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I am trying to install windows 7 side by side with windows 10, as I am tired of headache that windows 10 gives me and also dont want to lose original windows copy from which I upgraded to windows 10.

My system is 64 bit, so after searching on google I found out that I need to install 64 bit windows 7 iso on GPT partition with UEFI enabled, Legacy and CSM enabled, Secure boot disabled, USB 3.0 port status before boot set to Auto mode.

I used Rufus program to make bootable usb disk, using FAT 32 as file system and Target platform as GPT with UEFI. But even after following all instructions, My laptop is not booting from USB disk, I have set booting order in legacy and UEFI as USB first. Even when I manually select booting device as USB drive (which is recognised and shown in available boot devices prior to boot) then it says "No bootable device found".

Then I tried to install windows 7 ,by running windows 7 iso while in windows 10. But no matter which windows 7 iso image I use , It always says "Use the other installation disc that says 64-bit. When you insert it, Windows Setup will restart automatically". I have downloaded various windows 7 iso (almost all more than 3 gb in size and claimed to be 64 bit, also checked for various signs that proves this iso was of 64 bit, e.g. size more than 3 gb, presence of bootmgr.efi file etc.), also why everyone will upload 32 bit win7 iso claiming it as 64bit as I have downloaded 5-6 such ISO and Everytime my laptop says use other 64 bit iso.

After further research someone suggested to go in sources folder in iso media and from there launch setup.exe file, to my surprise it worked and windows 7 set up started and files were loaded, but again before installation it said this is 32 bit windows 7 try other disc.

So please suggest any way to find windows 7 64 bit iso that can be installed alonside windows 10 and also reasons why windows 7 bootable usb is not booting and why it always detects every 64 bit winiso as 32 bit ?

Thanks in advance.

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The best you can do is to create a separate partition while in your windows 10, and name that partition something obvious as "windows 7" make sure the partition is about 15-20 Gb in size. Then, making sure you have the correct .iso file for windows 7, use this tool to create a bootable usb. Then, as you already said, enable legacy support in your BIOS, and the change the boot order to boot from your usb first. When you successfully boot, choose to "custom install" and select the partition that you created.

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  • So all you are suggesting is to use alternate tool from Microsoft to make Bootable usb instead of using Rufus. I will try that but don't think that it will help. Of course I have already made 40 gb separate partition ready for installation. My actual problems are what I have summarized at end of question.
    – Vaibhav Yawalkar
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 7:50
  • if you had windows 7 installed originally, and upgraded to windows 10, then you can downgrade back to windows 7 within a month. Also, when you open the iso in file explorer, do you see a bootmgr.efi file?
    – Prashantc
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 8:29
  • No. I had pre-installed windows 8 which was upgraded to windows 10. As expected that Microsoft tool didn't make any difference. Suspecting some problem with USB drive, now trying another usb disk. Ya that iso does have bootmgr.efi file.
    – Vaibhav Yawalkar
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 10:44
  • If the bootmgr.efi file is there, you have a 64 bit iso.
    – Prashantc
    Commented Sep 21, 2016 at 6:50

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