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Recently I installed Windows 7 on a new Lenovo laptop (it had Windows 10 pre-installed), and I can confirm that installing Windows 7 is not a trivial task, but it is do-able if you are sufficiently determined.

Out of the box, none of the following work (no drivers): USB2 sockets, USB3 sockets, ethernet adapter, wi-fi adapter, bluetooth adapter, SD card reader. If your PC has an internal CD/DVD drive, you can install Windows 7 from the DVD without problem, and then install the missing drivers (this is what I did). However, if your PC does not have an internal CD/DVD drive, there is no way to boot the Windows 7 installation medium: an external USB CD/DVD drive won't work, and neither will a USB memory stick containing the installation image.

Intel are aware of this, and have provided a tool for producing a "slipstreamed" installation image. I have not used it myself, but others have used it successfully:

Download Windows 7* USB 3.0 Creator Utility

I will be building a new HTPC soon, but have decided to use Windows 7 rather than Windows 10.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

<blockquote data-quote="CyberSimian" data-source="post: 1198300" data-attributes="member: 141969">Recently I installed Windows 7 on a new Lenovo laptop (it had Windows 10 pre-installed), and I can confirm that installing Windows 7 is not a trivial task, but it is do-able if you are sufficiently determined.Out of the box, none of the following work (no drivers): USB2 sockets, USB3 sockets, ethernet adapter, wi-fi adapter, bluetooth adapter, SD card reader.&nbsp; If your PC has an internal CD/DVD drive, you can install Windows 7 from the DVD without problem, and then install the missing drivers (this is what I did).&nbsp; However, if your PC does not have an internal CD/DVD drive, there is no way to boot the Windows 7 installation medium: an external USB CD/DVD drive won't work, and neither will a USB memory stick containing the installation image.Intel are aware of this, and have provided a tool for producing a &quot;slipstreamed&quot; installation image.&nbsp; I have not used it myself, but others have used it successfully:<a href="https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25476/Windows-7-USB-3-0-Creator-Utility" target="_blank">Download Windows 7* USB 3.0 Creator Utility</a>I will be building a new HTPC soon, but have decided to use Windows 7 rather than Windows 10.-- from CyberSimian in the UK</blockquote>

[QUOTE="CyberSimian, post: 1198300, member: 141969"] Recently I installed Windows 7 on a new Lenovo laptop (it had Windows 10 pre-installed), and I can confirm that installing Windows 7 is not a trivial task, but it is do-able if you are sufficiently determined. Out of the box, none of the following work (no drivers): USB2 sockets, USB3 sockets, ethernet adapter, wi-fi adapter, bluetooth adapter, SD card reader. If your PC has an internal CD/DVD drive, you can install Windows 7 from the DVD without problem, and then install the missing drivers (this is what I did). However, if your PC does not have an internal CD/DVD drive, there is no way to boot the Windows 7 installation medium: an external USB CD/DVD drive won't work, and neither will a USB memory stick containing the installation image. Intel are aware of this, and have provided a tool for producing a "slipstreamed" installation image. I have not used it myself, but others have used it successfully: [URL='https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25476/Windows-7-USB-3-0-Creator-Utility']Download Windows 7* USB 3.0 Creator Utility[/URL] I will be building a new HTPC soon, but have decided to use Windows 7 rather than Windows 10. -- from CyberSimian in the UK [/QUOTE]