[GUIDES] Windows COMPLETE "How To": Clean/Upgrade Install, Drivers

[Gps3dx]

ALL IS WIP - I NEED TO MOVE ALOT OF STUFF AROUND !!!
How to install windows 8/8.1/10 on any UEFI & AHCI supported laptop
( E.I G751, G771, G551 GL552 etc) the PROPER way
I.E: on a GPT formatted disk, booted with UEFI

*** G752 owner ?? ***
*** Do you wish to use RAID and/or NVME ? ***
* Read also these specific installation guide Here and Here *

The "why should I bother" ?
you've got ROG Laptop, best in the market, fitted with UEFI, "the newest form of BIOS". ( READ MORE HERE )
No reason to work with OS that is installed on a MBR formatted drive that's running on a BIOS emulated machine (like some preinstalled windows), if you wish the fastest laptop, OS & applications !

OS on a GPT formatted disk, booted with UEFI, is BETTER THEN MBR & BIOS !
Why ?

• Way Faster OS boot (I.E POST), with NO blinking underscore !
  
• Better (auto) chances to recover info from bad/damaged sector/block !
  (Partition table is redundantly stored, checked using CRC)
  
• No 2TiB limit on HDD size
  
• and MORE: READ MORE HERE & HERE
  

The "which OS should I choose" ?
In my opinion win 10 is faster in desktop/office work ( gaming: depends ) but the down side is the privacy headache.
There are multiple scripts you MUST run, if you care about your own privacy! (see few post below,WIP!)
Win8.1 is a bit slower in desktop/office use, but does NOT have such privacy "spying" as win 10.
Any way you choose, you MUST install it on a GPT formatted drive, and MUST boot the OS installation disk/usb through a "special" boot method ( I.E UEFI boot ).
HERE's A Benchmark review

The "What's required" ?
There are multiple apps to format&create the required partitions, including the one during windows installation process.
The latter, creating more partitions then what most of consumers really needs !
Windows installer format a GPT based drive like that:

• "Windows" is the OS partition - a MUST HAVE partition of course
  
• MSR is "MS reserve partition" - a MUST HAVE partition that is there in-order to: READ HERE.
  for win8.1 MSR MIN size recommended by MS to be 128MB, in win10 is recommended to be 16MB. As common users does NOT utilize any of the features that require the MSR partition, it's advisable to use the MIN recommended size by MS.
  
• "System" partition is the where the "EFI" supported windows-boot-files sit, therefore - a MUST HAVE partition of course.
  
• "Windows RE tools" - is important IN MOST CASES if you use windows built-in drive encryption. READ MORE HERE.
  As I KNOW by experience that win7,8.1,10 CAN WORK WITHOUT "Windows RE tools" partition -> "Windows RE tools" partition is NOT necessary !!
  

The "How to Guide" ?
1st Part: How to create & boot a windows installation disk/usb,
THE RIGHT WAY?
I.E through UEFI boot !

• NOTE: IT'S IMPERATIVE that you boot the installation disk AS UEFI COMPATIBLE DEVICE !
  (otherwise you cannot install windows on a GPT formatted drive )
  There are MANY guides to show how to create the installation DISK/USB in the right manner:
  ONE OPTION, another OPTION, another OPTION, "official way" for win10 ONLY.
  
• It's also imperative that, although you've created the installation disk/usb in the right way, you MUST ALSO BOOT IT IN THE RIGHT WAY: (I.E UEFI boot !)
  
  
  
  • Make sure in the BIOS that "LAUCH CSM" is DISABLED !!
    
  • Make sure you BOOT THE INSTALLATION DISK/USB AS UEFI!
    Please look at the following photo. To boot the INSTALLATION DISK as "UEFI" meaning picking the 2nd option from the top (NOT the 3rd) !!
    
    
  • If you didn't see & picked "uefi: xxxxxxx" (xxx = name of your disk/usb) at the boot selection screen -> read and DO "1st part" again !
    
  
  

2nd Step: How to format a drive with GPT layout for windows 8/8.1/10 ?
IT IS A PRE-REQUISITE TO INSTALL WINDOWS !
PLEASE NOTE:

• THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE WILL ERASE EVERYTHING (ALL PARTITIONS) ON THE SPECIFIC DRIVE YOU CHOOSE !
  

