New laptop issue

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
18,425
Location
Cambridge
I have bought a brand new laptop without OS as I have a retail copy of Windows 7 I was planning to upgrade to Windows 10. After non stop crashes trying to install from CD I called the company I bought the laptop from. It's not compatible with Windows 7 (didn't realise anything wasn't). Bit of a dilemma as I need to install 7 to do the upgrade to 10. Any clues how I can get around this?
 
You haven't said what sort of laptop but am assuming something like a Chromebook that will run linux but not Windows.

Depends on the what sort of cpu as to whether you might be able to run Window programs in Wine.

If you can't return the laptop for a refund you may need to embrace linux !
 
You might be lucky with recent MS changes as the latest insider build is meant to change how activation occurs, allowing for a qualifying product key to be entered, just like used to be the case.

Therefore you might be able to fresh install to W10 and skip key requests and then opt in to the insider program once in W10 and then hopefully supply your W7 key.
 
Is the laptop going to be a 'specialist' for you!? Cannot see how its not compatible with Win 7
 
Well it definitely doesn't boot from the CD no matter what I do so appears not to be. I wasn't aware Windows 7 was incompatible with anything. Got Win 10 installed now just going to update and opt in to the insider builds.
 
Just seen this elsewhere:

Boot into BIOS setup, if this is a new Win10 PC look for a setting to disable Secure Boot. Then enable Legacy BIOS or Compatibility Support Module (CSM). This should remove any EFI Boot Disk from BIOS Boot order. Set DVD drive first to boot, HDD second. Then set SATA controller to AHCI. Save changes and Exit.
 
I don't have many options in the BIOS, definitely not a Legacy or Compatibility option.

Have got installed and signed up to insider program now anyway. What build number should I be aiming for? Can I just leave the insider program when I'm at the relevant build number?
 
Not sure how you get further up the builds. Does it offer you a higher build if you check for updates in Windows Update?
 
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