Installing Windows on a laptop: options, step-by-step instructions

Operating systems are closely related to the equipment on which they are installed. This change is usually done automatically using the boot disk, but sometimes it may be necessary to convert the properties of the hard disk. Reinstalling the OS leads to data loss and to a temporary shutdown of certain hardware components. In order to smoothly get out of these software crashes, you must follow all the required procedures when installing Windows on a laptop.

BIOS editing

Start the installation by editing the "BIOS" properties. In order to configure the base BIOS, press the key to enter the setup, usually DEL. The order of turning on the keys is different for different motherboards, so the user will need to familiarize themselves with the technical documentation of their computer. Even if you do not need to edit the BIOS settings, it’s still better to familiarize yourself with the included laptop modes. The BIOS screen of different motherboards looks different.

They open a page with information about the system in the BIOS and make sure that the amount of RAM in the list corresponds to the size that was set during setup. If the screen does not show RAM, some of the equipment may not be placed correctly and you need to fix this failure before continuing to install Windows 7 on your laptop via BIOS.

If the BIOS does not have a page with system information, the motherboard will reflect the amount of RAM detected on the POST screen immediately after pressing the power button. You need to check the SATA configuration parameter and make sure that it is configured as AHCI. If you are using Windows XP, you need to change this parameter to the IDE or AHCI.

They find the BIOS page of Boot Order or Boot Priority and make sure that the installation disk or flash drive is listed first and the hard drive on which the OS will be installed is listed second. Some BIOS utilities divide the screen into two menus - one for setting the boot order for various media (CD-ROM, hard drives, USB-drives), and the other allows you to choose the order only for hard drives. If the last one is not found in the list, it is possible that it is connected incorrectly or is itself defective. In this case, turn off the computer and re-check the connection.

Preparing your laptop for upgrade in UEFI mode

If the user has purchased a new laptop, the probability that the UEFI firmware is installed on his motherboard is 99.99%. The successor to the BIOS, the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) adds some interesting features, but some of them hinder the installation of another operating system: Secure Boot, CSM, GPT. Therefore, you will need to remove these restrictions when installing Windows on a laptop or other operating system other than the one that was installed on it.

First you need to determine if there is UEFI firmware on the motherboard or not.

Verification Algorithm:

1. Go to the motherboard firmware settings and look at the term UEFI in the search menu. If this information is found, then the motherboard has UEFI firmware.
2. Examine the motherboard information, open: “System Information”> “System Information”> “BIOS Mode”.
3. Open the command “Run” in msinfo32.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions for your situation and purpose.
5. Verify that the system drive uses the MBR partition table.

If a laptop user has UEFI firmware and wants to install a 64-bit version of Windows, he does not need to disable any functions before installing Windows on a laptop, since all 64-bit versions of Windows are compatible with UEFI.

Install 32-bit versions of Windows

All 32-bit versions of Windows and some operating systems that are not compatible with UEFI require changes to mimic the BIOS environment and make it possible to install these operating systems. This is what is called an object in standard BIOS or Legacy mode.

To install Windows on a 32-bit version of a laptop or a UEFI-incompatible OS on a motherboard with this firmware, you must complete the following three steps:

• deactivation of safe boot;
• activation of CSM - compatibility support module;
• conversion of the partition table of a system disk with MBR size.

Compatibility Support Module (CSM) is a component that includes an outdated BIOS mode and allows you to emulate an environment and install UEFI-compatible operating systems.

Installing Windows on a laptop (step by step instructions):

1. Disable secure boot.
2. Enable CSM compatibility support module.
3. Convert system disk to MBR.
4. Install Windows in obsolete BIOS mode.
5. When this option is enabled, the UEFI environment will be disabled in favor of an outdated BIOS environment.
6. Get access to the UEFI firmware settings on the motherboard.
7. Change the Boot Mode option for CSM Boot or Legacy Boot. On some motherboards, you need to install UEFI Boot on Disabled.
8. Save the changes made by selecting “Exit”.

In an obsolete BIOS environment, system disks use the MBR partition table to boot the operating system. It is necessary to convert the GPT system disk to MBR so that you can start the installation of Windows on a laptop from a disk.

If the latter is in the MBR, you can go to the next step, but if in the GPT, you will have to convert it to MBR, after which all the data on the disk will be deleted, therefore, back up your personal files first.

Now that safe boot is turned off, CSM is activated, and the system disk is in MBR format, you can start setting up the Windows installation on your laptop.

Mounting the OS to an external hard drive

Sometimes it happens that the only solution that can be applied to the complex problem of restoring the laptop’s performance is to disconnect the hard drive from it and run Windows installation as an emergency exit via an external hard drive connected to USB.

