This guide is obsolete. An upwards to engagement guide which covers downloading Windows 7 Installation Media, slipstreaming updates and drivers, creating a Bootable USB and Clean Installing with OEM Arrangement Locked Preinstallation is bachelor here:

Tutorial Video

Written Guide

This will perform a clean installation of Windows 7 64 Bit removing all data on your organization'south drives .

If you accept not backed up your data and y'all have came to this guide because your system cannot kick. Please run the preboot diagnostics.

  • Dell F12 UEFI Preboot Diagnostics
    • Dell Systems Older than 2010 – Legacy Preboot Diagnostics (Bootable USB)
  • Lenovo F10 UEFI Preboot Diagnostics

And attempt data recovery to an external difficult drive using Fedora before proceeding:

  • Data Recovery Using Fedora

Office one: Determining whether your System Supports UEFI and Secure Kicking

The UEFI BIOS and GPT partition scheme should be used where possible with Windows 7 64 Chip. Y'all may or may non have these technologies depending on the age of your system. For reference:

  • OptiPlex 390/790 – 2011 (2nd generation Sandy Bridge) UEFI BIOS – No Secure Kicking, there is no selection for Legacy ROMs as these are always Enabled
  • OptiPlex 3010/7010 – 2012 (3rd generation Ivy Bridge) UEFI BIOS with Secure Kick (only with the latest UEFI BIOS Update)
  • OptiPlex 7020 – 2014 (4th generation Intel Haswell) UEFI BIOS with Secure Boot
  • OptiPlex 7040 – 2015 (6th generation Intel Skylake) UEFI BIOS with Secure Boot

This guide focuses on a UEFI BIOS, if you take an even older Dell System than 2011, ignore whatever mention of the words UEFI, Legacy ROMs and Secure Boot as the technologies are not available in your system. Such systems have a Legacy BIOS (non-UEFI) BIOS. Installation instructions are otherwise identical nonetheless the installation media for them needs to exist made using the MBR partition scheme and NTFS file format opposed to the GPT division scheme and FAT32 format.

On a Dell system press [F2] to enter the UEFI BIOS setup, I'll demonstrate using the newest hardware supported to run Windows 7 64 Bit – the OptiPlex 7040:

Windows 7 64 Flake does not back up Secure Boot, it must be Disabled in the UEFI BIOS setup for Windows 7 64 Bit Installation. Await for a tab called Secure Boot, expand it, select Secure Kick Enable and change the setting to Disabled. Select OK at any alert dialog box:

Legacy Option ROMs must be enabled for Windows seven 64 Fleck. Go to the general tab and select Advanced Boot Options, ensure Enable Legacy Option ROMs are Enabled. You should leave Enable Attempt Legacy Boot unchecked:

Side by side go to Boot Sequence and ensure the Kicking List Choice is prepare to UEFI:

Select Apply:

Press OK:

Information technology is also worth looking at your Drives hither – in my case I have one 128 GB SSD drive that is M.2, others may have a HDD and a low capacity 32-64 GB SSD Cache Drive:

For a single Drive I can use RAID On or AHCI. If you take a small capacity SSD and a large HDD y'all would need to select RAID On (sometimes called Intel Smart Response Engineering science):

Now go out the UEFI BIOS setup to salvage the changes:

Part 2: Preparing Up to Engagement Installation Media

Using updated installation media will reduce the hassles of Windows 7 Installation Failure due to lack of native driver support for systems with a UEFI BIOS and profoundly reduce the installation time due to the inefficiencies of Windows Update. Follow my instructions to Download Dell Windows vii Pro ISO (Media Refresh Jan 2016) from Dell and Make a Bootable USB.

Part 3: Booting from a Bootable USB

Power Downwardly your Dell an Insert your Windows 7 Installation USB and brand sure no other USB Devices are connected except for the Keyboard and Mouse. If using a Dell OptiPlex model (or other Desktop) I recommend using the back USB Ports as these are straight on the System Board and Avoiding the Forepart Ones for Windows 7 Installation.

