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    Clean install Windows 7 onto m13x

    Discussion in '2015+ Alienware 13 / 15 / 17' started by TechZer0, Sep 11, 2015.

  1. TechZer0

    TechZer0 Notebook Enthusiast

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    My m13x came with win 8.1 and I would prefer to install win 7 on it. Windows 10 looks too much like Windows 8. I tried installing using a windows 7 installation USB drive but it doesn't seem to see the m.2 drive. I went into the bios and set it legacy. Are there specific drivers I am missing? Or more settings I need to do? Thanks in advance.
     
    TechZer0, Sep 11, 2015
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  2. Game7a1

    Game7a1 ?

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    You also want to disable secure boot. But if the Win7 USB drive doesn't see the M.2, it may be formatted wrong?
    I installed WIn7 on my 13 (for dual OS purposes) using a DVD drive, and it detected my M.2 just fine. Not sure if disabling secure boot would fix that or if using the right format will help.
     
    Game7a1, Sep 11, 2015
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  3. TechZer0

    TechZer0 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have disable secure boot but win7 still will not install on M.2 drive. The drive does show up and I have deleted all partitions but it will not install. Did you use an External USB Drive with Win7 DVD?
     
    TechZer0, Sep 11, 2015
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  4. Game7a1

    Game7a1 ?

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    External DVD drive.
    It might be that the format of the M.2 does not work for Win7., so you'll have to refromat it to the right type (I think it's GPT).
     
    Game7a1, Sep 11, 2015
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  5. TechZer0

    TechZer0 Notebook Enthusiast

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    The Error I am getting is that the setup program cannot create a new system partition or detect an existing system partition.
     
    TechZer0, Sep 11, 2015
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  6. Game7a1

    Game7a1 ?

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    Game7a1, Sep 12, 2015
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  7. TechZer0

    TechZer0 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Sorry for the late response, I have been upgrading my M17XR3 to M17XR4 with new 780M video card. Long story short, the 8, I, K, "," keys and the "*" key on the number pad does not work and my 460M heatsink has different holes than the 780M. :(

    I did try the diskpart program before and it did not work for me. I am restoring from a disk image backup and will try to install without deleting the partitions after I get some sleep.
     
    TechZer0, Sep 13, 2015
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  8. TechZer0

    TechZer0 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Game7a1, Windows 7 installation seems only to work via USB DVD. It's currently installing. Thank you.
     
    TechZer0, Sep 13, 2015
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