Getting Intel 750 SSD to install and boot Windows 7 on z170 motherboard

[JSwan1]

All,

I created this account for the express purpose of (hopefully) making the installation process a little easier for those who may have trouble installing Windows 7 on their new Intel 750 SSD. After going through tremendous difficulty, I figured the least I could do is to lessen the pain for someone else.

My motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z170X-Gaming 7

Here are the things that I had to do to get things working. Note that these are not necessarily in order:

1.) Have Windows 7 either on DVD or USB (using the Windows USB Installation Tool available from the Gigabyte support site). Though Gigabyte claims that the USB installer is necessary, I found that not to be the case for me.

2.) Change the 'storage boot option control' to "UEFI only" in BIOS

3.) Change/maintain 'windows 8 features' in 'other OS' in BIOS

-steps 2 and 3 are described with pictures in the 'Boot Guide for NVMe SSD pdf file:

http://download.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/nvme_boot_guide_332098001us.pdf http://download.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/nvme_boot_guide_332098001us.pdf

4.) Have driver CD (included with SSD) on hand, or load Intel NVMe drivers (from Intel website's drivers and downloads section) onto USB. I used the CD.

== KEY STEP THAT I MISSED AT FIRST ==

5.) Convert the Intel 750 SSD to a GPT partition (vice MBR). I wasted so much time struggling until I figured this out.

Here's what I did:

-Used Win 8.1 CD that I had on hand (from HTPC), and booted to that drive in UEFI mode (hit F12 to bring up boot menu). From there, I used the built-in parstition utility:

a. From inside Windows Setup, press Shift+F10 to open a command prompt window.

b. Open the diskpart tool:

diskpart

Identify the drive to reformat:

list disk

Select the drive, and reformat it:

select disk clean convert gpt exit

I'm told you can also use a Linux program (GNU Parted) to do the same thing. I wound up with the disk being divided into 3 separate partitions.

==END STEP THAT I MISSED AT FIRST ==

6.) Once done with the GPT partitioning, boot Windows 7 in UEFI mode, and then install the necessary NVMe driver from step 4.

7.) Install Win7 into the 'primary' partition of the SSD (this was partition 3 for me).

Installation should go smoothly from there. I was getting error after error when trying to do steps 6 and 7 without doing step 5 first.

I hope this was of some help.

[jbenavides]

Hello J.Side_Kick,

Thank you for sharing your experience and solution, it will definitely help other users that may be facing a similar situation.

[MLewe]

I have the same hardware you do, but:

After going into BIOS and setting Optimized Defaults and saving, then going back into BIOS and setting "UEFI only" and saving, when I boot into F12 I don't get an option to boot into UEFI - my only choices are the two optical drives (with the Win7 install disk, and the Intel SSD driver disk) or to loop back into BIOS. If I go ahead and let the machine boot into Win7 Setup, it will not recognize the Intel 750 either at the "load driver" sequence or going into command prompt and calling up DISKPART. Setup does recognize the Intel SSD drivers on that disk, and even lists them as being compatible with installed hardware, but that's it.

I've double- and triple-checked, tried every variation I can think of, but nothing will get me past that point. Help?

[jbenavides]

Hello deleweye,

Please review the document: http://download.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/nvme_boot_guide_332098001us.pdf Booting from an NVMe* PCIe* Intel SSD. Here you will find information about configuring motherboards from major vendors in order to boot from the Intel® SSD 750, you should be able to locate an example valid for your system.

Also, make sure you are using the https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/23929/Intel-Solid-State-Drive-Data-Center-Family-for-NVMe-... Intel® Solid-State Drive Data Center Family for NVMe Drivers, version 1.3.0.1007

If the issue persists, please contact the http://www.intel.com/support/oems.htm Computer Manufacturer Support and check if there is any limitation or additional configuration required in your system that would prevent booting from a NVMe* PCIe* drive.

[MLewe]

I have the booting instructions you referenced, and have been following the steps specified.

1. In no configuration will the motherboard boot into UEFI mode.

2. When attempting to manually create a UEFI USB installer according to the instructions on PP 27-28 of the document, diskpart/list disk will not recognize any USB flash drive. I have tried two different USB flash drives in two different USB ports.

I initiated a Tech Support ticket with Gigabyte five days ago. Gigabyte has not bothered to respond.