GT70 ONE-44US. I hate Windows 8

How much hassle is it to install Windows 7 on this machine? I have a usb key that I always use for installing Windows 7, but when I decided to bite the bullet and do it last night I couldn't even get to the bios on this thing. I checked online and someone had said to use delete key, but that doesn't seem to do anything. And then I read issues with locked bioses and hard coded Windows keys, etc. I really, really do not want to run Windows 8 on this. I do not like the interface at all and it's driving me crazy, even with Classic Shell installed. But if it's going to be a supreme headache to get Windows 7 installed, then maybe I will just have to deal with it. My Cisco router emulator ( GNS3) is a bit flaky on Windows 8, for one, plus I heard that you can get better framerates in games with Windows 7 vs Windows 8. I don't know if that's true or not, but I can surely attest that I can't stand the Windows 8 interface.

Has anyone done this successfully and with minimal hassle during and after the install?

 

This is exactly why I won't upgrade to Windows 8 anytime soon. When I bought my Sager last summer, I had $20 upgrade, but never used it because of all the negativity around it. I really think Microsoft hit a home run with Windows 7. Windows 8 needs some tweaks before I'll migrate to it.

 

Press and hold Del key as soon as you turn on the PC to enter BIOS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55YbBsnrVtc

Go to Boot in the BIOS and change from UEFI to Legacy so you can install Windows 7.

 

Thanks for the reply. Are you aware of any gotchas that I should know about before hand?

 

After you booted to Windows 7 disk you need to click custom and click drive options and delete all partitions before proceed Windows 7 installation.

 

Not going so well , I have installed Windows 7 and all but the bluetooth drivers (which are downloading right now), but the screen goes black and the system locks up every 5 seconds.
Not sure what to do about this..

This is so annoying. I really don't want to have to use Windows 8. Also, does anyone know which drivers I need for the keyboard lights?

Well, the crazy black screen freezing every 5 seconds seems to have stopped. I re-installed the Intel HD driver, maybe did the trick. I still have 4 other devices in Device Manager. 3 are bluetooth peripherals but I can't get the bluetooth driver to install. The other one is an ACPI\KB9XRADIOBTN.

I've tried all drivers and utilities for Windows 7 that I can find on the MSI site.

Not sure if it's worth sticking with Windows 7. Even if I get this running correctly, I'm not sure I could ever update the bios without running the risk of bricking this..at least according to MSI site. Maybe I should just revert back to Windows 8. Blech...can't stand that idea though..

 

You could try to learn how it works if installing 7 is giving you too much trouble. Coming from someone who regularly uses OSX, Windows 7 and 8 for home and work it's not bad at all. Windows 7 and 8 look/work the same aside from start screen aesthetics imo.

 

Drivers you need to install from the DVD and make sure always install Intel Chipset first:





Drivers you need to download for Win7:


Micsoft .net framework 4.0 prior install the S-Bar for Win7:
Download Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile (Standalone Installer) from Official Microsoft Download Center


S-Bar (for function keys/ buttons):
nload/utility-19983.html

KLM for backlit keyboard:
MSI Global – Download Center

VGA OC for Turbo button:
MSI Global – Download Center

Intel USB 3.0 Driver:
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=21129

 

^^ Thanks for the tips. The only thing not installing right now is the Bluetooth drivers. It's been sitting at Time remaining: 4 seconds for 30 minutes now. I have tried installing what I could from the DVD, but some of it seems to be Windows 8 specific. There is a Windows 7/64 download area for this model on the MSI site, so I assume it's somewhat supported. It hasn't been an easy journey though really.

EDIT: It seems to be working pretty well now. I had some initial driver issues, but things are good now. The only thing that won't install is the KB Radio Switch..whatever that is. It seems there are only Windows 8 drivers. I suspect it's related to airplane mode for wifi. Like I need airplane mode on this thing anyway. Sheesh.

GNS3 is working properly now with the Windows 7 network bridge. Something about the Windows 8 network bridge was breaking that functionality in Dynamips so I couldn't NAT out my map to my real network. Which was very annoying.

 

Another option here would be to simply install an app that makes Windows 8 more like Windows 7. We do this for our new Windows 8 machines in our office. We are using RetroUI Pro from a company called Thinix. The website is RetroUI Enhancing Windows 8 and Bringing Back the Start Menu. '

Here is a You Tube video from a blogger I saw about this topic:



If you go back to Windows 7 I would make sure all the drivers for your PC as available for Windows 7 (usually the case). Might want to make a Windows 8 install drive before you start just in case.