I just purchased a secondhand laptop (Asus K53E) that originally had Windows 7 on it from new. Just before putting it up for sale the owner stuck Windows 10 on it. I would rather be boiled in oil than use W10 so the first thing I did was try to install W7 Pro on it. I think W10 is still on it somewhere kept as a .old file. Bottom line is the laptop now does not have wifi or ethernet connection capability. Device Manager shows missing drivers for Network Controller, PCI Simple Coms Controller, and SM Bus Controller. And there is no mention of LAN or WiFi devices present. After three days of timewasting trying to find and insert drivers into the three places I've had enough and would like to just wipe the drive and start again from scratch. I have tried the Search facility here and I get 600 pages of results and I just don't have enough remaining lifespan to read them all. Most don't come anywhere near the information I am looking for. Can anyone tell me how to do it?
Create a bootable install dvd or usb and boot from it, during the process you get the option to delete/format the partitions.
The last time I did it I just stuck an ISO into the DVD tray and I don't think there was any option about deleting partitions, etc. I have just been reading about partitions and I don't understand them. I assumed after formatting a disc it would be empty, and the new install would set partitions as it wanted to. I haven't a clue which one or what size it would need to be.
If you have only one partition C on the disk (screenshots above), then you can select the unallocated area without creating partitions. The system will do everything by itself. If there are no stages during installation, then this is some kind of modified image (not official). Also, the option will be skipped when choosing system upgrade. Type in google windows 7 clean install format or windows 7 clean install format.
Starting setup from a running OS won't offer the partitioning windows where you can re-partition/format the disk..
Thankyou gentlemen. That clears up something I couldn't get my head around. After reading various answers from Google results I think I should find disc management and click on the C drive and then Format. Power down and then reboot from the ISO DVD and go from there. Will that work OK? And will the ISO contain drivers that are compatible with the laptop (of the same time period)? ie. around 2011?
No, you can't format the c drive from your running windows that runs on the c drive. Just create a bootable DVD or USB and boot from it and you are in full control.
OK. That's what I will do. Thanks. I will let you know how I get on tomorrow. I need a drink and some sleep.
Hey Ho. A new day. Another installation. And still the same driver problems. Device Manager shows the Yellow Alerts: Ethernet Controller Network Controller PCI Simple Coms Controller SM Bus Controller
Well, I usually seek out the ethernet driver first, using another computer, then copy it to a usb thumb drive. Once you get the networking running on the new installation, it gets a lot easier to hunt down other drivers.
I did manage to get a driver installed that cancelled the "Ethernet Controller" Yellow Alert but after trying an ethernet cable between the laptop and the router I still have no luck making connection with the outside world. I have a properly functioning desktop here to search for drivers with but finding them is a guessing game with no I.D. numbers to search with. The laptop is an Asus K53E series about 10 (?) years old that has been working perfectly before I bought it.
I just tried a different ethernet cable and it has made a difference. I now seem to have a connection to the router but not beyond that.
I have already tried that Mon Capitan. I found a long list of drivers there with no instruction which ones to choose. I tried installing most of them but downloading them all seperately/ adding the zip to a usb stick/ moving to the laptop/ unzipping there and trying to feed it into the Device Manager driver update took an age and didn't get me anywhere. I emailed Asus and all they did was direct me to that page of drivers. What I could do with is one of those clever bits of software that scans the machine and finds the correct missing driver and installs it. Without an internet connection most of them don't work, or can't be transfered from their download point to something that can me moved elsewhere.
Thankyou for that. I will certainly try it. Update: I now have internet access (via ethernet cable) but hit a snag when trying to use the ancient Internet Express that came with the installation. I eventually got Firefox installed and set as default browser. Now trying to install Avira Free but it needs dotnet something for the install. Dotnet install fails but I think I will manage to win in the end now I have a direct internet connection. I just need to tread carefully until I can get an antivirus in place. Watch this space.
I think if you're really obsessed with putting this kind of malware on your already old and slow computer, do it when everything you need is installed and working properly. No one should ever put such malware on their own computer. And certainly not when even the most necessary things have not yet been installed.
Everyone else tells me not to install anything until I have antivirus on board. And this one you say is Malware has been doing just fine for several years now on my desktop PC.
Stop . Think . First .......... download all the things you need .......... especialy SDI from captain kirks post ........... with all the drivers . ( And any other drivers you think you need ) Then put your operating system in Then any updates you might have ........ KBs Then put the drivers in Then put the programs in Then if you want an anti virus put that in Then put a firewall in Then boot from a stick / USB / something else and make a C copy Then go into the net . NOT before .