How to install Windows 7 on a Surface Pro, or a UEFI-only device

[GD 2W10]

If you have tried to install Windows 7 on a Surface Pro, or a UEFI-only device., you may have noticed it hangs on "Starting Windows" or gives error 0xc000000d, or you might have seen the following message:

Quote

The Surface Pro is a class 3 UEFI device, which means it has no Compatibility Support Module (CSM), which emulates the old BIOS environment. Windows 7 is not compatible with UEFI, which means without CSM, it wouldn't be able to function.
If you had to run Windows 7 on a Surface Pro, the only way would be to enable the Hyper-V feature of Windows 8 and run Windows 7 inside a virtual machine (VM). However, this would limit the resources available and the capabilities such as some of the touch/pen features.

 

However, this article proves that it isn't impossible to achieve this. This tutorial shows you how to install Windows 7 on a Surface Pro. This tutorial is meant for the Surface Pro 1, but could work on any other UEFI-only device, which it should, but not guaranteed.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Boot the USB. This ISO uses a Windows 10 PE, but has a Windows 7 install.wim.
2. Open command prompt by pressing "Shift+F10"
3. Type in setup.exe /noreboot
4. Go through setup normally. 
5. On the command prompt, type in "diskpart"
6. Type in the following commands:
sel dis 0
lis par
sel par 1 (where your boot partition is)
assign letter w
exit
7. Open up Notepad, and click "Open" or "Save As". Enable all files to be viewed. Go to W:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot and copy the BCD file and paste it onto the Windows 7 partition.
8. Go back to diskpart by typing "diskpart" in
9. Type in the following commands:
sel dis 0
sel vol w
form quick fs=fat32
exit
10. Go back to Notepad, and click "Open" or "Save As". Enable all files to be viewed. Go to the USB drive, then go to the FlashBootPro folder, then copy the "EFI" folder.
11.Go to W:\ and paste the EFI folder.
12. Go to the Windows 7 partition and cut "BCD".
13. Go to W:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot and paste "BCD" on the folder.
14. Reboot. Setup should continue normally.
NOTE: For some reason, Windows will NOT boot if any USB devices are connected. Any time you boot into 7, you MUST disconnect them, boot into 7, then connect them again. Wifi is integrated but doesn't work. You will need to purchase a separate USB wireless adapter.

Proof of Windows 7 installed on Surface Pro 1: 

 

[bruno16757]

going to try this on my surface pro 3

Edited February 26, 2023 by bruno16757

[GD 2W10]

39 minutes ago, bruno16757 said:

going to try this on my surface pro 3

It should work given you follow the instructions. However, stuff like the graphics driver and the WiFi driver will not worked and those need to be replaced. There should be a graphics driver for Windows 7 on SP3 (Intel HD Graphics 4400), but I don't know about the WiFi card.

[Jakob99]

Couldn't the BIOS in this computer be modded to add in Legacy Mode? SP1 uses Ivy Bridge if I'm not mistaken, so it should be possible.

[GD 2W10]

On 3/16/2023 at 8:08 PM, Jakob99 said:

Couldn't the BIOS in this computer be modded to add in Legacy Mode? SP1 uses Ivy Bridge if I'm not mistaken, so it should be possible.

I don’t think so. If there is a way, I am not sure how to do it.