• LESS RECOMMENDED: instead of formatting and losing data, you can CONVERT your MBR disk to be a GPT disk: Guide HERE.
  

* The "easy"/quick method:

• READ Part 1 above, do ONLY that -> then continue to Step B just below.
  After that, you should see the "Windows setup" screen, which allows you to pick your language.
  
• Follow this EXCELLENT guide with screenshots till STEP 10.
  
• Continue to read "3rd part" to install windows.
  

* The advanced/manual method is through set of commands of "DISKPART" utility. (SOURCE: MS official page)
The BIG ADVANTAGE with this method, that "Windows RE Tool" partition won't be created, thus you profit from the free-space ( ~300 MB ) and one less partition to be shown when you look at the partition map/list.

• 1st, boot into windows recovery environment, and open CMD -> write "diskpart" -> enter -> wait for it to load.
  ( "How to" guide HERE )
  
• VERY IMPORTANT: inside "diskpart", write: "list disk" to see all your disks.
  Note the disk number of the disk you wish to format.
  Write "select disk #" where # = disk number you wish to format.
  
• ONLY THEN perform the following commands: (lines start with "rem" are notes... NOT commands!)
  

  
  clean
  rem == Note: ALERT AGAIN ! THIS COMMAND WILL WIPE YOUR DRIVE CLEAN !
  convert gpt
  rem == Note: convert your MBR based drive to GPT based drive
  create partition efi size=100
  rem == Note: "size=100" meaning the partition size will be 100MBytes
  format quick fs=fat32 label="System"
  assign letter="S"
  
  rem == Note: replace the following "#" with a number as follows: #=128 for win8.1 | #=16 for win10
  create partition msr size=#
  
  rem == Note: For the following command(in white):
  rem == Note: this way all the rest of the disk space will be "C"/windows OS partition.
  rem == Note: if you wish to have another partitions ( E.I for file storage/archive) add a "size=#"
  rem == Note: after the word "primary", where "#" is a number, the size in Mbytes of your
  rem == Note: Windows OS partition, I.E the rest of the free space will be the other partition you
  rem == Note: choose to have.
  rem == Note: To be more precise, that next line of command might be:
  rem == Note: create partition primary size=#
  create partition primary
  format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows"
  assign letter="W"
  exit
  rem == Note: to quite diskpart utility, input another exit will close the CMD window and you'll be return to the previous screen, which you must reboot afterward in order to accomplish the next step

  
  
  
  
  • NOTE: if you create additional partition after the "windows" partition, you can format it now, or after the OS installation, through the "disk management" utility -> it really doesn't matter to the OS installation procedure, but it's best to leave it to later, just to prevent you from massing the disk structure, if you don't know what you're doing.
    
  
  
  
• finally, continue to read "3rd part" below to install windows.
  

[Gps3dx]

pedicini.e wrote:
I boot windows on UEFI
SSD have 4 partition gpo
i have read the tutto, i have load the driver intel raid when i install windows.
but i don't see the ssd, impossible to format.
when i run diskpart, he don't show the disk ssd ...

Why ?

The search feature of this forum is your best option for an answer....specifically.... and generally true.
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?81512-G752VY-Samsung-950-PRO-SSD-NVMe-Working-Here-s-How-I...
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?79822-G752-with-Samsung-950-Pro-SSD-new-information&highli...
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?81003-G752VT-clean-install-some-issues-found-and-questions...

[StanDiego]

I had a similar problem. Sometimes it would show up, sometimes not. Ensure you're using the very latest Intel driver from their website, 14.8.0.1042 last time I checked. Most of the earlier drivers are known not work. If that doesn't work, try booting back into Windows from your other drive, deleting all of the partitions on the NVME drive, then let Windows Setup create all of the partitions automatically as part of the new Windows installation. ou may need to use DISKPART from the command line to delete all of the partitions.

[erick_chumit]

This is a continuation from a discussion I was having with Gps3dx in hopes that this might help someone else.

Here's my issue:

"

I have an ASUS ROG GL552VW machine pre-installed with Windows 10.