Hold [F12] while powering up your figurer:

You volition now enter the UEFI BIOS Kick Card:

Find that it says to the top that the Kicking Mode is set to UEFI and Secure Boot is OFF. Press [↓] until you get to your USB Flash Drive (in my case it is a Sandisc Cruzer Glide 16 GB), ignore any listings sunder Legacy Kicking.

Some systems may tell you to press any key to proceed Booting from USB, if they do printing the space bar.

Part iv: Early on Installation

You will get a blackness screen that says "Windows is Loading Files."

Then one that says Starting Windows.

You lot will then be prompted for your language, time and currency format and keyboard settings, better these as desired. If you employ an English .iso it'll be prepare by default to English (U.s.a.), I'm going to change to English (UK):

Select Install Now.

You volition get a Setup is Starting Screen:

You may get a file asking y'all what Edition of Windows y'all wish to install. This depends if the installation media has an EI.cfg file – the EIF.cfg file is a text file which automatically selects the option at this screen. In my case I am going to install Windows 7 Professional person using Downgrade Rights from Windows 10 Pro OEM on a Dell OptiPlex 7040:

Read the license, bank check to select and then select Next.

Next select Custom (Avant-garde).

Part v: Loading SATA Drivers and Deleting Partitions

Warning: This footstep will result in information loss of internal drives.

If you are clean installing Windows due to a Boot Problem and cannot backup your data as Windows cannot kicking the follow my guide Data Recovery using Fedora which uses a Bootable Fedora Live Linux USB which tin can access the HDD/SSD in many cases when Windows cannot.

If the Windows vii installation media can see your SSD/HDD/HSSD on the next screen so you do non demand to load a SATA preinstallation driver equally it's incorporated. This should be the instance for the Dell Skylake Reinstallation .isos which have support for up to 6th generation Intel Skylake systems.

Loading SATA Drivers

Most UEFI systems accept hardware substantially newer than Microsoft'south Windows 7 Installation Media from 2010 and equally a consequence Windows 7 does not have the SATA drivers required for your Storage Controller. It cannot read your SSD/HDD/HSSD.

If no drives are listed on the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen then y'all must select Load Commuter and select the SATA drivers from a USB stick. The SATA drivers substantially let Windows to recognise the hard drive controller on the motherboard and thus permit Windows to view the bulldoze letting you lot keep with the install.

Note the error message here says:

"No Drives were Found. Click Load Driver to Provide a Mass Storage Driver for Installation".

Quite frequently other error messages prove such as

"A media driver your estimator needs is missing"

"A required CD/DVD bulldoze device driver is missing"

These normally mean your installation media is corrupt and are not because you need to load a commuter. "A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing" quite frequently shows on Desktops when the Front USB Ports are used, move your Bootable USB to the back USB Ports instead and restart the computer.

If instead yous have a previous version of Windows on your drives screen may instead look like this.

Warning ii: This footstep volition result in information loss of internal drives.

You tin can perform a Low Level Format using the Windows Installation Media by Deleting all the partitions on the drive. You should practise this if:

  • You are clean installing the latest version of Windows ten on your PC.
  • Yous are sure your erstwhile version of Windows wasn't infected with malicious software.
  • You are keeping your computer…

You should instead quit Windows Installation and perform a Secure Wipe  using Dell Data Wipe or Parted Magic if:

  • You are clean installing the latest version of Windows 10 due to a malicious software.
  • You lot take bought your computer 2d manus (and are not certain what the last user has had on the PC).
  • You are planning selling your figurer on (and don't want personal information passed on).

To perform the Depression Level Format using the Windows Installation Media select every partition on Drive 0 (or the desired Bulldoze you lot wish to install Windows if you lot have a system with a multiple drive configuration) and systematically delete any partitioning.

Delete all Partitions including Recovery Partitions , these are for old obsolete versions of Windows and no longer required.

If multiple drives show you may have a SSD and a HDD.

If your SSD is >128 GB install Windows 7 on your SSD as it'll issue in optimal performance.

If it is 32-64 GB it should be a cache drive. Remove all partitions on it and on the HDD. And then install on the HDD. The SATA Functioning needs to be in RAID. Notes on setting upwardly Intel Rapid Storage Technology to utilize the SSD as a cache drive will be given later.

