Sean's Windows 7 Install & Optimization Guide for SSDs & HDDs
Please do not PM me for help with the guide or any questions about SSDs/HDDs and Windows!
Post your questions in this thread or make a new thread!
I will no longer be replying to PMs about this information!
If you have any personal questions/offers/requests then feel free to PM me.
Offline .pdf file version: (link)
Note: for Windows 8 please go here: (link)
Why I created this guide:
I originally made this for myself, family and friends, but since most of the guides here are getting out if date and are lacking information I decided to share it here. I have spent hours upon hours, even days researching, testing, and validating the information you are about to read over. This guide meant to help anyone with a SSD/HDD install and optimize their Windows 7 installation. I've spent hours upon hours looking up info and reinstalled Windows 7 over 100 times now, this is the best way to go about installation in my eyes. Please read this thoroughly, I know there is a lot of info, but the actual installation only takes a few minutes and there are only a few quick steps. I guarantee you will have learned something new after reading this thread. Furthermore, I will constantly update this guide for everyone's benefit. If you would like me to put up a video on a step or something just ask and I will have one up shortly. If you have any suggestions please feel free to let me know as well!
If you have any problem or question on the guide, windows, storage, firmware, drivers, whatever please do not hesitate to ask in this thread!
A quick word on SSDs:
SSDs do NOT require the confusing and intense setup that a lot of people seem to suggest. The current day SSDs are much more reliable and literally all that is necessary is to change the SATA mode to AHCI or RAID in the BIOS/UEFI, install, and you are good to go. Also, if you want to learn more about SSDs or see my recommended SSDs then click here: (More info here)
System Requirements:
Please do not PM me for help with the guide or any questions about SSDs/HDDs and Windows!
Post your questions in this thread or make a new thread!
I will no longer be replying to PMs about this information!
If you have any personal questions/offers/requests then feel free to PM me.
Offline .pdf file version: (link)
Note: for Windows 8 please go here: (link)
Why I created this guide:
I originally made this for myself, family and friends, but since most of the guides here are getting out if date and are lacking information I decided to share it here. I have spent hours upon hours, even days researching, testing, and validating the information you are about to read over. This guide meant to help anyone with a SSD/HDD install and optimize their Windows 7 installation. I've spent hours upon hours looking up info and reinstalled Windows 7 over 100 times now, this is the best way to go about installation in my eyes. Please read this thoroughly, I know there is a lot of info, but the actual installation only takes a few minutes and there are only a few quick steps. I guarantee you will have learned something new after reading this thread. Furthermore, I will constantly update this guide for everyone's benefit. If you would like me to put up a video on a step or something just ask and I will have one up shortly. If you have any suggestions please feel free to let me know as well!
If you have any problem or question on the guide, windows, storage, firmware, drivers, whatever please do not hesitate to ask in this thread!
A quick word on SSDs:
SSDs do NOT require the confusing and intense setup that a lot of people seem to suggest. The current day SSDs are much more reliable and literally all that is necessary is to change the SATA mode to AHCI or RAID in the BIOS/UEFI, install, and you are good to go. Also, if you want to learn more about SSDs or see my recommended SSDs then click here: (More info here)
System Requirements:
- 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor.
- 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit).
- 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit).
- DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver.
- Internet access (fees may apply).
- Depending on resolution, video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardware.
- Some games and programs might require a graphics card compatible with DirectX 10 or higher for optimal performance.
- For some Windows Media Center functionality a TV tuner and additional hardware may be required.
- Windows Touch and Tablet PCs require specific hardware.
- HomeGroup requires a network and PCs running Windows 7.
- DVD/CD authoring requires a compatible optical drive.
- BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2.
- BitLocker To Go requires a USB flash drive.
- Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM and an additional 15 GB of available hard disk space.
- Music and sound require audio output.
- Please, fill out your system spec's and put them in your signature before asking any questions. Follow tutorial here: (link)
- *Possibly* Update the firmware on your SSDs, HDDs, Mobos, etc.
- Installation and optimization will take anywhere from 10min-3hrs depending on your system.