I was able to install Windows 7 but if I don't enable the CSM mode in the boot options (i.e. disable security boot/fast boot/enable CSM) it never starts up. Did I install it correctly? I though I installed it in UEFI mode, but I still have to enable the CSM option to start it.
Another thing is that it's missing so many drivers. I don't even have a mouse, so I basically use W7 by using the TAB in the keyboard. It doesn't even detect USB drivers so I can't connect any wired mouse either.

BTW I installed W7 Ultimate x64 by setting up an UEFI USB boot, etc and adding the USB3.0 drivers to the USB installation with some software I found in some forums."

Here's Gps3dx response:

"

Basicly, Win8/8.1/10 installation through "UEFI method" is almost the same.
You need to DISABLE CSM, make an installation USB as I post in my sticky guide/thread ( link above ), boot it as UEFI: xxxxxxxx, making sure your HDD/SSD formatted with the GPT layout ( NOT MBR ) and has at least 3 partitions ( read the guide for further info )

if your current system runs only when CSM is ENABLED thus it might be that you've installed it on MBR formatted drive, and not using bootloader from the "EFI" partition -> I.E your system isn't UEFI booted.

my suggestion, start clean, convert the drive to be GPT based, format the drive properly to be ready for UEFI installation ( or use format feature of the windows installation, just before the installer starts to install ) and install. ( once again - CSM should be disabled beforehand, and the USB installation disk should support UEFI ( see my manual for "how to" ) and you must boot it as UEFI:xxxxxxx when the boot-selection screen of the bios appears ( usually by pressing ESC during POST ) )

about the drivers... well... AFAIK all the latest model of ROG comes with win8 or 10 - but not 7 in any way.
thus, asus officially will not release drivers tailored for them.
nontheless, drivers from older ROG models might work -> look at the 4th or 5th post in my sticky guide/thread ( link above ) for links for certain drivers.... these are links for x64 win8/10 - but some of them might include a drop-down-list for choosing win7 as well.

if you're still missing drivers - make sure to install INTEL CHIPSET DRIVER, I.E Intel INF Update Utility.
This will NOT install drivers at all, but will provide the OS the ability to recognize the different devices on your machine, so that windows updates can try to locate a driver for them ( you might need to manually "force update" each of these devices, after recognition, in the device manager )

if some devices still missing drivers, after you've looked at old drivers from asus, or windows update by trying to manually update in the device manager -> try to locate it through here. I trust this releaser and it helped me getting drivers for older systems. you can also try to locate the DRP ISO, which contains thousands of drivers - but i'm but sure if it's free solution any more ( so you can try to locate the free "old" version released around half a year ago )
then, using demon-tools or similar virtual mounting apps, run this disk utility and it should detect many missing drivers on your system."

Here's my response to Gps3dx:

-I DID follow your guide and installed it with all the details explained. In fact I used several guides found online as well as yours and they all say pretty much the same. I tested the UEFI USB and DVD options (with Rufus software, with Windows 7 DVD Tool, manually, etc), they all gave the same results.

-Since I already have Windows 10 pre-installed, the disc is already formatted with GPT layout and it has two small partitions RECOVERY and SYSTEM of a couple hundred MBs. Then it has C: Primary partition where W10 is installed, and then there was a 500GB partition called DATA (D:) that came like that from factory which was empty so I erased that partition and selected that one for installation with Windows 7.

-I realized that, after setting up the USB with UEFI (i.e. formatting FAT32, copying ISO files, copying boot directory with bootx64.efi file and all that stuff, adding USB3.0 drivers from Intel, etc etc etc), I was able to boot from it by setting my BIOS options to: security boot off/ fast-boot off/ CSM enable, and by choosing the UEFI: USB option. But as I mentioned before and I am unsure if this happened to someone else, is that, even though the boot menu option says UEFI USB (meaning it is detected as UEFI from the boot menu), the windows 7 setup didn't launch unless I enabled the CSM option. If I didn't enable it (CSM option), I got some sort of an error 0x000000d that it was an invalid boot file or something.

-When installing W7, I got some sort of WARNING that the partitions are not in the correct order for GPT layout or something like that, but I continued anyways.

-Thanks for the Drivers tip, I'll give it a try. Although it will be a hassle since I don't have a mouse to do things quicker.

