If you have a setting called CSM or Legacy BIOS, enable it. Format the USB default NTFS and extract the clean MSDN iso to its root and it will only be able to boot legacy bios/MBR. When you want an uptodate iso, create it yourself by using Slimplix Update pack/boss911 UI tool, it will spit out a, ready to go, iso.
now another problem - with usb bootable flash drive now made as MBR, installation freezes on the first screen... no mouse pointer, no nothing. maybe i should make usb bootable drive in default GPT mode like yesterday?
it doesn't work... i tried all 3 usb ports, same result. maybe to format and make another one in GPT mode?
i figured out why first setup screen was freezing and without mouse pointer - bios needed to be set on win8 64bit compatibility. it didn't work like yesterday on win7 compatibilty. anyway, shift + f10 on partion screen doesn't do anything, no command prompt is shown.
Hello @kopitaneskita - You'd better get a move on. Support for Windows 7 run out in 13 months. (Just kidding; don't take it personally) OK. You finally got your installation media to boot. That's a good sign. If you cannot access the Command Prompt from the partitioning screen, do as I suggested back in Post #36, and access it using "Repair my computer", which is found in the bottom left corner of the second screen.
before i answer to your posts guys, just a quick update: putting back bios setting to win8 64bit just helped in starting installation. but after first reboot error message appeared that "something is damaged" and those safe mode options appear (option 1, 2, 3, 4). the problem is now that i cannot finish installing windows at all. i did that mbr thing with command prompt in repair option, but again i cannot install windows. it's copying windows files, installing updates in setup, but after first automatic reboot black screen with "something is damaged" and safe mode options (same as above) appear. yesterday i was at least able to install windows, now i cannot finish installing at all. only difference from yesteday is offical windows 7 bios update from lenovo support site and new .iso by generation2.
OK. Where did you get that .iso file? If it's been modified by someone else, then you have no idea what they did. It's probably the cause of all your problems. I suggest going back to post #43 and use the link I provided to download an official MSDN .iso file. If you're going to activate using KMS_VL_ALL, then try the .iso I mentioned in post #43. After the installation, you can use the Simplix Update Pack to install all the updates.
I just want to warn, that frach was a re-occurring member, must have been banned for over 20 times by now, he will be back soon, possibly using multiple accounts. He manages to copy info from others, mis- or half interpret the info and tries to "help" members, mostly only ending in pages of posts without no end result because he never tests what he advises and so are many threads filled up with useless posts. Fyi, i didn't report him this time, but some staffmember probably recognized the MO.
i've been using generation2 .iso for few years now (aftery murphy78 quit) on several different PCs, including my own... never problems with it. he is a trusted uploader from sweden so this is not problem for sure. i see lenovo support forums are filled with windows 7 installation problems threads. i would like to know following: 1. if i format and delete partions before windows installation, does it also cancel/remove all previous command prompt conversions of that same disk to mbr? 2. a) do i need to set bootable usb flash drive in rufus to mbr or not? because i've read it should stay on default when it loads .iso file and default value when i load .iso file in rufus in GPT and fat32; b) does it mean if legacy support and legacy priority is set up in bios, we must use bootable usb flash drive .iso in mbr and ntfs mode? and for uefi/efi priority setup in bios we must use GPT and fat32 bootable usb flash drive .iso. i 3. lenovo bios has three setting options in bios related to OS: first is "win864 bit", second is "win7", third option is "other OS"; when i choose "win7" and save i don't have mouse cursor, when i choose "win8 64bit" option or "other OS" option, i have cursor but installation cannot finish, after installing windows files and first automatic reboot i get blue error screen for a bit of a second and then black "something is damaged" screen with safe mode options on the bottom of the screen. so the question is - why i don't have cursor in "win7" bios settings installation and why windows cannot reboot normally and complete installation in both "win8 64bit" and "other OS" options set in bios? 4. my previous version of bios was v47, lenovo suggested upgrading to v48, which is the last one and now i'm having above mentioned issues installing windows 7 at all. is there a way to downgrade bios to previous version? there is no previous file on lenovo support page, just latest v48 one, which i installed yesterday. greatly appreciating all the help i can get!
BIOSes do not have OS related settings. They are not specified at (U)EFI.... But what they can have are profiles (pre-sets for a certain OS which can be loaded into it).... I suspect a BIOS misconfiguration of the pre-set. If you want to know their differences (win7, w864, other OS) load them and compare what has changed at the settings themselves... But here: Load the (optimized) defaults only. Then check / change: Secure boot is disabled, boot mode to CSM/legacy and the boot priority to legacy (first)... When finished make sure you save and exit the BIOS. And: Use an original ISO of which you have checked its hash. It's troubleshooting here and a proper approach starts from an original ISO. muphy78 is a highly valued member, but that's not the point. If you have got a DVD drive burn the w7 ISO and try to install it from DVD. Either way delete all partitions within the windows setup and recreate them before you make the installation. Default installation of w7 is MBR if there is support for it.
@Yen 1. yes, that's what i did.also tried same and different options with win8 and other OS profiles. 2. yes, no cursor means no mouse pointer under win 7 profile. 3. since i don't have any OS installed on that laptop, i always delete all partitions visible on windows 7 setup. so i don't know in which format is now hdd after deleting all partitions? also what happens in win8 and other OS profile is that when i delete all partitions and want to create a new one, it autmatically creates 4 other partitions. i also deleted them because i want just two partitions. was that a wrong move? unfortunately my mother's laptop doesn't have dvd drive, just three usb drives (two usb 2.0 and one 3.0). now for the start, i would really like to know shoud i create bootable .iso in mbr or GPT mode, fat32 or ntfs when i don't have any OS installed? thank you for you help, much appreciated. same goes for others.
Well, the video I have posted shows a successful installation of w7 enterprise. From the setup it looked like it was a MBR installation.... From the logical point of view you should be able to reproduce it since it is exactly the same notebook. Since you cannot either your ISO is the reason or (what I do not think) the BIOS version is the reason for it.... You have to try another ISO
ok, i will try another .iso, just to make it sure... BUT, should i make new bootable .iso as GPT or as mbr usb? fat32 or ntfs?
Just format the USB key: NTFS will only be able to boot Legacy BIOS/MBR FAT32 wil be able to both both, UEFI/GPT and Legacy BIOS/MBR. So, set LegacyBIOS or CSM to enabled and boot the USB, and use the NTFS formatted USB for LegacyBIOS.