I just realized Windows 7 cannot be installed on a Kaby Lake

[Battousai01]

Hi guys, I have tried installing Windows 7 vis USB on a Kaby Lake system (i7-7700) and I always get a driver not found issue and my mouse doesn't work. So I ran Ubuntu 17.04 instead and everything worked fine, it was just later on that I was advised that Windows 7 is not compatible with Kaby Lake and some Ryzen processors.

However, before learning that Windows 7 is not supported by Kaby Lake, I tried installing it in two virtual machines, I used VMware's Workstation 12 and Virtual Box and both worked, the VM's ran on Ubuntu, how was that possible?

Thanks for any comments!

 

[tamz_msc]

That's how virtualization works - the virtual environment is running off a generic Intel CPU created by the virtualization software.

 

[TheELF]

and I always get a driver not found issue and my mouse doesn't work.

On kaby systems all usb devices run under a usb 3 controller,or at least they all show up as usb3 I have no real idea how these things work,anyway windows 7 only sees up to usb 2 devices while installing I hope you see the problem.

Even on earlier CPUs if you would try to install from a usb3 port it wouldn't work giving you the same error, the dead mouse is a dead giveaway for usb compatibility.

You will have to find the (pre install) chipset driver for your mobo and load it up when you get that message.

Or since you already have experience just add the whole drive you want to get win 7 on as a virtual disk to vmware do the installation and then connect it to the target PC,or just easybcd (outside of vmware) to add that drive to the boot options.

 

[Shivansps]

It can be installed, ive already did it. You just need an updated installer.
Personally i dont use DVD or pendrives, i use network boot, i boot custom Windows 10 WinPE and i can install any windows i want, whiout issues.

What ill do is this:
-Download Windows 10.iso using Microsoft tool
-Flash your pendrive with the Win10 iso.
-Copy you Windows 7 "Sources" folder on the Pendrive under a diferent name, like "sources2", dont overwrite the sources folder on the pendrive.
-Boot up, when the screen appears to select lang/region, ignore it, Press "Shift+F10" to bring up a cmd window
-You will likely be on "(pendrive letter):\Sources\" do a "cd.." and then a "cd sources2", now input "setup.exe"
-Windows 7 install should appear now instead.

Remember that your Windows 7 files and Windows 10 arch needs to be the same version, both 64 or 32 bits.

 

[VirtualLarry]

You can use a USB flash drive prepared with a Windows 7 ISO using Rufus, with Intel's "USB3.0 app", forget what it's actually called, USB3.0 Compatibility app, or something like that. It's for their NUC units, but you can use it to inject Intel USB3.0 drivers for Skylake / Kaby Lake into a Windows 7 installer media. Worked pretty well for me.

I have Windows 7 Pro 64-bit installed as part of a triple-boot on a DeskMini rig, so I know that it works.

 

[MajinCry]

The same issue happened with my Kabylake Skylake cpu. The solution? Add my motherboard's drivers to the install.wim and boot.wim files, inside the iso.

Just follow this guide: http://www.wicher.co.uk/install-windows-7-onto-computer-with-only-usb-3-port/

 

[John Connor]

Use the damn CD?

Why do peopled complicate matters by taking the CD and then burning that to USB?

 

[Rayniac]

Use the damn CD?

Why do peopled complicate matters by taking the CD and then burning that to USB?

Because optical drives are slow and people don't want to use them anymore.

 

[John Connor]

and that is dumb. I mean you took the time to slow load the files onto USB...

 

[XavierMace]

and that is dumb. I mean you took the time to slow load the files onto USB...

Are you aware you can buy Windows that doesn't come on an optical disk?

 

[aigomorla]

Use the damn CD?

Why do peopled complicate matters by taking the CD and then burning that to USB?

how is that going to fix anything when all your ports are usb3.0?

are you going to use psionic technomancer powers to move the mouse pointer to push next and type in stuff during install because keyboard and mouse are obviously connected to usb 3.0 port due to the lack of usb2.0.

 

[John Connor]

That's really easy man. Most if not all boards have one PS2 port that you can plug in a mouse. I keep one just in case and not to mention most boards should have at least two front panel USB 2.0 ports and in the IO back plate. My new Gigabyte board that is a z270x has exactly this. I used the USB 2.0 port for the wireless USB dongle for the mouse/keyboard. Even though I didn't have the scroll wheel function, once I installed the 3.0 and 3.1 drivers it worked as it should.

But like mentioned already, if USB is your thing just slipstream the drivers. Also, my board has a driver that can be preinstalled during Windows boot with CD. You know that all too familiar prompt? Something like: "If you have a third party driver press F something or other."

 

[aigomorla]

You know that all too familiar prompt? Something like: "If you have a third party driver press F something or other."

again how are u going to push F if your keyboard can not work without a usb2.0 port?

lol...

and i know a lot of z270 boards especially the itx ones which lack the ps2 port.