Thanks again.
Erick

[Clintlgm]

I agree with Gps3dx your not installing UEFI! Perhaps you should, as soon as you put in the language during the install you hit Shift + F10 that will bring up a CMD window
Use Diskpart to Clean and Convert you SSD to GPT exit and continue the install let windows install set up partitions
If you get the error message that the install doesn't see a disk to install to. Then figure out why your install is not UEFI.

What I have not seen here is Win 7 SP1 is required on your ISO?
It sounds like you did copy the boot64 file and place it on the root of the install?

a) format your usb with FAT32;
b) copy all the contents from windows 7 iso into the formatted usb stick;
c) if you have a working windows 7 64bit, find C:\Windows\Boot\EFI\bootmgfw.efi; if not, use 7-zip to open the install.wim in x:\sources\ (select > right click > open archive). then in the 7-zip explorer, browse to folder '1\Windows\Boot\EFI\'. extract the file bootmgfw.efi.
d) now in you usb stick, create a 'boot' folder in the 'efi' folder (i.e. x:\efi\boot) if it's missing. in that efi folder you should see the 'microsoft' folder.
e) put the bootmgfw.efi inside the newly created 'boot' folder and rename it as bootx64.efi (x:\efi\boot\bootx64.efi)

to check if you're running UEFI or BIOS install on your current system, simply open up the file, C:\Windows\Panther\setupact.log and look for 'Callback_BootEnvironmentDetect' without quotes. the immediate next line below that line will tell you it's EFI or BIOS.


You do not need a USB driver separate on your install. USB 3.0 is not needed, is not supported by windows 7. USB Ports are all backwards compatible to 2.0 and 1.1 After you get into Windows You will have to install the Intel win 7 usb 3.0 driver not sure how this will work out since these MB were not intended for win 7?

Here is a link back to the G75 forum where we were working putting 7 on notebooks that came with 8, Rewben put together several threads that explain it all, most pertains to what your trying to do http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?28758-GUIDE-G55-G75-Upgrade-Notes.both MBR and UEFI installs are discussed.

Here are several tutorials on the 7fourms on installing windows 7 SP1 In UEFI mode

As you are finding out windows 7 will not have the correct drivers for your modern notebook. Asus will not support Win 7 in these latter model notebooks. So you are your own finding drivers that will work.
Windows 7 should support basic mouse movement with basic MS mouse driver. Track Pad may not be supported with out win 7 drivers

[caipa]

Hi folks,

had issues to install windows 10 PROFESSIONAL on the new g752vy. was finally able to solve the issue.

To share the knowledge gained i made an easy to read guide.

It also contains a section of Bluescreens i run across together with the why's and how to solve them.


https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?82406


Thanks to the providers of the following guides, they where very helpful, even if a bit was missing.

Gps3dx and Dr4g0n36

[Gps3dx]

caipa wrote:
Hi folks,
had issues to install windows 10 PROFESSIONAL on the new g752vy. was finally able to solve the issue.
To share the knowledge gained i made an easy to read guide.

Hi @caipa - Can you please copy your guide content as a post in this thread ?
this will help the community to have 1 centralized sticky thread about windows installation.

-------------------------
On different topic -
BE WARNED !
DO NOT INSTALL WINDOWS 10 Insider preview Build 11102 !
it will "crash switching from windowed mode to full screen, upon game resolution change, or upon launch" popular games like fallout 4, the witcher 3, MGSV "due to a bug in Windows graphics stack".
Also, "This issue will be fixed with the next build."
Sources: www.digitaltrends.com

[maf23]

erick.chumit wrote:
This is a continuation from a discussion I was having with Gps3dx in hopes that this might help someone else.

Here's my issue:

"


Here's Gps3dx response:

"


Here's my response to Gps3dx:

-I DID follow your guide and installed it with all the details explained. In fact I used several guides found online as well as yours and they all say pretty much the same. I tested the UEFI USB and DVD options (with Rufus software, with Windows 7 DVD Tool, manually, etc), they all gave the same results.

-Since I already have Windows 10 pre-installed, the disc is already formatted with GPT layout and it has two small partitions RECOVERY and SYSTEM of a couple hundred MBs. Then it has C: Primary partition where W10 is installed, and then there was a 500GB partition called DATA (D:) that came like that from factory which was empty so I erased that partition and selected that one for installation with Windows 7.

