Win7 install on Z170 mobo

[dbratton54]

I see lots of threads about the issues involving USB drivers and installing Win7 on a Z170 mobo. I am about to build a system using this chipset and want to install the OS.

My question is probably stupid, but I want to know if there is anything preventing me from simply installing Win7 using my disc and optical drive? I know the USB install would be faster, but installing off an optical drive would work, right?

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

What board?

 

[smorizio]

if your going to go from 7 to 10 save yourself a pain in the neck. download windows 10 to a 8g usb stick using free windows media creation tool. you be able to use your windows 7 key to activate it durning the install.
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/20775/Intel-Chipset-Device-Software-INF-Update-Utility-
downlaod and unzip the newest drivers.
if you can get windows 7 to boot use f6 custom driver install. install the usb and sata chipset drivers.
http://www.rt7lite.com/
use it to make an updated windows 7 iso.
add all of the new mb drivers to the new iso and make a new bootable iso.

 

[captaincharisma]

i beleve the issue with USB and windows 7 is that MS does not support that chipset under windows 7 and the USB is linked to that but not the optical drive so i see no issue installing it from a DVD

 

[dbratton54]

What board?

Gigabyte ga z170x Gaming 5

 

[dbratton54]

Well, something happened that I did not expect. It booted right up using the old installation!

I upgraded from:

Gigabyte GA-78X-UD4H
i5-4670K Haswell
GTX 760
16GB DDR3

upgraded to:

Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 5
i5 6600K Skylake
GTX 1070
16GB DDR4

I had not wiped the old boot SSD and had it hooked up in the case and the new build booted right up. I figured the hardware changes would make W7 at least want to reactivate, but nope.

Of course I had to install new drivers and perform some tweaks, but I did not even have to use a W7 iso. The mobo has F5 bios loaded and appears to have some legacy support, so that probably played a hand with the USB ports working while I got the new Intel USB drivers loaded.

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised.

 

[Brogan]

Sorry to resurrect, but I am also about to upgrade to a Z170 platform with W7 as my OS (not upgrading to 10), but I def plan to format my SSD with a fresh install. I'm assuming I can make use of this process:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiTV3hJAn5s

If anyone's performed this with a similar Gigabyte board, please let me know how it went. Thanks.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

Yes that should work.

 

[Brogan]

Yes that should work.

Nice, thanks.

Now I have all day to ponder what I'm forgetting because whenever I do this, I ALWAYS forget something... last time I lost over 30 sweet wallpapers because I forgot to get them from the Windows folder.