I have recently downgraded to windows 7 straight from windows 10, on a separate hard drive from windows 10 hoping to dual boot, only to find out my legitimate windows 7 key i bought almost 8 years ago is no longer recognized as a product key. when installing I tried using my drive in MGR but when I booted into windows 7 setup from my USB drive (this computer is cd/dvd drive-less) it asked for drivers for either a cd/dvd drive, or my HDD (it wasn't clear which) so i decided to try doing it straight from windows 10 by mounting the iso and custom clean installing it to my second drive, it then prompted me to use GPT instead of MBR, my bios has legacy AND uefi support, but at this point i gave up and installed it on GPT, figuring it wouldn't matter since I plan on switching between anyways. Now I'm stuck, really not wanting to try MBR again (I will if anyone can tell me how) and trying to activate this installation, I've tried Daz windows loader, of course, to find out it doesn't support GPT, and the only good (and not sketchy looking) KMS solutions I can find don't support Home Premium, and I have no idea how to sift through all the isos out there without damaging my system somehow to switch versions, since now my only option IS (or maybe not?) figuring out how to crack my OS. Can someone point me in the right direction? my specs: Custom Build Windows 7 Home Premium x64 / Windows 10 Home x64 Dual Boot (Seperate HDD's) H110M Pro-D (MS-7996) MSI Mobo Bios Version 2.60 Intel Core i5 6600 CPU @ 3.30Hz Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti Graphics GPU Bios 82.07.32.00.8E
Maybe you can do this: Either use Ultimate combined with windslic activation (or bios mod) or Professional combined with a KMS solution or reinstall 7 with csm (legacy bios) enabled and use daz loader.
honestly reinstalling with legacy bios sounds best, since daz loader is more permanent, the problem therein lies in how i can possibly install it outside of a uefi boot, i'm not sure why but my bios has two options, UEFI, and Legacy/UEFI, I don't know if that's why i cant install via a booted USB drive, or if it's something I'm doing wrong with the drive, to make the drive I was lazy and used the windows 10 bootable drive maker, then replaced the files with windows 7's iso contents so it would be boot flagged, could my problem possibly be the file system windows 10 put on it?
I found something having to do with a different MSI mother board not supporting EHCI which might be what windows 7 installation when booted from USB might be talking about, I'm going to figure out how to stream EHCI through the installation media and see if that works to install windows 7 on an MBR instead of a GPT disk configuration. Will post back if successful or not. Edit: I cannot do this without an 8 GB USB at my disposal, however I thought of another possibility, perhaps it was because I had the USB in a 3.0 slot, not a 2.0, trying this extremely simple blunder of mine to see if that was the issue (most likely was since windows 7 installation does not support usb 3.0) cheers.
That's exactly what I found, however the bios had an update after that to add compatibility with windows 7 that made the integrated 2.0 drivers work, it just so happens I had it set up right in the bios, but used a 3.0 slot, the bios has a "windows 7 installation" boot option that i've been using, but I mistakenly used the wrong port. One of those "could of had a V8" moments. Edit: Nevermind, in order to use that function on the bios, I have to have a PS/2 compatible mouse, because it only gives EHCI support to the installation port, not any of the other USB ports, which left me with the working installation, but NO WAY TO CLICK INSTALL. Thank you Intel/Microsoft teamwork, made me laugh hysterically, I think I need a psychiatrist now.
Yeah I tried that, it just tells me it's no longer recognized as a product key of any kind, and when I put it in to activate it automatically online, it tells me MS blocked the key.
Indeed, any way you could possibly point me to an autoKMS for windows 7 home premium that won't turn my PC inside out? or would it be better to just use a windows 7 professional Iso and install it over my home premium on the GPT drive?
Worst case scenario, I could see if my wife is running on a skylake mobo or not, and if not, install windows 7 on my drive from her pc, then stick it in mine after it's done.
I got it from china, so it all really doesn't surprise me, i didn't have 400 bucks when windows came out, and the key worked on the install the first time, I just decided to dual boot today and found out it doesn't xD the thing cost me like 80 bucks
Lost on what you're gonna do there, stick your drive in her PC, and install 7 on that, then put the drive back in your machine? Easiest thing would be to wipe your drive, and install 7 in MBR/BIOS mode, then activate 7 with Windows Loader / Daz Loader, or upgrade to Pro and use KMS (Not sure if Windows Toolkit (MTK) supports 7 Pro) EDIT - Yes it does, and Enterprise
Best thing is to disable UEFI and use Lency ACHCI and will work just fine.. But use DAZ loader will take care of it..
Ok, well, in the end, I've decided to just get a pro iso (am using en_windows_7_professional_x64_dvd_x15-65805.iso) found online mirrored from MSDN (since they used to have P2P option) and i'll use KMS to activate it. thanks all for the help!
Installed windows 7 professional instead, got it activated using CODYQX4's Microsoft Toolkit - Official KMS Solution for Microsoft Products ez activator, worked like a dream, am now installing service pack 2, and all is well. best support forum for OS installation issues ever, if only MS employees work like this.