Hello MDL, As the topic says, I have an issue of trying to install Windows 7 on UEFI mode(made GPT UEFI stick with Rufus) and when I boot to the stick while Secure boot disabled I get stuck under Starting Windows splash screen just before first screen of the Windows 7 setup procedure. I already tried time ago, to install on legacy mode and succeeded but I don't want to migrate again from GPT to MBR or vice versa since in the future I'll be probably back to Windows 10 when it gets polished up. If you have some kind of solution, I'd be very grateful EDIT : Laptop is Acer E5-573G with Insyde BIOS.
Thanks for the posts guys, I'll try the method from ashish.k since I have built in DVD reader/writer in my laptop. Oh and my current OS is Windows 10 64bit, and I already have that BIOS installed EDIT : Since I don't have Win Disc at the moment I decided to try with ISO and when I try to execute bootsect command, I get this : This tool can only be run on systems booted using a PC/AT BIOS. This system was booted using EFI or some other firmware type. Do I need to try with real Windows disc ?
But I'm still getting this error when I try to execute BOOTSECT.exe command : This tool can only be run on systems booted using a PC/AT BIOS. This system was booted using EFI or some other firmware type. I'm using Windows 7 SP1 x64 Enterprise ISO and I'm currently on UEFI x64 Windows 10.
That is the reason. You are on UEFI x64 Win10. Find a PC which runs on Legacy BIOS to do the Bootsect.exe command. Bootsect.exe command is rather not important for you at least because this command makes the USB bootable for non-UEFI (Legacy BIOS PCs). Since you have to install Win7 on UEFI PC you can skip Bootsect.exe command but USB will be bootable only on UEFI PCs this way. Edited my Tutorial regarding this drawback. I totally forgot to put this reminder. Thanks! Regards.
Thanks for your reply, now I proceeded without the executing the command, restarted my laptop, disabled Secure boot again and booted to USB but unfortunately it got freezed again around the beginning of "Starting Windows" splashscreen. Looks like my laptop OEM(Acer) strongly forces the use of >=Windows 8 with UEFI. BTW: Can I somehow get a log from the point of USB boot till the freezing point ?
Okay, this will definitely work as it is the only solution left... Make bootable USB of Win8.1/10 using rufus (select MBR partition scheme for UEFI and FAT32 filesystem) and delete install.wim in "/sources/". The right procedure to install Win7 on latest UEFI-only PCs would be to have the file "install.wim" of Win7 setup copied to the installation files of Win8.1/10. I mean just delete "install.wim" of Win8.1/10 in "/sources/" and copy "install.wim" file of Win7 here. In conclusion, setup files of Win10 and "install.wim" of Win7. So the setup will resemble Win8.1/10 but it will actually install Win7. I hope this helps.
Win 7 install.wim is compatible with the rest of the Win 8.1/10 ISO ? (I never tried, just wondering)
Great, I'll try this now. But now I'm wondering, what IF I make MBR for UEFI with Windows 7 ISO with Rufus, could that work ? Just wondering EDIT : Didn't work, left with the Win 10 setup trick. On other hand, I'll surely try the method with using Windows 10 setup files with Windows 7 install.wim.
It does not work, after copying files, setup commences restart, and when Wibdows 7 screen shows up and gets stuck again. Luckily I found that disk.sys causes that (through safe mode boot.) I give up, I'll continue use of Windows 10.
I guess then Win7 needs UEFI+CSM to boot properly. It wasn't made for UEFI PCs actually as to make the ISO support for UEFI we have to do the bootx64.efi file trick (otherwise it won't boot on UEFI+CSM too). So I think Win7 is too old for your UEFI only PC. Nevertheless, I tried my best but you have to use Win8.0+ on your PC. Anyways, I'll try to boot Win7 again on my UEFI-only PC and report. Last time I just booted it when UEFI+CSM was enabled. Now I'll disable CSM completely and try to boot in UEFI only. EDIT: Confirmed! Win7 does not boot on UEFI-only (without CSM). Win8.0+ required for UEFI-only PCs. Only UEFI+CSM and Legacy BIOS works for Win7.
if you have win 8 or 10 in efi booting.. add boot entry with easybcd for win 7. so it boots from win 8 or 10 and loads 7. however disk.sys points to AHCI and chipset issues or bios.