Problems when installing Windows 7 in MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 6QE Skylake

[SGO1987]

Hi!!!

I recently bought the laptop MSI GS60 6QE (Skylake version). It has Windows 10 pre-installation included as factory settings.

However, I bought this laptop for using it with Windows 7, as my job demands to use this OS. When trying to install Windows 7 from a booteable USB pen drive in BIOS LEGACY mode, Windows 7 does not recognise the USB or SSD. Windows 7 installation is pending for some drivers which I do not know where they are and how to obtain them. Apparently, the USB 3.0 ports stop working (USB mouse seems disconnected). Hence, the OS installation cannot continue due to Windows 7 missing some drivers.

The main issue is that this laptop does not have an CD/DVD optical drive and all their USB ports are 3.0 and 3.1 C - Thunderbolt 3. This means that the only way to install Windows 7 is through USB port.

Therefore, I am writing to kindly ask any of you for technical support. How can I install Windows 7 for this specific MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 6QE skylake model? Did anyone manage to accomplish it?

Here are the most relevant details of the laptop:

Product Name: GS60 6QE
OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 bits
BIOS Version: E16H7IMS.111
BIOS Release Date: 2016/01/27
EC Version: 16H7EMS1.1051109201508:38:54
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700HQ CPU @ 2.60GHz
Memory: 16 GB @ 1066 MHz
- 8192 MB, DDR4-2133, SK Hynix HMA41GS6AFR8N-TF
- 8192 MB, DDR4-2133, SK Hynix HMA41GS6AFR8N-TF
Graphics: Intel(R) HD Graphics 530, 1024 MB
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, 3072 MB
VBIOS Version: 84.04.85.00.33,3145728
Drive: SSD, TOSHIBA THNSNJ256G8NY, 238,47 GB
Drive: HDD, HGST HTS721010A9E630, 931,51 GB
Network: Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1525 Wireless Network Adapter
Network: Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Network: Killer E2400 Gigabit Ethernet Controller
ATA/ATAPI IDE controllers: Intel 100 Series/C230 Chipset Family SATA AHCI Controller

Thank you very much in advance!

Best regards,

Sam

 

[SGO1987]

MERGED QUESTION
Question from SGO1987 : "Problems when installing Windows 7 in MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 6QE Skylake"

Hi!!!

I recently bought the laptop MSI GS60 6QE (Skylake version). It has Windows 10 pre-installation included as factory settings.

However, I bought this laptop for using it with Windows 7, as my job demands to use this OS. When trying to install Windows 7 from a booteable USB pen drive in BIOS LEGACY mode, Windows 7 does not recognise the USB or SSD. Windows 7 installation is pending for some drivers which I do not know where they are and how to obtain them. Apparently, the USB 3.0 ports stop working (USB mouse seems disconnected). Hence, the OS installation cannot continue due to Windows 7 missing some drivers.

The main issue is that this laptop does not have an CD/DVD optical drive and all their USB ports are 3.0 and 3.1 C - Thunderbolt 3. This means that the only way to install Windows 7 is through USB port.

Therefore, I am writing to kindly ask any of you for technical support. How can I install Windows 7 for this specific MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 6QE skylake model? Did anyone manage to accomplish it?

Here are the most relevant details of the laptop:

Product Name: GS60 6QE
OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 bits
BIOS Version: E16H7IMS.111
BIOS Release Date: 2016/01/27
EC Version: 16H7EMS1.1051109201508:38:54
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700HQ CPU @ 2.60GHz
Memory: 16 GB @ 1066 MHz
- 8192 MB, DDR4-2133, SK Hynix HMA41GS6AFR8N-TF
- 8192 MB, DDR4-2133, SK Hynix HMA41GS6AFR8N-TF
Graphics: Intel(R) HD Graphics 530, 1024 MB
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, 3072 MB
VBIOS Version: 84.04.85.00.33,3145728
Drive: SSD, TOSHIBA THNSNJ256G8NY, 238,47 GB
Drive: HDD, HGST HTS721010A9E630, 931,51 GB
Network: Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1525 Wireless Network Adapter
Network: Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Network: Killer E2400 Gigabit Ethernet Controller
ATA/ATAPI IDE controllers: Intel 100 Series/C230 Chipset Family SATA AHCI Controller

Thank you very much in advance!

Best regards,

Sam

 

[SGO1987]

MERGED QUESTION
Question from SGO1987 : "Problems when installing Windows 7 in MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 6QE Skylake"

Hi!!!

I recently bought the laptop MSI GS60 6QE (Skylake version). It has Windows 10 pre-installation included as factory settings.

However, I bought this laptop for using it with Windows 7, as my job demands to use this OS. When trying to install Windows 7 from a booteable USB pen drive in BIOS LEGACY mode, Windows 7 does not recognise the USB or SSD. Windows 7 installation is pending for some drivers which I do not know where they are and how to obtain them. Apparently, the USB 3.0 ports stop working (USB mouse seems disconnected). Hence, the OS installation cannot continue due to Windows 7 missing some drivers.

The main issue is that this laptop does not have an CD/DVD optical drive and all their USB ports are 3.0 and 3.1 C - Thunderbolt 3. This means that the only way to install Windows 7 is through USB port.

Therefore, I am writing to kindly ask any of you for technical support. How can I install Windows 7 for this specific MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 6QE skylake model? Did anyone manage to accomplish it?

