Windows 10 boot sequence
 

Hi
Sorry to ask this on a Linux forum but i'm stuck and need help.
There are two software programmes I need that will only run on Windows.
I have a laptop with windows 10 installed which I don't own. I do own Windows 7 Pro
and I would like to delete 10 and install 7 in the boot part of the drive. I also
intend to install Linux Mint xfce 19.1 on the rest of the drive.

So how do I change the boot sequence on 10 so that I can install 7 from the dvd drive?
Is it possible to access a terminal and just format the drive?

Thanks in advance as I know somebody will have the answer.

Grabro

You need to change th bios to boot from cd/dvd/usb reboot with the the medium inserted and follow instructions. Do windows 7 first.

The laptop or do you mean you do not have a license for windows 10? If you have windows 10 you best determine whether it is an EFI/GPT install or you will have problems. If you have a GPT drive, your windows needs to be an EFI install which is possible but not the default with windows 7. If you install windows 7 EFI, you will need to also install Mint EFI. If windows 7 is a Legacy install, Mint also needs to be.

You should have the GParted partition manager on the Mint install disk/usb which can create partitions and format. If there is nothing on the drive, you might just use GParted to create a new partition table on the drive.

Yes it was pre-installed when I bought the Laptop
The activation has now expired.

Thanks about the EFI I will look in to this.


Grabro

If you don't need to keep Win10, installing Win7 should be straightforward - keeping in mind the issues yancek raises. But on a clean Win7 install (to a different machine), that would at least require (re-)activation of the Win7. I doubt Microsoft will (still) do that.

here is what I do
I boot Magiea Linux 6 as my main install
then I have VMWare for virtual machine
I have installed both Windows 7 and 10 so that I can use either
as long as you have valid keys they will install properly
and they have both been activated

I used to dual boot but running a virtual machine is easier

I use VMWare because I first tried virtualbox but had issues with USB etc

win 10
 

floppywhopper

Yes I thought of just installing Mint and using virtualbox for Win 7.

In fact I am begining to think that this may be my best option.

The biggest obstacle is getting the laptop to boot from the dvd drive
before it accesses the main drive and loads win 10.

Grabro

Try holding down some function keys during boot (exactly which one depends on the laptop model).