Windows 7 Install For Newbie Advice Please

Previous owner of this Dell Inspiron laptop installed Windows 10 but its no use for me and i wish to install Windows 7

I hanve chaged the boot order to USB in the BIOS and put Windows 7 on a USB stick.
Popped the stick in the USB port & started laptop.
I keep seeing a message along the lines of check cable connection PXE MOF etc etc.

If i remove the USB & try again the laptop starts fine.

Please advise what might be the issue so i can continue.

 

Firstly, Windows 10 can boot so fast that it can be difficult to catch it at startup to boot from usb.

Did you make the usb bootable, or use Microsoft's tool to create the usb ?
It is possible that the boot function n the usb is not correct - If you placed the usb in the slot THEN selected start from usb, it would, otherwise boot from it. If you did not put the usb stick in before starting, the computer,then it would skip it.

 

Hi,
I tried to use the Windows tool but was told Unable to copy your files.
I have then downloaded & put the iso onto the usb stick using RUFUS

When i then switch on laptop it starts to look at the usb stick but shows me a message,
This drive can ony boot in EUFI mode.It cant boot in BIOS/Legacy mode.

 

Is your Windows 7 x64 bit? -It needs to be to boot from usb -It can be a difficult issue sometimes
If you burn it to a dvd it is often easier to get it loaded.
When starting up, I believe its the delete button on the Dell, to get into the bios.
You then will need to change it to enable legacy mode (for older system) -as you don't want Windows 10, - This should give you the MBR mode, click f10 to save and restart -Try that.
As yours is an older system, you should be able to choose legacy mode
Come back and let me know if you can get into the bios
It can take a long time to write it all out (my other hard drive is done that way, as I wanted to triple boot (W7, 8.1, AND W10)
This link explains mostly some problems with EUFI mode, and usb.
https://www.sevenforums.com/install...ble-2.html?s=d3e766c40354896f080beef5fd7afb4e

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...desktop/boot-to-uefi-mode-or-legacy-bios-mode

 

Just checked where in bios on my Lenova, and its in the configuration part ( usb legacy - enable/disable),but not sure where on the Dell.
If you let us know the exact model of Dell inspiron, w can check for more details- for instance, if it came originally with Windows 7,or, Windows 10..
If it came with Windows 7, and was updated to W10, and the hard drive still has a recovery partition, it is sometimes possible to take it back to factory, and re-install Windows 7 from the recovery partition, as long as it was an upgrade and not a clean install of Windows 10

 

In this day and age, I wouldn't recommend installing Windows 7. There are too many security problems with it, and extended support for it ends in January 2020. Just my 2 cents' worth.
But on to your issue.

Rufus has two way to create a bootable flash drive:

Partition scheme: MBR
Target system: BIOS (or UEFI-CSM)​

Partition scheme: GPT
Target system: UEFI (non CSM)​

You need to pick the 2nd combination for UEFI booting.

 

Many people are still fond of Windows 7, and although it will be unsupported soon,they wish to keep it, rather than having Windows 10, like 'theremotedr
Usually, choosing legacy mode in the bios will work with Windows 7 (whatever version)- but I found x64 bit would only work on usb.-Whereas a burnt DVD appears to install any version without problems

 

theremotedr has not come back,as yet, while on the subject of updates--
Imaging is always a great/best method-
What I have done,I would recommend anyone who wishes to continue using Windows 7, (or,even W8.1) is to use WSUOFFLINE and create an iso of the updates with it, as and I have saved to dvd, for any re-instalation of W7, or,W 8.1,
Once Re-installing Windows 7, and registering, use the dvd of the update iso created by WSUOFFLINE, you are good to go, without going on-line.
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/wsus_offline_update.html

 

Hi,
I didn’t receive an email to advise I had replies. I’ve now managed to install but then had to start again due to an error I made.
I have now two partitions correct wording ?
I’ve installed windows 7 on one drive & I then wish to install the software I need to use on the other drive.

I noticed windows was installed on C which isn’t much good to me as some programmes automatically install to C and this is the purpose of my other drive. Should I need to install another operating system I do t need to install all my stuff again.

So this is where I’m at.
C drive windows.
Z drive

I need to rename Z To C and then say the current C to say A

Problem I have in computer management is I’m not being allowed to change drive letter C

I read about page file etc so followed a video on how to change / set process etc to get around it, sound familiar to you ?

Laptop restarted and tried again but now I still can’t change the C drive letter ?

Can you advise please & then I can continue.
Many thanks.

WINDOWS 7 64 BIT

 

That's because Windows and the Programs are installed (by default) on the C drive.
Put your files on the Z drive.

 

Ok
Some files like google chrome don’t allow you to specify a drive so just installs to C drive.

Is there a workaround so files are automatically downloaded to the Z drive ?

Thanks.

