Downgrade Windows 10 to Windows 7 Pro

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Jack:

Go into the BIOS and see if there is a USB setting to have the USB 3 ports emulate USB2 or an auto setting.

If there is a setting labeled USB3 only, change it to auto or anything but USB3.

If there is no such setting, unfortunately, I won't be able to help you with why the PC won't boot from the internal DVD drive or a usb port.

Remember that legacy mode must be enabled, secure boot disabled, boot from the non-UEFI DVD drive.

[Jmorgan54]

Thanks Paul ...

With your help, I am learning and I am now able to get the boot disc to begin the install using the external USB drive as there is now an option in the Boot Menu so I that I can now boot from the Legacy LG USB external drive.   When I select that option it does boot.    After that I am getting the Window with the message that says, after I have begun the installation, "Where do you want to install Windows?"  which is normal as you may remember.

However all of the partitions that are offered each show another message that says "Windows cannot be installed to 'Disk 0 Partition 3: Windows' , or to any other partition for that matter.     If I simply  select this correct partition, and click NEXT  to start the installation, there is an error message which appears asking about CD/DVD drivers missing and the install stops.

There is  also an option to format the  partition but it will not allow me to format, and a message says the selected disk is of the GPT partition style.     

So,  at this point I think I will take my external drive,  (bought from them just for this project) back to my local computer business  and ask for their help again.   They have been helpful in the past because they know I am working for a legitimate not-for-profit and so far they have willing to help.

Any further thoughts ?    Thanks again. 

PS:  Reminder,  this is my fourth computer in this project, so we are making progress.  Each of the nine computers is an HP Probook 655 G2, as you will remember,  with 8GB Ram, and 500 GB HD's

Jack Morgan

785-260-5002

jmorgan54@yahoo.com

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Jack:

See if using this free disk management tool allows you to install W7.

Download the free version and make the bootable CD from the file.

https://www.partitionwizard.com/download.html

Then you can boot from this disk and you should be able to format the drive to MBR-NTFS so that W7 will install.

You can only install W7 in UEFI mode with secure boot disabled on a GPT disk.

But a lot of times you can't enable UEFI mode with secure boot disabled, so the easiest thing to do would be to convert the disk from GPT to MBR.

Since the hard drive is 2 TB or less, MBR will work just fine.

[Jmorgan54]

Thanks Paul ... The disk management tool installed but not as a bootable disk and I couldn't figure out how to get it to work .. I probably did it wrong.

In the meantime, my local computer store tech checked this morning and says that I have a factory defecive computer ... Dunno if he is correct or not.

I have decided, in my infinite wisdome, to use the external USB DVD/CD drive that I have and have booted a "Wipe Drive" disc that I have ....  and am currentl wiping the HD (physical disk #0) clean and will then try to do the W7 install from that same external disc ... assuming a software problem, rather than a hardware one,  which this formatting might correct.  The wiping operation takes several hours, and I'm going to bed.   Ha !

Beyond that, my intention is to return this computer, and if so it  will go back to the factory under Warranty ...

Hope I haven't frustrated you too much ... I got very frustrated myself.   I'll know soon if it works.

Thanks again ..

Jack

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Jack:

Sorry that didn't work. 

That used to be a free option to create the bootable media to run the program with.

[Jmorgan54]

Ok Paul ...

Continuing on computer #4.   After wiping the drive clean and checking each sector for errors, I tried to install Windows 7 Pro SP1 from an installation disk ... The disk does boot, and the installation begins as a normal install, but after selecting the Language, Country and Time Zone, I get a message and a window that says "A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing.   If you have a driver floppy disk, CD, DVD or USB Flash Drive, please insert it now."   It then further says : "Note:  If the Windows installation media is in the CD/DVD drive, you can safely remove it for this step."

However, there is now no operating system on this computer and so I dunno what to do next.   Problem is, I dont know how to install a driver without the Operating System, and so I guess I should have thought of that before I reformatted.    However, this computer seems to me to fine .. although this is the message that I was getting before I wiped the drive (which may have been a mistake) and I am unable to move forward.

So Im stuck again.   In addition, this bring up to me a bigger question:   Should we be doing to these computers what we are doing ... i.e., installing Windows 7 Pro over the top of Windows 10, or even wiping the drive and basically doing "clean" installs.     HP's tech support is in India and I personally find it difficult to deal with them and to get answers of this nature.

We can return this laptop, under Warranty, but there are five more of them on order and they will be here in a week or maybe less.    The good news is that there is no great time pressure on this project, and so I do have time.  

Your thoughts Sir?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

The only driver that I can think of that would be missing from the W7 installation media is the USB3 driver.

Usually though, you only get that message on the latest Intel platforms.

Anyway, see if this works.  If not, unfortunately I won't be able to help you with this matter.

I have zipped up and attached the amd usb 3 drivers that W7 may be looking for, below.

Download and unzip the file to its folder.

Then get a usb flash drive and copy the file contents in that folder to the flash drive.  Just the files, not the folder.

Plug the flash drive in a usb port, have the W7 installation DVD in the drive.

Turn on the PC and boot from the W7 disk.

After you select the Install now option, select the Drive Options - Advanced menu, then select the Load Driver option.

You should now see the storage driver files listed.

If you check the box, it will only include the compatible driver.

Follow the prompts and hopefully, W7 will install.

[Jmorgan54]

Paul ...

You might be a genius !   Ha!   It worked !!   Windows 7 Pro  SP1 is now installed on computer #4.  

Thanks !!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

It was a 'Hail Mary' play, but I figured we had nothing to lose at this point.

[Jmorgan54]

OK ... One more driver.   And I wish I could figure out how you do this ...

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_522A&SUBSYS_80FE103C&REV_01        PCI Device

Thanks

Jack