 

[escrow4]

Its not 2009 anymore. 7 is ancient. Its nearly a decade old. Move on. You wouldn't have these issues with a modern OS with a modern kernel.

 

[nopainnogain]

I'm slowly moving my PCs to Windows 8.1 + Classic Shell. Until 2023, that's what's left for those who avoid Windows 10 like the pest, and that's what I intend to use with Ryzen or Ryzen II.

But, for now, Windows 7 is the king on my Haswell.

 

[JimmiG]

Also, you can't install MS-DOS 5. Really terrible and draconian

 

[TheELF]

Msdos doesn't need any installation you just need to copy the files to a fat partition and make it bootable.

 

[waltchan]

But, for now, Windows 7 is the king on my Haswell.

Another personal reason why I've decided to stick with Haswell max for now, until most LGA1151 CPUs reach under $10.

 

[rbk123]

I loaded Win7 successfully on my Kaby 4560, using a bootable CD with the Win7 image/etc. The install process saw the usb keyboard/mouse just fine, but once through that and into the Win7/configuration, the mouse stopped working (the usb keyboard still worked). I had to get a PS2 mouse so that I could complete the install and then everything was fine. I do get a message every time logging in from Microsoft saying my CPU isn't support in Win7 and I'm living dangerously beyond all reason, blah blah blah.

 

[Mockingbird]

Time to move to Windows 10.

 

[nopainnogain]

Another personal reason why I've decided to stick with Haswell max for now, until most LGA1151 CPUs reach under $10.

I could find some use for a ten bucks LGA1151. Well, maybe.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I keep one just in case and not to mention most boards should have at least two front panel USB 2.0 ports and in the IO back plate. My new Gigabyte board that is a z270x has exactly this. I used the USB 2.0 port for the wireless USB dongle for the mouse/keyboard. Even though I didn't have the scroll wheel function, once I installed the 3.0 and 3.1 drivers it worked as it should.

You should really stick to topics that you know something about.

"USB 2.0" ports, on Skylake and Kaby Lake motherboards, still require XHCI drivers ("USB 3.0"), and thus will not function with Win7's EHCI (true USB2.0 controller) drivers. Intel took out the hardware backwards-compatibility that some of their prior chipsets had, that allowed using EHCI drivers, with their USB3.0 ports, if they were down-graded to USB2.0 mode in BIOS.

The reason that you were able to use your USB keyboard and mouse, was due to a UEFI feature, called "Port 60/64 Emulation", or "PS/2 Port Emulation", that talks USB (XHCI) in BIOS, and exposes that as a virtual PS/2 port to the OS.

Which is why, on most Skylake / Kaby Lake mobos, you CAN install the OS from a SATA optical drive, and click through Setup, but USB flash drives and other peripherals other than keyboard and mouse won't work without installing USB3.0 drivers into the OS. Which, you can't do from a USB stick, which makes it a problematic chicken-and-egg problem.

I use a Linux LiveUSB, to boot the system, and download the USB3.0 drivers to the HDD/SSD, then boot back into Windows to install them.

Other people remove the HDD/SSD to copy the USB3.0 drivers onto it using another PC.

 

[ewite12]

and that is dumb. I mean you took the time to slow load the files onto USB...

I never even touched the CD. The only CD I've touched in 5 years was the one my wife wanted me to create for music in her car because she doesn't like the Bluetooth phone adapter For OEM I use the media creation tool with the newest build (bypass a bunch of updates) straight to USB. For VL I have the anniversary ISO as well.

 

[MajinCry]

Which is why, on most Skylake / Kaby Lake mobos, you CAN install the OS from a SATA optical drive, and click through Setup, but USB flash drives and other peripherals other than keyboard and mouse won't work without installing USB3.0 drivers into the OS. Which, you can't do from a USB stick, which makes it a problematic chicken-and-egg problem.

I use a Linux LiveUSB, to boot the system, and download the USB3.0 drivers to the HDD/SSD, then boot back into Windows to install them.

Other people remove the HDD/SSD to copy the USB3.0 drivers onto it using another PC.

Well, it worked for me. Followed the guide I posted above, used Rufus to burn my Windows ISO to a usb stick, et voila, Windows 7 installed.

 

[Topweasel]

The same issue happened with my Kabylake cpu. The solution? Add my motherboard's drivers to the install.wim and boot.wim files, inside the iso.

Just follow this guide: http://www.wicher.co.uk/install-windows-7-onto-computer-with-only-usb-3-port/

This is the instructions that everyone should learn. I basically have a windows 7 installer for work that has just about every hardware combination. The plus side is also that by having the USB3 drivers built in On my 400mb/s flash drive and install onto an NVME setup takes like 2-3 minutes max.