I am trying to install Windows 7 on my main rig. I currently have Ubuntu installed without issue, however, when I try to install W7, the drive is not showing up (Intel 750 ssd 2.5). I have tried to install drivers via USB but they too do not appear (not sure if I have the right ones). I cannot find the driver disk with which the SSD came and assume that I have discarded it.
Any suggestions? Cheers.
Have you tried updating the motherboard bios? Sometimes its also a motherboard issue. I had some issues with my SM951 which is also a PCIE based ssd. The motherboard would boot with it installed (if I disabled CSM), but it would not let me install Windows to it until the motherboard bios was updated.
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I believe I have the latest non beta bios (F4e, z170mx gaming 5).
oohh its a Z170 board. That eliminates the motherboard from being the problem, as z170 has support built in for NVMe. I know Windows 7 needs the drivers for NVMe whereas Win 10 and Win 8.1 can suffice with only BIOS support.
I found this reply from a tomshardware thread that seems to seem like its a good method:
After a long week of desperation and anger I did the impossible..... Installed and booted Windows 7 x64 on Samsung SM951 NVMe !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was looking and looking all over the internet for others who might have found a solution but nothing, am I the first who did it?Installing and booting Windows 7 on this drive simply is impossible there is no driver, no workaround in BIOS settings.
With windows 8.1 or 10 however it works but I hate them so... for everyone else out there who want to stick with Windows 7 there is a solution but it's not simple.You have to integrate a Microsoft hotfix in installation so you can boot Windows.
Unfortunatelly you can't do the same with setup. Instead and simpler is to use Windows 10 setup installation which is updated and contains NVMe driver. It works perfectly.Keep in mind the native driver is not the best but it works, the SM951 is ultra fast anyway, hopefully when 950 pro is out it's drive will be compatible and better for faster speeds.
What you need:
Windows 7 SP1 x64.iso
Windows 10.iso
Microsoft hotfix https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2990941
NTlite https://www.ntlite.com/download/
First request and download the hotfix, e-mail arrives instantly with a link.
Download and install NTlite (or other similar you prefer)
Extract the Windows 7.iso to a folder.
If you are installing in UEFI mode, check efi/boot there should be a bootx64.efi. If not grab it from a current installation of Windows 7 x64. C:\Windows\Boot\EFI\bootmgfw.efi copy/paste and rename it to bootx64.efi.
Using WinRAR or 7-zip extract the Microsoft hotfix.exe file.
Run NTlite and open the iso folder.
You will see 2 folders your current windows and 2nd the iso folder open and choose the version you want to install, home, ultimate etc. and press load, or right click load. It takes sometime..4.1 Go to updates and add package file. Add the extracted hotfix Windows6.1-KB2990941-v3-x64.msu
(for experienced users: you can add more updates if you want to avoid downloading the huge list of updates everytime you install windows 7 important to keep install.wim under 4GB due to UEFI/fat32 limitation)Go to post-setup and add command
1st field type reg
2nd field : "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main"
/v DisableFirstRunCustomize /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f(this step is required because sometimes customized installs of Windows cause the IE to show the welcome screen everytime you open it.)
(the above not required after all, it affects the installation only if you add an updated version of IE)4.2 Go to Apply press Start and wait to finnish.
When it's done close NTlite and go to iso folder and open sources folder.
Delete boot.wim and setup.exe
Open Windows 10.iso with winrar and extract the boot.wim to your sources folder of Windows 7.
Copy all contents of iso folder of Windows 7 on a usb drive.
Plug, boot and install Windows 7 !!!
:)
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2817439/install-windows-x64-sm951-drive.html
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Looks like I've got my work cut out for me. Cheers.
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Good luck!
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