Am I able to install Windows 7 to dual boot with my current Windows 10 installation? Nitro N50-100.

Logiq
Logiq Member Posts: 8 New User
edited January 2021 in Legacy Windows
I would like to know if I can dual boot Windows 7 with Windows 10 on my PC.
My PC that I am using is a Acer Nitro N50-100.

Thanks.

Answers

  • AnhEZ28
    AnhEZ28 ACE, Member Posts: 4,287 Pathfinder
    It won't work because there is no driver for Windows 7 to run on.
    Please remember to include @AnhEZ28 when you want to reply back to my comment so that I can check your response.
    Thank you and have a nice day!
  • Logiq
    Logiq Member Posts: 8 New User
    AnhEZ28 said:
    It won't work because there is no driver for Windows 7 to run on.

    I don't mind about drivers, I was just wondering if i was even able to boot from it.
  • Leostat
    Leostat ACE Posts: 3,043 Pathfinder
    In theory, Depending on your use case it may be better to host it inside a VM
  • Logiq
    Logiq Member Posts: 8 New User
    Leostat said:
    In theory, Depending on your use case it may be better to host it inside a VM

    I get that but I want to use it directly from my hard drive with no vms.
  • AnhEZ28
    AnhEZ28 ACE, Member Posts: 4,287 Pathfinder
    Logiq said:
    Leostat said:
    In theory, Depending on your use case it may be better to host it inside a VM

    I get that but I want to use it directly from my hard drive with no vms.
    If you can change to legacy in BIOS, you may success installing windows 7. If there's only UEFI, you can't do it.
    Please remember to include @AnhEZ28 when you want to reply back to my comment so that I can check your response.
    Thank you and have a nice day!
  • Leostat
    Leostat ACE Posts: 3,043 Pathfinder
    Why not? Win7 Supports UEFI :s if I remember you needed to do something weird with rufus to get it to boot ( https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/186875-uefi-unified-extensible-firmware-interface-install-windows-7-a.html )
  • Logiq
    Logiq Member Posts: 8 New User
    edited January 2021
    AnhEZ28 said:
    Logiq said:
    Leostat said:
    In theory, Depending on your use case it may be better to host it inside a VM

    I get that but I want to use it directly from my hard drive with no vms.
    If you can change to legacy in BIOS, you may success installing windows 7. If there's only UEFI, you can't do it.
    Would I have to change this setting everytime i wanted to go back to Windows 10, because I do have a UEFI/Legacy option in my bios.
    Edit: Would I also get to keep it on the same hard drive or would I have to move it to a partition on my second one?

  • AnhEZ28
    AnhEZ28 ACE, Member Posts: 4,287 Pathfinder
    Yes, you have to change back to UEFI for using Windows 10. 
    You can only install it on the second hard drive. Make sure that drive is in MBR partition style.
    Please remember to include @AnhEZ28 when you want to reply back to my comment so that I can check your response.
    Thank you and have a nice day!
  • Logiq
    Logiq Member Posts: 8 New User
    AnhEZ28 said:
    Yes, you have to change back to UEFI for using Windows 10. 
    You can only install it on the second hard drive. Make sure that drive is in MBR partition style.
    Would I have to format it, because I have a lot of games on it, or would I be better off using a Windows To Go install on a 2TB external hard drive?
  • Logiq
    Logiq Member Posts: 8 New User
    edited January 2021
    Leostat said:
    Why not? Win7 Supports UEFI :s if I remember you needed to do something weird with rufus to get it to boot ( https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/186875-uefi-unified-extensible-firmware-interface-install-windows-7-a.html )

    I tried this but whenever it gets to the "Starting Windows" screen with the Windows logo animation, it crashes. I think it might be a driver problem because the same happens with Linux because I used to dual boot with Ubuntu and I had to go into a safe mode type thing and install the display driver I needed. After that it was fine. It could also be the UEFI thing but I'm not sure. We'll see when I try on Legacy mode, if I do end up trying it.
  • AnhEZ28
    AnhEZ28 ACE, Member Posts: 4,287 Pathfinder
    That's why you can only use Legacy boot for windows 7. You don't have to format the hdd, you can create a new volume on that drive and install on it. Make sure that you don't install on the volume where you stored games.
    Please remember to include @AnhEZ28 when you want to reply back to my comment so that I can check your response.
    Thank you and have a nice day!
  • Logiq
    Logiq Member Posts: 8 New User
    edited January 2021
    AnhEZ28 said:
    That's why you can only use Legacy boot for windows 7. You don't have to format the hdd, you can create a new volume on that drive and install on it. Make sure that you don't install on the volume where you stored games.

    So I can have one partition with games in GPT and then another partition in MBR?
    Well, before I do that I'm going to try do it on my external hard drive with a WTG install on MBR.
  • Leostat
    Leostat ACE Posts: 3,043 Pathfinder
    I dont think you can split paritions like that, but you dont need to use legacy mode! whats the SATA mode on these machines?
  • Logiq
    Logiq Member Posts: 8 New User
    AnhEZ28 said:
    That's why you can only use Legacy boot for windows 7. You don't have to format the hdd, you can create a new volume on that drive and install on it. Make sure that you don't install on the volume where you stored games.

    Ok. I tried using an MBR version of Windows 7 and Rufus said it would work on Legacy or UEFI. I tried UEFI first and it crashed and restarted the PC. I tried Legacy after to no more luck but after the crash I saw a bluescreen that came up for a few seconds about a driver error. After that it mimicked what the UEFI one did and crashed and restarted. It is most likely not possible to use Windows 7 on the model PC I have unless you have a driver preinstalled that loads when it boots.
  • JimboTheWindowsFreak
    JimboTheWindowsFreak Member Posts: 67 Devotee WiFi Icon
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/979433#Comment_979433

    Well, you can get 7 working in legacy... but getting it to work in UEFI is something different even I haven't figured out yet...

  • JimboTheWindowsFreak
    JimboTheWindowsFreak Member Posts: 67 Devotee WiFi Icon
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/979433#Comment_979433

    Try these two pieces of software,

    Utility | Service / Support - GIGABYTE Global

    Download Windows 7 USB / DVD Download Tool 1.0.30.0 (softpedia.com)

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,215 Trailblazer

    The B450 chipset doesn't have Windows 7 drivers written for it. From what I understand the most basic hurdle is the USB ports won't work. It's not a UEFI things, Any sp1 version of Windows 7 works in UEFI mode, it's a drivers issue. Your best bet, if you absolutely have to run W7 for some weird reason, is to run it in a VM.

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.

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