Reasons to install Windows 7 on a laptop through an external drive:

1. The computer no longer starts up.
2. There was a problem with the device connected to the laptop.
3. An unexpected error has occurred.
4. The BIOS is unavailable and boot parameters that are not allowed to restart and restore Windows are incorrectly configured.
5. There is no way to boot from a CD player or bootable USB drive.

Before you begin installing Windows, you need to perform a hard drive error correction. This is a fairly lengthy process, sometimes it takes about thirty hours. But patience will be rewarded, as a result, it is possible to restore all photos and videos.

Next, you will need to format the disk to reinstall Win on external media. Previously, to download Windows from a USB flash drive to a laptop, the following conditions are met: you need a CD with Windows files, you can download an ISO image from Microsoft or another source.

The execution algorithm for Windows 10:

1. Prepare the hard drive for installation.
2. Click on the Windows Start menu.
3. Select the admin command prompt in the Windows 10 Start menu.
4. Enter diskpart in the command line and confirm Enter, the Windows disk partition utility will open.
5. Enter a list of drives on the command line and press ENTER to display a list of connected hard drives.
6. Select the Windows installation disk by typing: “Select disk 1” or another number if the corresponding disk is not the first in the list. Since such operations format the disk and delete the data that was on it, you must first save them all.
7. Enter the create partition primary command, then Enter to create the partition in which Windows will be installed.
8. Enter the command in the format fs = ntfs quick, then press the Enter key to format the partition.
9. Click the link in the invitation to activate the section.
10. Enter the letter “E” to assign it to the hard drive.
11. Enter exit to exit Diskpart.

The hard disk is ready, now they simply copy Windows files using DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management), a tool for managing and supporting Microsoft deployment images.

Preparing to create a bootable flash drive

Over the years, operating systems have been sold on DVD. However, this media is far from the most powerful and may even be unsuitable for netbooks - inexpensive laptops that do not have an optical drive.

In this case, a USB flash drive can be an interesting alternative for both netbooks and traditional computers, users of which see a safe, mobile and, above all, faster assistant in this medium.

Installing Windows 7 on a laptop with a USB drive is very convenient when used to configure multiple machines. But this trick may have another advantage over laptops compared to a netbook - the download speed through the use of flash memory.

On a Windows computer, either Microsoft tool or Rufus software can be used for installation. Using the former is generally simpler, while Rufus has some additional features. To complete the process you will need:

1. A computer with Windows or MacOS connected to the Internet.
2. The user must have administrator rights.
3. Bootable USB flash drive Windows 7 - drive at least 4 GB of space.

Mounting external media with Rufus

You can create a downloadable installation flash drive, for example, for Windows 7, to get an updated and safe version of the installation, you first need to visit IUware and get the product key.

Installation Algorithm:

1. On the IUware Windows page, select either 32-bit or 64-bit.
2. Accept the license conditions and click: "Get the product key."
3. Copy it to use later.
4. Download and run the image creation tool.
5. Accept the terms of the license, enter the key and click the "Next" button.
6. In order for the Microsoft tool to create a bootable USB flash drive for Windows 7, make sure that it is connected, select it and click: "Next".
7. In order to use Rufus, for example, for Windows 8.1, select the ISO file and click "Next". This will save the .iso file on the laptop.
8. Go to the Microsoft Windows 8.1 download from the download and launch the installation tool page.
9. Accept the terms of the license.
10. Enter the Windows 8.x product key and click Next.
11. Select an ISO file and click Next. This will save the .iso file to the computer.
12. Visit the Rufus page and download the latest available software version.
13. Connect a USB flash drive, back up all data from the disk to any other place, since the disk should be completely free, since all data from it will be deleted.
14. Run Rufus software on a PC running Windows 7, 8.1, or 10.
15. Find the USB device in the "Device" drop-down menu.
16. Choose a layout from the three available options.
17. To install a disk with an MBR partition scheme, select "MBR partition scheme for PCs with BIOS and UEFI."
18. Select a system as NTFS, since FAT32 cannot be applied to a boot disk.
19. The Cluster Size section can be skipped.
20. Click the browse icon next to “Create boot disk” to browse to the Windows .iso file, and then select it.
21. Select the Windows To Go option before clicking the Start button.
22. A dialog box will appear if USB has the Removable attribute.
23. You can skip this warning and click Yes.
24. Then the warning “Your USB drive will be erased” will appear.
25. Click OK to start the installation of Windows.
26. Software preparation of the disc can last more than an hour.
27. As soon as the work is completed, a message appears indicating that the device is ready.
28. Now you can restart your computer to check the just prepared Win disk.

System Update on SSD or SSHD Machines

You will need a functional PC to create a bootable USB installer for Win. Armed with bootable USB for Win, connect it to a free USB 2.0 port. If the laptop does not have USB 2.0 ports, USB3.0 is suitable.

When turning on the power, depending on the brand of the laptop, press either ESC, F2, F8, F10, or the Del key to enter the BIOS. The user can skip this step if he knows which key is called by the boot order in the laptop.