- Windows will take up ~ 7-15GB after the guide is complete. Ex. After install and page file and hibernation file shrink/deletion: (link)
- Make sure you have all your personal data you want to keep backed up, if you are not installing on a new drive, all the data on your OS drive will be deleted before installation.
- The installation section of this guide is not for those of you who are going to dual boot.
- Make sure you have all your drivers for your motherboard and other hardware, especially the network driver just in case Windows does not have the right one for your PC.
- Any program installed in a previous Windows installation drive will not be usable on a new installation, you need to reinstall them again even if installed on another drive.
- Have you lost your disc or is it damaged beyond use and need a legitimate copy of windows 7?
- Are you getting error messages or BSoDs with your installer?
- Do you just want a copy of Windows 7 with SP1 pre-installed?
Download ISOs directly from Microsoft. You will need an product key to verify your license before you download.
Download Link
- Using Win Toolkit (integrate updates, drivers, & customize Windows 7/8)
- How to use RT Se7en Lite: (link)
- Guide to stripping down Windows 7 for Benching: (link)
- How to make a bootable Windows 7 USB for the BIOS/UEFI motherboard and MBR format install:
Windows 7 USB/DVD download tool
OR
How to make a bootable Windows 7 USB installer with CMD:
- Open and run CMD as Administrator.
- Type Diskpart, press Enter.
- Type List Disk, press Enter.
- Type Select Disk # (where # is the number your USB drive shows up as), press Enter.
- Type Clean, press Enter.
- Type Create Partition Primary, press Enter.
- Type Active, press Enter.
- Type Format Quick FS=FAT32, press Enter.
- Type Assign, press Enter.
- Type Exit, press Enter.
- Copy everything from the Windows 7 installation DVD onto the USB key (a simple drag and drop will do; if you have an .iso extract or mount first).
Video Tut:
- How to make a bootable Windows 7 USB for the UEFI motherboard and GPT format install:
- Your USB drive must be bootable and be formatted with a FAT32 file system. The UEFI is unable to identify a USB drive formatted with NTFS as a UEFI boot device.
How to make a bootable Windows 7 USB installer with CMD:- Open and run CMD as Administrator.
- Type Diskpart, press Enter.
- Type List Disk, press Enter.
- Type Select Disk # (where # is the number your USB drive shows up as), press Enter.
- Type Clean, press Enter.
- Type Create Partition Primary, press Enter.
- Type Active, press Enter.
- Type Format Quick FS=FAT32, press Enter.
- Type Assign, press Enter.
- Type Exit, press Enter.
- Copy everything from the Windows 7 installation DVD onto the USB key (a simple drag and drop will do; if you have an .iso extract or mount first).
- Your USB drive must also contain the directory and file: "*:\efi\boot\bootx64.efi" (* is the drive letter of your USB key that holds the Windows 7 installation files). This is the ".efi" installation boot loader extension. If you do not have this directory or file on your USB drive this is how you create it:
- First, create a new directory called boot inside the "efi" folder on the USB.
- You will then need to copy all of the files from the "*:\efi\microsoft\boot" directory into the directory you just created ("*:\efi\boot").
- Next, use 7-Zip to open the archive located at: "*:\sources\install.wim."
- Inside the archive, find the file located in folder "1\Windows\boot\efi\bootmgfw.efi."
- Copy this file to "*:\EFI\Boot\" location you created earlier. (Not in the 7-zip) (This file is also available from any current windows 7 installation. It is located in the "C:\Windows\Boot\EFI" folder.)
- After copying the file to the "*:\efi\boot" directory, rename the file in "*:\EFI\Boot\bootmgfw.efi" to "bootx64.efi". You should now have an EFI boot loader folder for Windows called *:\efi\boot\" with all of the files copied from the "*:\efi\microsoft\boot" folder and the newly named "bootx64.efi."
- Your install media (DVD/USB) must be inserted into your PC prior to powering it up. This will allow your UEFI to register your device (DVD/USB drive) as a UEFI boot enabled device.
Step 1:
Step 2:
- Your USB drive must be bootable and be formatted with a FAT32 file system. The UEFI is unable to identify a USB drive formatted with NTFS as a UEFI boot device.