How to install Windows 7 from USB 3.0?

[Mark7ones]

Did anyone succeed to install Windows 7 from USB 3.0?
Because I have integrated the drivers in boot.wim and install.wim, but I always get the same error (missing driver).
I also tried to load them from a folder or to install in UEFI mode ... no way!
It's quite frustrating...

[jaclaz]

48 minutes ago, Mark7ones said:

Did anyone succeed to install Windows 7 from USB 3.0?
Because I have integrated the drivers in boot.wim and install.wim, but I always get the same error (missing driver).
I also tried to load them from a folder or to install in UEFI mode ... no way!
It's quite frustrating...

Well, the EXACT hardware you have, the EXACT drivers you added and rhe EXACT  way you have integated it (and the EXACT Registry changes you made) may make a difference, anyway try this:

http://reboot.pro/topic/21231-can-w7-be-booted-from-usb30-port/

jaclaz

 

 

[Mark7ones]

3 hours ago, jaclaz said:

Well, the EXACT hardware you have, the EXACT drivers you added and rhe EXACT  way you have integated it (and the EXACT Registry changes you made) may make a difference, anyway try this:

http://reboot.pro/topic/21231-can-w7-be-booted-from-usb30-port/

jaclaz

 

 

Sorry ... I'm sure I've integrated the right drivers (VIA_XHCI_Driver_V4.90A_AP).
I'm not really a newbie.
Also, I tried on a different pc with all the USB 3.0 drivers available (Etron, AMD).
The problem is not the drivers, the problem is Microsoft.
I'll read that thread, let's see if there's anything interesting...

Edited February 9, 2018 by Mark7ones

[Mark7ones]

Ok, so basically, as suggested by cdob, you have to edit the registry in offline mode.
Jaclaz, have you tested the batch he posted or should I check it?

[Tripredacus]

For USB 3.0 there are usually 2 drivers you need to add. For intel, they have a driver for the controller and also for the hub. VIA may be similar (edit as cdob says in that thread). Also, if you are using a stock boot.wim, make sure you are injecting your drivers into Image Index 2. Also make sure to use a Windows 7 SP1 source.

[Mark7ones]

35 minutes ago, Tripredacus said:

For USB 3.0 there are usually 2 drivers you need to add. For intel, they have a driver for the controller and also for the hub. VIA may be similar (edit as cdob says in that thread). Also, if you are using a stock boot.wim, make sure you are injecting your drivers into Image Index 2. Also make sure to use a Windows 7 SP1 source.

Right, my VIA controller has two drivers (ViaHub3.inf and xhcdrv.inf) integrated in both boot.wim images (winpe and setup) and install.wim.

There's something I cannot understand, because even if I load drivers manually it doesn't work...

[jaclaz]

2 hours ago, Mark7ones said:

Ok, so basically, as suggested by cdob, you have to edit the registry in offline mode.
Jaclaz, have you tested the batch he posted or should I check it?

No need to.

Usually when cdob  posts something, it is:

1) accurate
2) tested (unless explicitly marked as "experimental")
3) working 

 

In this case the "experimental" thread was:

http://reboot.pro/topic/16769-usb3-issues/

while the given one:

http://reboot.pro/topic/21231-can-w7-be-booted-from-usb30-port/

is AFAIK/AFAICR "final", but you seem like being in a yet different case, with VIA hardware (and drivers), so you will need to adapt the batch or change manually the relevant keys.

jaclaz

[cdob]

4 hours ago, Mark7ones said:

I'm sure I've integrated the right drivers (VIA_XHCI_Driver_V4.90A_AP).
 

VIA USB 3.0 is  a WDF driver model.
The culprit is the Wdf driver version. At 4.50 it was a WdfCoInstaller01011.dll. Which version uses 4.90A?
Windows 7 supports WDF 1.9 out of the box.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/wdf/kmdf-version-history

If you like to install from USB, there is no need to set start mode.
Booting from USB is another case.

What about post #7? http://reboot.pro/topic/21231-can-w7-be-booted-from-usb30-port/#entry200513
Be aware, there are CPU requirements.
A Win 8.1 install ISO may be useful. There is 'dism /apply-image' and 'bcdboot' out ot the box.

[Mark7ones]

2 hours ago, cdob said:

VIA USB 3.0 is  a WDF driver model.
The culprit is the Wdf driver version. At 4.50 it was a WdfCoInstaller01011.dll. Which version uses 4.90A?
Windows 7 supports WDF 1.9 out of the box.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/wdf/kmdf-version-history

If you like to install from USB, there is no need to set start mode.
Booting from USB is another case.

