Windows 7 install Failing on Windows 8 Laptop

[DaftBehemoth]

So I got a faculty member's new laptop in at work which came pre-loaded with Windows 8 (Toshiba C55-A5285 I didn't pick this one :P). The problem is that we do not yet officially support Windows 8 on campus. Our standard procedure is to wipe all computers and install Windows 7 Enterprise. Since we don't have an image for this computer on our deploy server, I threw in a 7 disk and booted off of that... here's where things go wrong. As it turns out, the computer failed to boot to the disk. The "Starting Windows" symbol shows up and never goes away. I originally blamed it on a bad disk, but after trying two more, I still ran into the same issue. I also tried an external disk drive just in case. In the end, I tried one of our Windows 8 Enterprise disks and it booted and let me install with no issue. It seems to me that Toshiba has something in place that blocks me from installing Windows 7. 

 

I'm aware that Toshiba isn't supporting Windows 7 for this laptop, but I'm curious how to force the computer to install Windows 7 anyway. Would enabling CSM boot instead of UEFI fix it? Any input would be appreciated

[bradscoolio]

Crtl + f10 to open cmd during install. Use the diskpart command to format the hard drive to MBR instead of gpt.

[GoodBytes]

-> You need to disable Secure Boot in the UEFI

 

-> If you are not using a Genuine Windows 7 disk and using a USB flash drive or USB optical drive instead, then you need to disable UEFI in the BIOS (bug in Win7 setup)

 

-> If you are disabling UEFI in the BIOS, you need, no choice, to convert the GPT partition on the HDD/SSD to MBR. Windows setup can't do the switch. You need to use a partition manager that you can boot to, to do this. I am not sure if this ability was added in later disk release of Windows 7. I have the day 1 disk release. So try and see.

 

-> DO NOT use USB 3.0 ports if you using an external USB disk drive or booting off Windows 7 from a USB drive. Windows 7 doesn't support USB 3.0 natively. You can try and load the ini drivers (ini). This is something I have not tried.

 

-> Have the SATA drivers (ini) ready, you may need to install them as Windows 7 might not have the drivers for built-in.

 

CSM is for graphic cards. You use that when you attach a graphic card that isn't GOP ready. Leave Disabled.

 

Hope this helps.

[DaftBehemoth]

-> You need to disable Secure Boot in the UEFI

-> If you are not using a Genuine Windows 7 disk and using a USB key or USB optical drive instead, then you need to disable UEFI in the BIOS (bug in Win7 setup)

-> CSM is for graphic cards. You use that when you attach a graphic card that isn't GOP ready. Leave Disabled.

1. Secure boot was disabled. I caught that at the start

2. The disks are copied from an original Windows 7 disk, but they have each been used to install successfully on many different computers. I'm not sure I can outright disable UEFI in the BIOS though. The only UEFI related option I get is to switch to the CSM boot mode. It's a very simple and old school looking BIOS interface. 

3. I'll leave the setting alone :P

 

 

Crtl + f10 to open cmd during install. Use the diskpart command to format the hard drive to MBR instead of gpt.

I'd love to try that, but the install fails too early. It simply doesn't boot from the disk at all. It freezes at the very first step.

[GoodBytes]

Very good. If there is no way to disable UEFI. PERHAPS, the system assume that if you enable CSM, instead of using UEFI with CSM, it just uses the old BIOS. That's an easy way for Toshiba to not break their heads, and doing things right (nothing new here from Toshiba, if that's the case). So Enable CSM, and see what you have.

 

It must be noted that they are some system like Samsung laptops, that will NOT work if it's not explicitly Windows 8. In fact if you attempt to install another OS, you may turn the laptop into a brick. And Samsung doesn't cover this as per the terms and condition of the warranty.

Source: http://www.geek.com/microsoft/not-good-samsung-uefi-laptops-can-brick-when-booting-ubuntu-1537900/

The above says Ubuntu, but if you search the internet, you'll see it applies to any OS that's not Windows 8.

[DaftBehemoth]

Very good. If there is no way to disable UEFI. PERHAPS, the system assume that if you enable CSM, instead of using UEFI with CSM, it just uses the old BIOS. That's an easy way for Toshiba to not break their heads, and doing things right (nothing new here from Toshiba, if that's the case). So Enable CSM, and see what you have.

 

It must be noted that they are some system like Samsung laptops, that will NOT work if it's not explicitly Windows 8. In fact if you attempt to install another OS, you may turn the laptop into a brick. And Samsung doesn't cover this as per the terms and condition of the warranty.

Source: http://www.geek.com/microsoft/not-good-samsung-uefi-laptops-can-brick-when-booting-ubuntu-1537900/

The above says Ubuntu, but if you search the internet, you'll see it applies to any OS that's not Windows 8.

When I get back in to work tomorrow, I'll give CSM a shot (for science!) and just see if it'll enter the installation. I've already decided to stick with Windows 8, since at the very least Toshiba doesn't offer Windows 7 drivers for it.... yet another reason to steer clear of Toshiba. I'm still just curious to see if I can circumvent this restriction.

[DaftBehemoth]

Very good. If there is no way to disable UEFI. PERHAPS, the system assume that if you enable CSM, instead of using UEFI with CSM, it just uses the old BIOS. That's an easy way for Toshiba to not break their heads, and doing things right (nothing new here from Toshiba, if that's the case). So Enable CSM, and see what you have.

 

It must be noted that they are some system like Samsung laptops, that will NOT work if it's not explicitly Windows 8. In fact if you attempt to install another OS, you may turn the laptop into a brick. And Samsung doesn't cover this as per the terms and condition of the warranty.

Source: http://www.geek.com/microsoft/not-good-samsung-uefi-laptops-can-brick-when-booting-ubuntu-1537900/

The above says Ubuntu, but if you search the internet, you'll see it applies to any OS that's not Windows 8.

Switching it to CSM worked. Thanks for your input man.

[GoodBytes]

Excellent news. Well it's clear that Toshiba doesn't know what CSM is. SO that means if you want UEFI but with CSM (let's say you want Windows 7 to boot a bit faster compared (not Win8 speeds, but a bit faster), and don't have a GOP ready graphic cards card, then you are screwed. Well I guess it's a laptop, hardware is fixed. I guess it gets a pass.