Part 6: Middle of Installation

You will then a screen telling you the progress of the install and Windows will restart once:

Blazon in your "username", past default the PC proper noun will exist "username-PC" merely you tin can modify this every bit desired.

Next blazon in your password, retype it and leave yourself a hint.

Alternatively just select next (to have no countersign – not recommended but optional). Personally for convenience I tend to go out the password blank and add one afterwards the installation of Windows 7, drivers and updates equally yous volition be prompted to restart your figurer several times.

Part 7: The Product Key

You should simply input a Product Key at this phase if your License is Retail Full, otherwise select Skip for OEM Licenses and Retail Upgrade Licenses. Note this screen will not show at all if using Dell Windows 7 Reinstallation Media. Installation without a Product Central will requite a 30 Day Trial (we only need about 30 mins of this trial before we go alee and activate Windows).

Part 8: Terminate of Installation

You volition and so exist asked about Windows Update settings its by and large best to go with recommended.

And so select your time and date settings.

The next screen should be about connecting to the internet and/or connecting to a wireless network. In most cases Windows 7 won't accept the commuter inbuilt for a UEFI system and this screen will not prove. The setup volition Finalise and restart taking you to the Windows Desktop.

Part 9: Install the Latest Security Updates

If you've followed my guide to brand Slipstreamed Windows 7 Installation Media, yous volition only need to install Microsoft .Net Framework and Microsoft Security Essentials. You may demand to install the latest Security Rollup.

If you lot've used the Dell Windows 7 Pro  2016 Skylake Reinstallation ISO (and are installing the Pro Edition) without Slipstreaming boosted updates. You will need KB3020369, KB3125574 (restart), the latest Security Rollup, Microsoft .Internet Framework and Microsoft Security Essentials.

If you've used the Dell Windows 7 Pro 2016 Skylake Reinstallation ISO (and are installing a Non-Pro Edition) without Slipstreaming boosted updates. You will need KB3020369, KB3125574 (restart), KB2639308, KB2670838, KB2729094, KB2834140 (restart) then IE11-Windows6.1and the latest security rollup. After these are installed, install the Microsoft .Net Framework.

If you lot've used the Microsoft Windows 7 Pro SP1 2011 ISO (and are installing a Non-Pro Edition) without Slipstreaming additional updates. You will demand KB3020369, KB3125574 (restart), KB2639308, KB2670838, KB2729094, KB2834140 (restart) and so IE11-Windows6.1 and the convenience rollup. After these are installed, install the Microsoft .Cyberspace Framework.

See here for Windows 7 Standalone Updates.

Part 10: Activation

If you take used OEM Reinstallation Media on an OEM Organization e.1000. the Dell Windows 7 Professional Reinstallation ISO or DVD on an eligible Dell Organization, Windows 7 should be activated offline automatically using OEM System Locked Preinstallation.

If you lot have used Retail Installation Media with a Full Retail Product Central you should automatically activate Windows 7 when online.

If you have used Retail Installation Media on an OEM System eastward.g. the Microsoft Windows 7 Retail ISO or DVD on an eligible Dell, HP or Lenovo System, you volition need to manually utilise OEM System Locked Preinstallation.

If y'all have used Retail Installation Media with a Retail Upgrade Only Product Central then you lot may have activation issues after performing a clean installation. You should activate by the Command Prompt instead.

Part 11: Organisation Drivers

You lot should at present look at installing your system drivers starting with the Dell System Software (if applicable for your system) and the Chipset drivers. Run into Driver Installation Order for more details.

If using a SSD Enshroud Bulldoze be certain to set it up after driver installation following the instructions hither.

Role 12: Security

You may take installed Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows seven above to give your system base of operations system security. However Windows 7 isn't as Secure as Windows 10 and you lot may desire to install some other security product then I recommend Malwarebytes' AntiMalware. There is a costless version which only does an on demand scan or a paid version which does Realtime Protection. Beneath is an affiliate link:

Malwarebytes for Home | Anti-Malware Premium | Free Trial Download