What about post #7? http://reboot.pro/topic/21231-can-w7-be-booted-from-usb30-port/#entry200513
Be aware, there are CPU requirements.
A Win 8.1 install ISO may be useful. There is 'dism /apply-image' and 'bcdboot' out ot the box.

Solved.

I have slipstreamed the drivers from this pack: https://pcorakel.stackstorage.com/s/TZ47bLjfLs2M9wv.

These VIA drivers work, the ones I downloaded from Gigabyte no.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Mark7ones

[cdob]

This is a historic VIA driver with WdfCoInstaller01009.dll. Yes, Windows 7 supports this WDF 1.9 version out of the box.
Congratulations, the old drivers works at given hardware.

[Mark7ones]

2 hours ago, cdob said:

This is a historic VIA driver with WdfCoInstaller01009.dll. Yes, Windows 7 supports this WDF 1.9 version out of the box.
Congratulations, the old drivers works at given hardware.

I don't know... according to the date in the .inf file, the driver I have integrated is more recent.
But I still do not understand why the drivers I use for the system. for the same controller. are not good for setup.

[cdob]

VIA USB 3.0 driver xhcdrv.sys calls windows driver wdfldr.sys.
If you use a historic VIA USB 3.0 driver , it's calling a wdfldr.sys 1.9. This wdfldr.sys is integrated in Windows 7.
The xhcdrv.sys driver works.

Dism includes the VIA USB 3.0 driver only, not the WdfCoInstaller.
The OS default wdfldr.sys is used still.

If you use a current VIA USB 3.0 driver, then xhcdrv.sys calls a newer wdfldr.sys. This is not included in Windows 7.
The xhcdrv.sys driver dosn't works. The system is calling for a missing driver. It's a driver version conflict.

If you install the drivers at windows, then WdfCoInstaller is installed too. There is a current wdfldr.sys installed.
The xhcdrv.sys driver works.

If  a user use historic hardware, the historic VIA driver works.
If a user use more recent hardware, the historic VIA driver dosn't support the hardware and fails.

[jaclaz]

47 minutes ago, cdob said:

VIA USB 3.0 driver xhcdrv.sys calls windows driver wdfldr.sys.
If you use a historic VIA USB 3.0 driver , it's calling a wdfldr.sys 1.9. This wdfldr.sys is integrated in Windows 7.
The xhcdrv.sys driver works.

Dism includes the VIA USB 3.0 driver only, not the WdfCoInstaller.
The OS default wdfldr.sys is used still.

... which creates the questions:

Is it possible (and if yes, how) replace the wdfldr.sys 1.9 with a newer one?

Is the "newer" backwards compatible with the wdfldr.sys 1.9?

Or in other words, is there a way to "update" the boot.wim and install.wim in such a way that is compatible with both "old" anf "new" drivers using the co-installer (regardless if they are these specific VIA USB 3.x drivers)?

jaclaz

Edited February 10, 2018 by jaclaz

[Mark7ones]

1 hour ago, cdob said:

VIA USB 3.0 driver xhcdrv.sys calls windows driver wdfldr.sys.
If you use a historic VIA USB 3.0 driver , it's calling a wdfldr.sys 1.9. This wdfldr.sys is integrated in Windows 7.
The xhcdrv.sys driver works.

Dism includes the VIA USB 3.0 driver only, not the WdfCoInstaller.
The OS default wdfldr.sys is used still.

If you use a current VIA USB 3.0 driver, then xhcdrv.sys calls a newer wdfldr.sys. This is not included in Windows 7.
The xhcdrv.sys driver dosn't works. The system is calling for a missing driver. It's a driver version conflict.

If you install the drivers at windows, then WdfCoInstaller is installed too. There is a current wdfldr.sys installed.
The xhcdrv.sys driver works.

If  a user use historic hardware, the historic VIA driver works.
If a user use more recent hardware, the historic VIA driver dosn't support the hardware and fails.

Setup:

1) Working driver:

[xHC_wdfsect]
KmdfLibraryVersion = 1.9

2) Not working driver (downloaded from Gigabyte):

[xHC_wdfsect]
KmdfLibraryVersion = 1.11

The second driver is for Windows 8, also compatible with Windows 7 but not usable during setup.
Of course I did not know...