windows 7 onto a new computer

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
ArnavN

ArnavN

Honorable
Apr 27, 2016
188
1
10,690
So I have an old hard drive that I wanted to use for my build. Has win 7 and 500 GB, that is a large save. So apparently, there is an issue which makes windows 7 not allowed to be installed on new hardware. Fortunately then, there is a way to "trick" the motherboard and install windows on it. http://www.dowdandassociates.com/blog/content/howto-repair-windows-7-install-after-replacing-motherboard/ shows this, but I was afraid it would be outdated and I would mess up something. My motherboard is
Asus Micro ATX DDR4 LGA 1151 Motherboard H110M-C/CSM if that helps. Thanks for anybody replying! :) Let me know if more info is needed.
 
Solution
BadActor
You could try just installing the drive and see if it boots up, but it may not, or it may have performance issues. If the Windows version on the old drive is an OEM copy, it can only be used on one machine and won't activate on a new one if you try reinstalling it in the new system. If your old drive has a retail version of Windows installed, you can retrieve the key from it using ProduKey, then download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft and install Windows 7 as I outlined above using the key you retrieved. You can use a USB enclosure or SATA to USB adapter to access the files on the old drive with one of your laptops if the drive won't boot in the new system.
Sort by date Sort by votes
BadActor

BadActor

Expert
Ambassador
Oct 31, 2015
8,749
1
54,965
There are several solutions to installing Windows 7 on a Skylake system. You're in luck, because your motherboard has PS2 mouse and keyboard ports, so all you need to do is install Windows 7 from a DVD and use a PS2 mouse and keyboard. The issue is that Skylake lacks support for EHCI, which is why you can't use a USB mouse/keyboard. If you don't have the mouse and keyboard or an optical drive, you can still slipstream the necessary drivers into your Win 7 ISO and create a bootable USB.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
ArnavN

ArnavN

Honorable
Apr 27, 2016
188
1
10,690


Gonna be completely honest with you, no idea what you;'re talking about lol. I am a new pc builder,but i've done my research, but wasn't aware of this USB thing. Is it that because of this whole "windows 7 on other hard drive thing " that I can't use my USB ports on my motherboard or something? I lost you at "slip streaming". What is it and how would I put it into my hard drive windows 7. I use a usb mouse and keyboard. that is together $70 (they are gaming stuff), so if I can avoid buying ps2 things as a replacement, I am going to do it.. Mind telling this noob how to slipstream into my hard drive windows 7, so I can use my USB?

Thanks ~The noob that everyone says ug to xD
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
ArnavN

ArnavN

Honorable
Apr 27, 2016
188
1
10,690
The hard drive is coming from a desktop that is already broken (the hard drive still works). That desktop was the last one we had in our house (Since we now use laptops). So like can I just install some other software (possibly the demo Windows 10) and then edit this hard drive somehow?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
DSzymborski

DSzymborski

Curmudgeon Pursuivant
Moderator
Nov 19, 2010
20,889
5,115
106,640
I'm a little confused here. The whole "not allowed to" language makes me uncertain exactly what your main issue is.

Is the problem that you cannot physically install Windows 7 on your Skylake because of the lack of driver support for your USB components?

Or is the problem that you want to migrate your Windows 7 for the purpose of not having to obtain a new license?

If the former, given that you have a PS/2 port, you can get a cheap PS/2 keyboard for under $10 and it's the far better solution. If the latter, none of this is a method that gets around licensing if you have an OEM Windows 7 - the license is tied to the motherboard and getting them to allow it on a new one will involve some calls to Microsoft and some good fortune (customer support tends to be generous about this, but it's not a guarantee).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
ArnavN

ArnavN

Honorable
Apr 27, 2016
188
1
10,690


I am building a pc and am going to use a hard drive that has windows 7 installed on it. I searched it up, and it won't allow me to put windows 7 onto new hardware. There is a way to trick windows and allow it to install. Wasn't sure how. The video above showed how to but the computer I am pulling the hard drive from is broken. I have no other desktop pcs in the house, so I can't exactly edit the info to trick the windows into installing. If that makes any sense at all :p. Basically, if you have windows on an old hard drive and put in a new motherboard (or move this hard drive to a new computer) it will not work since it won't recognize the new hardware, so there is a way to "trick it" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_zPIGrFypI as shown here, but I can't edit the info on the hard drive because I have no other desktop pcs in the house in which I can just put it in and edit it. It'd cost money to get a ps2 mouse and keyboard that are meant for gaming and whatnot.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
BadActor

BadActor

Expert
Ambassador
Oct 31, 2015
8,749
1
54,965
You could try just installing the drive and see if it boots up, but it may not, or it may have performance issues. If the Windows version on the old drive is an OEM copy, it can only be used on one machine and won't activate on a new one if you try reinstalling it in the new system. If your old drive has a retail version of Windows installed, you can retrieve the key from it using ProduKey, then download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft and install Windows 7 as I outlined above using the key you retrieved. You can use a USB enclosure or SATA to USB adapter to access the files on the old drive with one of your laptops if the drive won't boot in the new system.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
ArnavN

ArnavN

Honorable
Apr 27, 2016
188
1
10,690


ok!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
ArnavN

ArnavN

Honorable
Apr 27, 2016
188
1
10,690
I recently put together my pc, and everything worked normally, except my mouse, keyboard, and monitor didn't turn on. I doubt this is from the Hard Drive, but you can never be too sure. Since I am a new at PC building, I cam here to ask, any ideas? I think it may be the hard drive but I am not sure. I've tried checking cables, PSU, RAM, and I even took out the entire motherboard because I thought it could be the io shield not being installed correctly. Still nothing. My specs are

CX 500W Corsair PSU

Asus H110M-A Motherboard
G.Skill 8G x2 DDR4 Ram
Seagate Hard Drive 500G
I am also using a dvd drive.

Any ideas? I've spent a lot of money on this computer and I really don't want to have to send all the parts back, especially after all the work I've put in. It is worth noting that fans are whirring, LEDS turn on (except on my mouse, keyboard, and monitor), I hear noises from the Hard Drive, so I am really not sure. The mouse keyboard and monitor work on other systems perfectly (In fact, I am using the very same keyboard right now to type this). I've also tried Switching to dvid from dsub and using hdmi, nothing. Using the black usb port does nothing as well. Please tell me what else to check as I am so confused. Thanks :)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
ArnavN

ArnavN

Honorable
Apr 27, 2016
188
1
10,690
Never mind guys, it worked! I changed the io shield, but I took out the motherboard to do so. When I did that, I also took out the ram. When i put back in the io shield and the motherboard and the ram, I didn't properly put back in the ram. Right now, it is booting up windows. All is good :)


[UPDATE] Windows 7 booted up fine, I had to get rid of all of the stuff on the hard drive that I had before because files couldn't fit. I am using windows 7 though, so I didn't actually have to go through any steps, just put it in your pc and should boot up :)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom