Downgrading to Windows 7 - Now can't install USB and wireless drivers

Question

Please help me, what's happening is freaking horrible...

I've just bought the new Asus Zenbook UX305 (Zenbook), which comes with the horrible Windows 8.1 and I don't want to install Windows 10... So I installed Windows 7 on it

THE PROBLEM: By reinstalling, I deleted all drivers, so now the Wireless driver is gone, so I can't get any network to install the wireless driver....

THE OTHER PROBLEM: I have another computer, so I downloaded the drivers and put them on a usb stick. BUT, because there's no drivers on the laptop, It doesn't recognize USBs!

About Asus UX305 (Zenbook)

• NO CD/DVD reader
• M.2 SSD
• USB 3.0 ports only
• No Direct WLAN Internet port

Additionnal Information

• Both FAT, FAT32 and NTFS are not recognized
• I don't have any system image of Windows 8.1 because the option wasn't available
• I don't have any windows.old folders because the Windows 7 installation restarted 2 times before working correctly
• I tried putting drivers files directly on the laptops hard drive, but oviously I don't have any M.2 support on my other computer
• I don't have Windows 7 key (because my version is kind of not the most guenuine one...)
• I haven't saved Windows 8.1 key (because I think and thought it won't be usefull for Windows 7)

Additionnal Question

Is there a way to modify the USB 3.0 port options so they can run in USB 2.0 without drivers? I mean, my other computer's USB ports worked perfectly without any drivers, so it's so ridiculous!

What can I do? Please help, it is so frustrating!

Solution

Update

Finally, we decided to install Windows 10 on the Asus Zenbook laptop. We were able to recover the product key, so we installed a guenuine version of Windows. Also, I'm pretty sure I found the problem.

Problem Discovered

Windows 8 comes with the newer drivers made for older and newer computers. Windows 7 comes with older drivers made only for Windows 7 (and older) computers. The Zenbook comes packed with Windows 8. So, downgrading to any other version of Windows remove all the drivers (of course), but doesn't reinstall all of them (like USB ones) because they were not existing at the time the computer was released (like 4 years later).

Tips

Never downgrade a Windows version if your computer wasn't packed with it at the purchase.

We may have been able to buy a SATA to M.2 adapter to directly tranfer the drivers to the Zenbook's hard drive, but it will have cost around 100$, which is clearly too pricey for the need.

Thanks

By ending, I want to thanks all of you that tried to help me. It really is appreciate ;)

Comments

[AFH]

Basic drivers for USB, discs and Ethernet should have gone in with the W7 installation. If they didn't, try one of the following:- 1. Reinstall W7 from bootable disc. 2. Check if there is a partition holding the manufacturer's drivers and utilities: some of these may work with W7. 3. Boot up a Live CD: this will have USB drivers, and can be used to copy from USB to hard drive. 4. Perform a factory restore, copy the drivers, re-install W7 (you can restore any personal files from the back-up that you must have taken before embarking in the down-grade).

[lolgab123]

Forget to mention: laptop doesn't have any cd/dvd reader because it's too slim. Same for direct WLAN connection. AND my Windows 7 isn't the most guenuine version, so it installed with a setup.exe instead of .iso file... So how to make a Live CD with this?

[AFH]

I can't advise you on how to use software fraudulently.

[lolgab123]

Definitly seems interesting, but there's a problem: This installation needs a Windows key, right? And I don't have one... Can I do something to use the Windows 8.1 key that came with the laptop (which I haven't wrote anywhere before reinstalling) and use it for a guenuine version of Windows 7?

[Hewbot]

No, sadly you can't do that. During the installation you don't need to provide a key (you can ommit that step, and activate Windows later). I can't suggest you to pirate a Windows copy, but I'm sure you'll be able to handle that once you're inside a working Windows 7.

[lolgab123]

What if I activates Windows later? Does it will block any programs until I activates it? Do there will be a trial time?

[Hewbot]

AFAIK, it will be like a full Windows copy, but with the water mark in the desktop, and the constant reminders telling you to activate it. After a few days (about a month or so) it could be a bit more "aggressive" (black background, some reduced functions...).

[lolgab123]

Damn it. But why does the USB ports need drivers? Like it's just an infinite loop! And my 3 other computer's (2 manufactured, 1 custom) usb ports worked perfectly without any drivers when I installed my Windows 7 version of them!

[Hewbot]

It usually doesn't, that's the odd thing here. But it's very probable that a brand new Windows 7 installation (from an ISO), fixes it.

[lolgab123]

Ok, so if I install the brand new .iso Wondows 7, and then reinstall my Windows 7 version, do you think the problem will still fixed? Because I really don't want to buy a Windows 7 key (do we can still buy it anyway?)

[Hewbot]

Just install Windows 7 from the ISO, and then if you are going to activate it in "questionable ways", you will be able to do it from there, with no need of installing your version again. Anyways, I still encourage you to buy a key, since piracy is illegal and companies also deserve their money! ;)

[lolgab123]

Ok, I will see and try it that way. Really big thanks for the help, I will try remembering to comment once tried.

[RogUE]

Actually, I too ran into the same problem some days ago. I installed Win 7 on an HP notebook which came pre-installed with win 8.1, the same problem, no drivers including usb drivers. So I downloaded the necessary drivers to another pc, made a Live Linux usb device and booted from it, connected the pendrive containing the drivers and copied them to the hard disk. Then I restarted the system and boot into Windows 7 and installed the drivers. Everything is working fine now.

[lolgab123]

Mmh... I think my friend tried something like this (using dump files), but he nearly explained it to me (it was a bit above my level of understanding)... But thinking of it it seems pretty awesome 😊 But now I'm pretty happy with Windows 10 (Well, in fact, it's my brother's laptop 😶). I will still definitly investigate on this. Thanks!

[Vomit IT - Chunky Mess Style]

Post some content quoted from this link if it helped. Otherwise it is just a useless link.

[lolgab123]

Thanks for that answer. I hoped that will help some people! If it does so, please comment here the results. Else, upgrading to Windows 10 seems to be a good solution.