Installation Algorithm:

1. After entering the BIOS, you need to revise the boot device parameters and the order of their placement. They can be performed in the "Advanced" or "Download" section at the end of the tabs listed.
2. You may need to enable the option in which the BIOS sees the USB drive as a removable disk / CD.
3. Select a USB drive as the primary boot device.
4. Go to the "Exit", save the settings and wait until the laptop reboots with the new settings.
5. A screen will appear allowing you to select the installation language, time and currency format, as well as a keyboard or input method.
6. Click: "Next."
7. Click: Install Now.
8. Enter the activation key in the box next to the keyboard icon. If the user does not have one, you can confirm: "I do not have a product key."
9. Select Custom: Install Windows Only to conduct a clean installation.
10. Select the disk partition on which the OS will be installed.
11. Click: "Next."
12. A screen appears on which the OS starts the installation. This process can take from several minutes to an hour, depending on whether the laptop has SSD or SSHD.
13. When the installation initiates a reboot, return to the BIOS and verify that it is the primary boot device. Ideally, this should be Windows Boot Manager.
14. After that, the laptop with the updated OS will work successfully.

Creating a key for XP

The diskpart installation utility exists in Windows XP, but does not support USB drives. Therefore, it will be necessary to activate the partition in a different way. Format the USB key or bootable flash drive before starting the installation of Windows XP on a laptop:

1. In "My Computer" select their USB flash drive (key) and "Format ..." in the context menu by right-clicking.
2. They check the option of quick formatting, give the key a name, for example, Seven, and begin the procedure. After a few seconds, the operation to install Windows XP on the laptop ends and you can close this window.
3. Next, use small software to make the partition active. Download the MBRWIZ utility in the software library. There are 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the system. This software does not require installation. Just put it in an easily accessible directory, for example, on the desktop.
4. From the Windows Start menu, select Run and enter CMD.
5. Go to the "Desktop" directory using the "Desktop CD" command and confirm the action.
6. Enter mbrwiz / list. A list of “X” drives will appear, including the USB key.
7. Find the number indicated after "Disk:", for example, 1.
8. Enter the command mbrwiz / disk = X / active = 1, where X is the number found in the previous step.
9. Confirm the operation and answer "Y" to the question to make the partition active.
10. The key is ready to host Windows 7 system files.

Disk installation "Windows" 7

You can update the laptop OS at any time, and this is the simplest solution, because the system files are replaced with Windows files, the user maintains his documents in integrity, but sometimes you have to make unnecessary changes to the settings that slow down the laptop, so in practice it's better to download full version of this operating system. If you use a limited 90-day version of Windows 7, then during installation, the window for entering the key will be absent.

Procedure:

1. To install Windows 7 on a computer, put the Windows DVD into the DVD drive and reboot the device.
2. Press the DEL or F2 key on the keyboard to enter the laptop BIOS and change the boot sequence from the DVD.
3. After changing the boot sequence and restarting the computer, he will ask the user to press any key to start the installation disk.
4. On the screen in the window, set the language, time and keyboard and click: "Install now."
5. In the next window, check the box: “I accept the terms of the license agreement” and on.
6. In a new window, choose to upgrade or install a copy of Windows.
7. The next window indicates the installation path of Windows.
8. Click the button to start downloading Windows 7.
9. Depending on the parameters of the laptop, it may be longer or shorter.
10. At the end of the installation, Windows restarts.
11. When restarting, a window opens in which the user name and computer are entered. It will appear on the network if the owner has a computer network.
12. Click on the button. Typically, at this point a window appears asking you to enter the product key on the Windows DVD box.
13. In this window, select: "Use recommended settings" to enable automatic updating and the Windows 7 firewall. The latter protects itself from possible attacks from the Internet.
14. Click on the button, in the window select the time zone, as well as the date and time.
15. Click on.
16. Windows finishes setting up the operating system on the laptop.
17. At the end of the configuration, the user gets to the Windows desktop and can effectively perform their tasks on the machine.

Virtual CloneDrive boot program

Microsoft offers software that makes it easy to create a boot disk. To do this, the user will need a key (or memory card) of 4 GB.

Disk Creation Procedure:

1. Download Windows 7 USB / DVD Download Tool.
2. iso.
3. Virtual CloneDrive . «» Windows 7 .
4. , Windows 7, .
5. : « CloneDrive» .
6. USB-.
7. WinToFlash .
8. «», «» «» .
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10. Windows .
11. Examine your computer and find a Windows 7 DVD or iso file mounted in Virtual CloneDrive, on the one hand, and in a USB drive, on the other.
12. Then click “Next”, accept the license for Windows 7 and, noticing a warning that the drive will be formatted, start the operation. This should last from 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the performance of the USB key.

As you can see, installing Windows on a custom laptop is a simple procedure and can take a couple of hours when installing Windows on a new laptop.