I never installed an OS before(alteast a Microsoft one) and wanted to run Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 x64(the one with the "u" since I guess that's what I need) installed using a usb on a brand new laptop that came with Windows 10 x64. Sounded easy until tried setting everything up myself. Tutorials showing different results than what I was getting, dead links, search isn't helping, missing files, I don't even know what's the up to date way of doing this. Now I think I screwed up, after I managed to get Win 7 to install, it just stays at the "Starting Windows" screen. This whole prossess is just frustrating and I don't know what to do anymore. Can anyone point me in the right directions in fixing this and starting from scratch.
If your Windows came to the factory so that was installed in Windows 10, you generally can not install Windows 7 or Windows 8 on this machine.This is strategy of Microsoft, these versions are blocked already on BIOS.You can only, if you purchased computer, which originally came with Windows 7, 8 or 8.1. You are not the first who have tried it do.
Sorry forgot to mention that, it's an HP Intel Laptop I got as a gift. Wish I could give you more infomation on it but I really got ahead of myself and rushed everything as soon as I got it so I never bothered to get a look at its other specifications(Guess this is why I'm in this mess).
@Moondogy Boot to BIOS (F10), navigate to System Configuration => Boot Options => Enable Legacy Support (Secure Boot will automatically be disabled) - this will solve the issue of hanging at 'Starting Windows' phase & enable Windows 7 to boot in UEFI mode successfully.