 

To direct your downloads to the z drive
Left click on the C drive- left click on users
Double click on your user name
Then right click on the downloads folder
Chose properties(left click)
In the centre of the box that comes up ,you will see the present downloads -C:\Users\your name\Downloads
Click move
In the next box that comes up, navigate to the z drive,and click, on the z drive
Down the bottom of that click on select folder.
Now all your downloads will go to the z drive.
Programs , however have to be installed on the C drive to work, but the downloads can stay in the z drive

 

Thanks fine that.
This is one issue after another.
I didn’t allow enough space on C drive what with all the updates.
So I have the following shown in disk management.
DISK O
System reserved 100MB
C 29.20 GB
Z 219.96 GB
48.83 GB Unallocated

I was trying to add space from Z to C but it ended up as Unallocated.

So I would like to put the 48.83 Unallocated into the C drive so it’s then about 78 GB

Been a long day

 

If you have 78gb of space to add it to C;
Then you should EXTEND the C: drive to gain the space
Left Click
Start
THEN RIGHT CLICK
Manage
Then
Left click
Computer management
Left click on The C; drive and then right click the C:drive, And click EXTEND

 

Hi,
Im a bit lost with these instructions.
You say Left click,is that on the C drive ?
Then you say start,this is where im lost.

Ive attached a screen shot of what i see.
C drive Z drive 48.93 unallocated "far right"

So i would like to take the 48.93 unallocated and put it with my C drive so i then make my C drive 48.93GB larger.

But i can follow what you have advised.

Left Click "what am i left clicking" ???
Start "where or what is start" ??
THEN RIGHT CLICK
Manage
Then
Left click
Computer management
Left click on The C; drive and then right click the C:drive, And click EXTEND

Thanks for the help

 

The start button is bottom left corner.......
Click where the blue arrow is (LighTly left click to choose it, then right click it get options which should include EXTEND

 

I tend to overkill- just right click the C: drive (partition)-forget the light left click

 

Ok I have done that but extend is greyed out

 

This , then is because the free space is not immediately after the C: drive.

 

That is why i advised the screenshot.
The unallocated space is on the right hand side,C is on the left and Z is in the middle.

Can we add the unallocated to Z drive then take some space from Z and place into C

 

Yes, that would be ok, BUT , I would use Partition Wizard to do that.
In fact , with partition Wizard, you can actually shrink the z partition, and choose to leave the allocated space immediately behind the C: partition (choose space before )
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/minitool_partition_wizard_home_edition.html

https://www.partitionwizard.com/help/resize-partition.html

 

Im not sure what you mean by leave behind C partition,first time ive done this.

I would rather just get rid of the unallocated 48 GB etc and use it in my C drive.

Then i can continue

 

My last post shows how to do it by Partition Wizard- I have used that program many times,and if you read it throgh a few times you will see - You need to have that space immediately before the z partition , and other than deleting the z partition and starting again with the z drive as all unaloctaed, - this method works.
Take your time.....

 

Hi,
When i selected the unallocated piece the move option etc on the left was greyed out so,
I moved the Z drive to the right so now the unallocated spaced is gone and my Z drive is larger.
I then dragg the slider left to create some allocated space before the Z drive & then did the same with the C drive.

Now all is done.

I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS PLEASE

With regads windows updates.
Been doing the updates for about 5 hours now and down to say 6 left to do.
Ive applied each update from the bottom of the list towards the top.
So i have an update which refuses to download / install.
Do you ignore this one the just continue with the next one until all are update then come back to this stubborn one ?

My main goal was to have files etc "not sure of corract name" drive / partition & windows 7 on another drive / partition.
Reason being if i get the blue screen of death i would only need to install over the windows 7 part thus leaving all my files etc alone without having to do all them again.

Reading your post above where you say all must go to C etc how do i then achieve what my goal is as i dont wish to install everything again just windows 7 if i have to ?

Thanks

 

Well done.
Yes, ideally keep the C: Partition for Windows, and programs ,and the Z Partition for data, and other stuff.
As you stated, if things go wrong, you can either re-install (which means all those updates , and programs hve to be re-installed )
Or, you can make a system image as soon as you have everything installed, so that you can simply get back to the same stage very quickly.

 

Morning,
Plan B had to happen last night.
So what I have done using partition wizard is to end up with the following.
C drive 190GB
D drive 100GB

Now all the updates are installed I need some advice please before i start to install my programmes.

The advice needed is somehow I need to advice the pc on my intentions & to install my programmes to the D drive AND NOT THE C DRIVE.

This way if I need to install windows again in the future I just overwrite the C drive this leaving the D drive with my programmes on untouched.

 

Install the programs on the C partition and image that partition.
Then if the brown stuff hits the fan, you simply restore that partition along with the countless Windows updates and the programs.

 

It has hit the fan and just did it.

Installed one of the last pieces of software and bang.

Now constantly BSOD showing different messages.
Once started I will delete it.

I assume the BSOD messages are all related to this piece of software as for the last 24 everything has been perfect.

 

Installing programs on another partition will only lead to woes.
To do it you need to be a bit of a registry geek, -As a newbe, I would advise you not to
Moving other folders, like you asked before, is different,but getting involved with the registry at your stage of knowledge is not your best idea -It can crash your computer completely

 

OK many thanks

 

Expecting those programs to work after a reinstallation as he plans may be problematic because registry entries and other dependencies normally added to the OS during a program's installation will be missing.