Here are the most relevant details of the laptop:

Product Name: GS60 6QE
OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 bits
BIOS Version: E16H7IMS.111
BIOS Release Date: 2016/01/27
EC Version: 16H7EMS1.1051109201508:38:54
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700HQ CPU @ 2.60GHz
Memory: 16 GB @ 1066 MHz
- 8192 MB, DDR4-2133, SK Hynix HMA41GS6AFR8N-TF
- 8192 MB, DDR4-2133, SK Hynix HMA41GS6AFR8N-TF
Graphics: Intel(R) HD Graphics 530, 1024 MB
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, 3072 MB
VBIOS Version: 84.04.85.00.33,3145728
Drive: SSD, TOSHIBA THNSNJ256G8NY, 238,47 GB
Drive: HDD, HGST HTS721010A9E630, 931,51 GB
Network: Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1525 Wireless Network Adapter
Network: Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Network: Killer E2400 Gigabit Ethernet Controller
ATA/ATAPI IDE controllers: Intel 100 Series/C230 Chipset Family SATA AHCI Controller

Thank you very much in advance!

Best regards,

Sam

 

[rgd1101]

Please don't spam the forum

 

[SGO1987]

Please don't spam the forum

Obviously, it was not on purpose, as it was the first time I posted in these forums for different countries. Despite I did not receive any help from these forums, I'm glad to post the final solution for future users suffering the same pain.

After this long and terrifying nightmare, I’m bringing great news, as I managed to successfully install Windows 7 64 bits in MSI GS60 6QE!!!!! :-D
Let me explain you how I sorted out the way to solve it. Unfortunately, none of the previous posted solutions across the internet managed to work in my laptop, which is hard to understand. Here are the steps I followed:

1) Download this Windows 7 ISO ([link removed, sorry we don't link unknown 3rd party iso]. It has all the necessary drivers included in order to being able to successfully install Windows 7 in a Skylake laptop.
2) Create USB Installation Media as explained in previous link through Windows USB/DVD Download Tool.
3) Restart, introduce bootable USB from step 2 and configure BIOS at MSI start (Delete key) as follows:
- Boot mode: UEFI CSM
- Fast Boot: Enabled
- Change boot device order; 1rst Boot: UEFI USB with W7… etc
- Secure Boot: Disable
- USB Configuration: Enable XHCI support (just in case)
- Press F10/Save and Exit
4) After rebooting, Windows 7 installation starts to load (in case it didn’t, press F11 at the beginning and select the USB drive).
5) Press “Install now” within W7 installation and afterwards, you will see the “Select partition to install W7” menu (IMPORTANT: this is the step where I was blocked previously, the reason I asked for assistance).
6) Installation progresses, maybe a bit slow as many drivers are loaded (it is not blocked despite it looks like). As soon as it reaches the last step “Finishing installation”, it will reboot after a while.
7) Remove USB driver or you’ll come back to step 5.
8) Installation proceeds, it returns to the same step “Finishing installation”. Suddenly, the screen resolution will be adjusted to your default one (1920x1080).
9) Wait around 3-5 minutes, when there is no more disk LED activity. As you may have realised, the installation seems to be running but it is actually blocked (it happened to me at least twice; NOTE: in case installation worked for you as normal, you can ignore the following steps and explanations, so congrats!). If so, you will be forced to press the on/off button until the laptop shuts down completely. After restarting the laptop, select “Initiate W7 normally” but you will face an error message saying that the Windows 7 installation could not be successfully accomplished…
10) Here is the solution to this weird situation (http/answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-system/error-message-the-computer-restarted-unexpectedly/b770f14d-e345-e011-90b6-1cc1de79d2e2):

J0seph Red:
- “On the same error screen press SHIFT+F10 and it will open up a black Window. (a command prompt window)
- In the black windows type the word "regedit"(without the inverted commas and hit enter. That will open the registry editor.
In the Registry Editor..
Browse to....
HKLocal machine/SYSTEM/SETUP/STATUS/ChildCompletion, and after highliting childcompletion,on the right hand side check for setup.exe. if the value is 1 change it to 3.(by double clicking on setup.exe and changing the value shown in the box).
Then close the registry editor and then also close the black window.
Then click on OK for the error and the computer will restart and the installation may complete. just try it and let me know if it worked.”

Well, I can assure you that it worked for me
11) After checking some video performance, Windows 7 will ask you for your User, Password and so on, which means you finally got Windows 7 installed as well after all this hassle!!!
12) W7 starts the session with your new user.
13) VERY IMPORTANT: As soon as you see the desktop for the first time, you MUST shut down/restart in order to let all the drivers from this ISO install correctly (the ones specified in their website). If you install your MSI drivers without restarting the laptop, they may be overridden (possible drivers mess).
14) After restarting, a message will appear on the bottom-right saying “New hardware is being installed” (those ISO drivers). When it is finished, restart once again and now, you are finally free to install whatever you want, even to uninstall the drivers and updates included within the ISO. YEAAAAAAAH!!!

To conclude, I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks to Microsoft and Intel for complicating this simple operation and wasting our time in attempting to impose users their incompetence: whatever it takes to stay with Windows 10... Since when did we lose our right to use our bought software/hardware as we wish? Honestly, the more you both try to impose us your faulty hardware and software, the more ingenious and genuine alternatives users will bring to circumvent your stupidity. Cheers!!!

P.S: I cannot stress enough how grateful I am to “Mantis Informática”, the company which freely uploaded the Windows 7 ISO with all the necessary drivers included, and to J0seph Red for his solution.