Clean Windows 7 on Asus G75VX (Win8 pre-installed)

[bjurn]

Hello!

I had been lurking around here trying to figure out either a good way to move my Windows 8 (core-oem) installation to my new SSD or install Windows 7. No post that i found had an easy route to follow so i thought i write down a quick "guide".

Backstory: I was originally trying to re-install my Windows 8 to the new ssd.. Did not work, even Asus support said the Windows 8 "embedded" into the bios could not recognize the SSD as a suitable drive since it only worked on original hardware. I then asked, what if the harddrive went haywire and did not work anymore ?
They told me to get support from Microsoft as they could not do anything about this matter.

So back to scrapping Windows 8 and doing a fresh-o-so-clean Windows 7 installation on the SSD.
Before you start throwing rocks at me about drivers and such, i got everything to work. Even WIFI (thanks to *will edit for link*).

Nearly every driver on the support disc can be installed on Windows 7, expect for chipset and Wifi (chipset i got off newest G75VM Windows 7 driver download page).

Use an external drive, flash drive or just dvds to transfer every picture, game file or whatevz. to.

Installation (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMlsfk10PUA).

Enter bios, rapidly spam your F2 key when the computer turns on.

- Switch to "Boot" and set “Launch CSM” to Enabled.
- Switch to "Security" and set "Secure Boot Control" to Disabled.
- Press F10 to save and exit.

(quoted Rewben)

Now, only have the SSD harddrive inside the computer where the HDD was before.
Put everything back together.
Load the dvd drive with a "legally" owned copy of Windows7 Ultimate.

And install.

Now, after this is done. Windows 7 will not find any drivers. So pop in your Asus support dvd.
Install the ethernet card.

If you dont have a ethernet option, figure something out.

Launch Windows Update, and update everything!

Now the system will find all the hardware.

Install all the drivers.

Chipset, audio blablabla.

And finally wifi drivers HERE
Thanks @rledge21 for providing wifi driver.

Over and out.

[rewben]

yay.. good to know everything is fine for you now 🙂 well, *almost*

er.. i am not so sure about this sorry. i had a different atheros wifi previously and now i am using intel 6235. it's better you consult others who have the same card. good luck!

[pka4916]

Thank you for all your help, to get Win 7 sorted out.
Going to make an image, so I can go back and forth...
Download from 10 sec to 2 hrs.. is way too much

[rewben]

pka4916 wrote:
Thank you for all your help, to get Win 7 sorted out.
Going to make an image, so I can go back and forth...
Download from 10 sec to 2 hrs.. is way too much

hey no problem.

i haven't read anything about the wifi not working afaik. i think you can get more useful helps from the owners of g75vx which have converted to w7.

[pka4916]

MAde a Win 7 image, and put Win 8 image back, and I am blasting on full speed.

btw. I still have "Secure Boot" disabled.. and win 8 runs fine...
What is the purpose of that "Secure Boot" ?

[rewben]

secureboot is supposed to be a 'security' feature that rely on uefi (read here or here).

for the default OS (in your case, w8) it will play nicely. for other OS's it's useless. apparently it is abused and exploited in the name of security, as a means to prevent OS's other than the stock OS from installing into the machine (it also prevents live media, such as liveUSB from booting).

[Haze69]

Is it possible to install Windows 7 with UEFI and Secure boot? It felt like windows 7 loaded much slower

[rewben]

@Haze69, no. unfortunately it is not possible.

on the other hand, w7 and w8 are different especially in the boot process. w8 has the fast startup / hybrid boot so it sure boots much faster.

[atra_stella]

i want to downgrade to win7x64, is it advisable to downgrade? i use my machine for gaming. does this method work 100%?

[riboild]

I have successfully installed windows 7 64bit but unfortunately I am having a problem with laptop freezing up after approximately half an hour. I have checked on essentially all the drivers and updated them all but it almost seems like the ssd I installed, a crucial m4 128ssd, is causing trouble... i did a health checker on the ssd but it shows 98 percent health. anybody got some recipes for success here??? I am wondering why it freezes, any advice is greatly appreciated!!!

[riboild]

I am running a g75vx with an ssd 128 m4 and a 750gb wd black hard drive btw