-I realized that, after setting up the USB with UEFI (i.e. formatting FAT32, copying ISO files, copying boot directory with bootx64.efi file and all that stuff, adding USB3.0 drivers from Intel, etc etc etc), I was able to boot from it by setting my BIOS options to: security boot off/ fast-boot off/ CSM enable, and by choosing the UEFI: USB option. But as I mentioned before and I am unsure if this happened to someone else, is that, even though the boot menu option says UEFI USB (meaning it is detected as UEFI from the boot menu), the windows 7 setup didn't launch unless I enabled the CSM option. If I didn't enable it (CSM option), I got some sort of an error 0x000000d that it was an invalid boot file or something.

-When installing W7, I got some sort of WARNING that the partitions are not in the correct order for GPT layout or something like that, but I continued anyways.

-Thanks for the Drivers tip, I'll give it a try. Although it will be a hassle since I don't have a mouse to do things quicker.

Thanks again.
Erick

I installed Win7 pro 64-bit on my GL552VW the same way you did and verified my boot process is EFI. For me, Win7 is way more responsive than the native Win10 environment. Folders open quicker, Network locations easer to navigate, webpage navigation and options in Start menu pull-downs appear instantly. Only issue I have is the reduced size of My Win7 partition since I cloned all the Win10 partitions onto a 2.5" 480 GB SATA SSD and only 74.5 GB was left. I am hesitant to re-size the Win10 partition since I want to retain ability to Restore Win10 partitions in case the forced updates bork things up. Next I would like to figure out how load XP Pro on a USB stick since adding it to a GPT partition seems impossible without comprising system speed.

[babablacksheep]

@Gps3dx

I am getting my GL752VW tomorrow with no windows and no SSD only 1TB SATS HD .. MEhhh 😞
I am new to asus and I dont know how much G series differ with GL series , So Am I correct in assuming that for my Asus GL752vw following items from your awesome guide are valid.

• Guide for windows installation with GPT
  
• Driver installation Part 1,2 and 3
  
  

If I should take care of something, please let me know.
Thankx in advance for beautiful Guide.

[Gps3dx]

babablacksheep wrote:
@Gps3dx

I am getting my GL752VW tomorrow with no windows and no SSD only 1TB SATS HD .. MEhhh 😞
I am new to asus and I dont know how much G series differ with GL series , So Am I correct in assuming that for my Asus GL752vw following items from your awesome guide are valid.

• Guide for windows installation with GPT
  
• Driver installation Part 1,2 and 3
  

If I should take care of something, please let me know.
Thankx in advance for beautiful Guide.

Hi, welcome to ROG family.
As long as you install OS on an AHCI configured, sata/m.2 connected disk/ssd - you're fine with the guide.
if you want to utilize NVMe/RAID, my guide won't be 100% proof from mistakes as you need to follow G752 serie links I put on the 1st post in this thread.
about drivers - not sure the links are valid anymore as asus put some serious changes in the "download" section of their site.
basicly, find your "download page" of your unique model, and get the relevant drivers from there.
the one that's really important to get from external source is your graphics drivers ( intel/nvidia ).
lastly, put some though on which asus util app you install, as many of the are just bloatware / childish.

you're welcome to continue posting questions/issues about OS installation or drivers here in this thread, ppl will try to aid you.

[alexgontijo]

Hi guys!

I purchased a used G751JY-T7159H in Germany, it is the model with 4720HQ, 256GB SSD, 16GB RAM, GTX 980M 4GB.

But in the deal the old owner wanted to delete all his data, and deleted all the partitions too. So I lost the 15 GB hidden backup partition and had to install from zero. I'm using the latest BIOS 211, and I couldn't boot from USB to install Windows 10 in a UEFI. It doesn't show on the options, only the SSD, but without system, it boots straight to the BIOS.

So I had to change do legacy and install in the old BIOS way (I could choose all the options (USB, Bluray, etc) which are unavailable in UEFI mode). But the boot time takes 5 times more... I want the UEFI back!

Can anyone help me cloning the 256 GB SDD and uploading in my Cloud Storage?

My plan is to clone back someones partitions scheme, with GPT mode, change the BIOS, than boot in UEFI and then perform a clean restore. Sounds good?

If anyone has a better idea I would love to hear.

Thank you very much!

Alex