything, Win7 install will see a virgin SSD and go do its thing. You will need to install Win7-specific drivers though from the laptop vendor, so go ahead and download everything before commencing new install.

 

[Goldenerik]

Go here and buy Windows 7 Pro here (Home edition is only a buck less so better to get Pro).

http://www.aakeys.com/windows-7-professional-sp1-product-key-sale-p-480.html

Once you get your Key Go here to download the Windows 7 ISO. You need your Key before you can download.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

Then download this tool here.

https://rufus.akeo.ie/

Put in a USB drive of 8GB or more, it WILL FORMAT IT, select the USB from the top drop down. Then where it says Chreat a Bootable Disk image select ISO image if not already selected. Then click on the CD Icon next to it. Find your Windows 7 ISO and then click ok. Then click start.

Once it is done, you can plug it in, not sure what the MSI GS60 boot menu key is but you either need to find it or go into BIOS and set either Removable devices as first boot, or sometimes they show up under hard drive boot order and set it to the first.

Then go in, boot from it, delete ALL partitions, and then install windows.

Not sure what model of the GS60 you have but i looked up the 6QE Ghost and if you click on the Service or Support right in the middle of the page and then go to drivers and then select your OS there IS Windows 7 64 Bit drivers there.

It doesn't look like you need to load a Controller drivers for the SATA Driver.

Also I would go in and download ALL the drivers BEFORE you wipe the drive in case you don't have access to internet due to lack of drivers. I would do this.

1) backup your data,
2) Download your drivers
3) make your USB Boot drive
4) Copy all your drivers to a folder called drivers on that USB Boot drive
5) install windows
6) install your drivers
7) Restore data

If you have any other issues let me know.

Also what is the reason for going back to 7? Their are a lot of benifits with windows 10 and gaming.

I made the boot drive, but it won't load. Just keeps loading into Windows 10. I got to the BIOS and told it to boot off the stick but it won't.

 

[drtweak]

Ok Try either F8, F11, or F12 for boot menu (MSI is suppose to be F11)

If that doesn't work, go into the BIOS and disable FastBoot and then try again.

Also did you get the Windows 7 ISO from MS or from somewhere else?

Also make sure it is in a USB 2.0 slot as well! Some PC's won't boot from USB 3.0 slots and also Windows 7 has no USB 3.0 support so it will ask for drivers once you get to the install part.

 

[Goldenerik]

Ok Try either F8, F11, or F12 for boot menu (MSI is suppose to be F11)

If that doesn't work, go into the BIOS and disable FastBoot and then try again.

Also did you get the Windows 7 ISO from MS or from somewhere else?

Also make sure it is in a USB 2.0 slot as well! Some PC's won't boot from USB 3.0 slots and also Windows 7 has no USB 3.0 support so it will ask for drivers once you get to the install part.

There's my problem. The computer doesn't have any 2.0 USB slots. I do have an external DVD drive, so I'll try using that.

 

[drtweak]

Ok yea it is new enough where it SHOULD support booting off USB 3.0 but if not burn a DVD. You will more than likely need a DVD DL which are the 8.5 GB DVD's.

 

[royalcrown]

There is your problem, most newer UEFI's boot USB 2 without drivers. Some motherboards REQUIRE drivers to initialize USB 3.0 after the OS boots, some probably don't now but if that is the case I am not sure. I have the kind of board where the usb 3 drivers load after the OS and are not active during boot.

You need to check with your motherboard vendor. Also an external USB drive won't be any different than a flash drive if it uses a usb 3 port, same situation.

 

[drtweak]

It isn't so much an issue with uEFI (I have boot uEFI with 3.0 drives many times both AMD, Intel, custom build, and OEMs) The issue is with Windows 7. USB 3.0 drivers are not intergrated with Windows 7 PE enviroment and therefor can not boot off USB 3.0 unless drivers are slipstreamed into the install (Which will take much longer to do than just using a 2.0 port) where as Windows 8,8.1,10 have native USB 3.0 support and can be booted and installed with no issue.

I HAVE ran into some motherboards when USB 3.0 First came out (Have clients with Optiplex 980 which where the first Dells to have USB 3.0) and they will not boot off of 3.0 ports only 2.0 but besides those PC's I have not come across any others that have preventing me from booting off 3.0. Windows 7 Will still boot off a 3.0 but once you are in it will want the drivers for the 3.0 ports.

 

[royalcrown]

It depends on his computer, for instance mine won't boot off USB 3 ports. They are only active after drivers are loaded and not boot time. I'll take you at your word for newer platforms. My wife has a new Skylake as of this week and it may boot off USB 3 with no need for the OS to load first.

It isn't so much an issue with uEFI (I have boot uEFI with 3.0 drives many times both AMD, Intel, custom build, and OEMs) The issue is with Windows 7. USB 3.0 drivers are not intergrated with Windows 7 PE enviroment and therefor can not boot off USB 3.0 unless drivers are slipstreamed into the install (Which will take much longer to do than just using a 2.0 port) where as Windows 8,8.1,10 have native USB 3.0 support and can be booted and installed with no issue.

I HAVE ran into some motherboards when USB 3.0 First came out (Have clients with Optiplex 980 which where the first Dells to have USB 3.0) and they will not boot off of 3.0 ports only 2.0 but besides those PC's I have not come across any others that have preventing me from booting off 3.0. Windows 7 Will still boot off a 3.0 but once you are in it will want the drivers for the 3.0 ports.