[SOLVED] Windows 7 Install Problem - Programs "not compatible with this version"

[Joeywhat]

**Update - looks like it might have been the USB stick the files were moved from that caused the issue.

Hello everyone, I am having an interesting problem with a fresh install of Windows 7 pro 64 bit. Windows installs normally, I don't have any issues during this process. The install is going on a brand new Samsung 860 EVO 1TB SSD, I am using a USB drive to do the install. Once Windows 7 has installed and I'm sitting at the home screen, whenever I try and run ANY executable, I get an error that reads: "This version of this file is not compatible with the version of windows you're running. Check your computer's system information to see whether you need an X86 or x64 version of the program". The drivers I'm installing are for 32 or 64 bit (it has both in the folder), and I've also tried installing CPUID just to try something different - again same issue. If I try and run these as an admin, it will then show an error stating it cannot find the file location.

I have done at least 6 fresh installs of Windows trying to get this to work, with two different versions of Windows 7 (my original, legit copy & a pirated version just to try something different). Same issue every single time. Is this something related to my new Samsung SSD? The Windows install seems fine, I can open internet explorer, view the "sample" pics and movies included with it and all that, but I can't open any sort of executable that isn't installed. Task manager will open, the command prompt will open....Windows seems to work just fine. I also used the Samsung utility software to check the drive and it checked out OK.

This is a real head scratcher for me, any insight on where to go next?

 

[neojack]

is that an NVME drive ?
if i remember well, W7 had a poor support for NVME drives.

check you motherboard manual, they are probably steps / drivers to use during the install on NVME.

Edit : google says it's a SATA M2 drive. well check your motherboard manual anyways.

 

[rgd1101]

ANY executable

like notepad?

 

[Joeywhat]

like notepad?

Any "new" executable, anything installed along with Windows seems to work OK.

 

[Joeywhat]

is that an NVME drive ?
if i remember well, W7 had a poor support for NVME drives.

check you motherboard manual, they are probably steps / drivers to use during the install on NVME.

Edit : google says it's a SATA M2 drive. well check your motherboard manual anyways.

It's a SATA 3.0 drive. I will check the motherboard docs, it's getting fairly old, so it wouldn't surprise me...but I figured any SATA 3 drive would work all the same.

 

[rgd1101]

exact what new executable? where did you get them?

 

[USAFRet]

Which specific Win 7 version?

 

[Joeywhat]

exact what new executable? where did you get them?

Motherboard drivers (chipset & LAN), I also tried CPUID, which I downloaded from their site.

ETA - I've tried opening all the setup.exe files for the drivers, and I've also tried manually pointing the hardware to the drivers via device manager, and it was "unable to find suitable drivers".

It's Windows 7 Pro 64 bit, the pirated version was ultimate 64 bit. I'm most likely going back to my legit version since both had the issue.

 

[rgd1101]

windows 7 up to date?
exact model of the motherboard?

 

[Joeywhat]

windows 7 up to date?
exact model of the motherboard?

The legit install was downloaded directly from MS, it includes SP1. I can't update any further as I can't install any drivers.

Its an Asus Sabertooth Z97 Mark 1. I didn't notice any specific in the manual about SSD drives.

 

[rgd1101]

. I can't update any further as I can't install any drivers.

so where are you getting the driver?

 

[Joeywhat]

so where are you getting the driver?

Directly from the Asus site, for my specific mobo.

 

[USAFRet]

Try this whole thing with a fresh Win 10 install. Just to verify the hardware actually works.
You can blow that install away after.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[rgd1101]

How to Update Windows 7 All at Once with Microsoft's Convenience Rollup

When you install Windows 7 on a new system, you traditionally have to go through a long process of downloading years of updates and constantly rebooting.

www.howtogeek.com

did the rollup?

 

[Joeywhat]

I'll try that, and give Win10 a try if that doesn't work.

 

[Joeywhat]

OK, here's an update:

I installed Windows 10, and ran into the same error. Right before deciding to jump off a freakin' cliff, I saw that Win10 had installed network drivers already, so I could get online. I first downloaded and successfully installed Chrome, then downloaded my chipset drivers and installed with no issue.

Seems like it's USB drive at fault...although I don't know why it's OK for the windows install but not for these files. Any thoughts on why the thumb drive would cause this?

I appreciate everyone's help in figuring this out.

 

[Math Geek]

my suggestion was going to be try a different usb drive. after your last post, that seems like the best thing to do now. it is old hardware so win 7 should not any problems at all.

there is nothing that the mobo should be doing to mess with the drive. i have a sata drive on my z97 system and had not a single issue with win 7 or win 10. you can try a new download of win 7 from ms and then use rufus to vreate the usb on a new/different usb drive to see what happens. sounds to me like the install files are corrupt most likely.

 

[onespeedbiker]

OK, here's an update:

I installed Windows 10, and ran into the same error. Right before deciding to jump off a freakin' cliff, I saw that Win10 had installed network drivers already, so I could get online. I first downloaded and successfully installed Chrome, then downloaded my chipset drivers and installed with no issue.

Seems like it's USB drive at fault...although I don't know why it's OK for the windows install but not for these files. Any thoughts on why the thumb drive would cause this?

I appreciate everyone's help in figuring this out.

Are you trying to install these programs from the USB and not moving the install file to your hard drive first? If so, that could be the problem.