ASRock B550M Pro4: Windows 7 fresh install

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   Hi there,
I would like to install Windows 7 on my new build (ASRock B550M Pro4, AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5650G, nVME M.2 drive) and yes, I know this OS not supported anymore, but not being supported shouldn´t mean I´m not allowed to use it and basically forced to use a new OS full of ´new functionalities´ that I don´t need nor like.
Anyway, no matter what combination of boot configurations I choose, I can´t seem to enable the Compatibility Support Module (CSM).
So, first of all, is it true that Windows 7 needs CSM enabled to be installed?
And secondly, does this motherboard model in particular (ASRock B550M Pro4) even allow that feature to be enabled in the first place?
Thirdly, I read somewhere that AMD Ryzens with Integrated Graphics Processors (IGP) do not allow CSM, so to troubleshoot this problem I added a discrete graphics card but this hardware addition didn´t do anything for me.
In the boot menu I can read ´CSM is disabled´ and there is no option for me to enable it, and even if I enable/disable a combination of other settings such as ´Primary video adaptor´, ´iGPU configuration´, ´Secure boot´, ´Fast boot´, etc., CSM continues disabled.
In conclusion: Is there a specific hardware setup and/or BIOS settings that allow me to install Windows 7 using the ASRock B550M Pro4?
Note: I´m fully aware that Windows 7 installs EHCI instead of xHCI controllers, so when you start Windows 7 your USB 3.0 hardware stops working. But I´m guessing this can be easily circumvented by using a PS/S keyboard and mouse during installation and then installing the missing USB drivers. Not sure about NVMe though??should I try using a SATA SSD instead?

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LoTek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 06 Sep 2022 Status: Offline Points: 20	Post Options Post Reply Quote LoTek Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: ASRock B550M Pro4: Windows 7 fresh install Posted: 06 Sep 2022 at 10:11pm
	Hi there, I would like to install Windows 7 on my new build (ASRock B550M Pro4, AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5650G, nVME M.2 drive) and yes, I know this OS not supported anymore, but not being supported shouldn´t mean I´m not allowed to use it and basically forced to use a new OS full of ´new functionalities´ that I don´t need nor like. Anyway, no matter what combination of boot configurations I choose, I can´t seem to enable the Compatibility Support Module (CSM). So, first of all, is it true that Windows 7 needs CSM enabled to be installed? And secondly, does this motherboard model in particular (ASRock B550M Pro4) even allow that feature to be enabled in the first place? Thirdly, I read somewhere that AMD Ryzens with Integrated Graphics Processors (IGP) do not allow CSM, so to troubleshoot this problem I added a discrete graphics card but this hardware addition didn´t do anything for me. In the boot menu I can read ´CSM is disabled´ and there is no option for me to enable it, and even if I enable/disable a combination of other settings such as ´Primary video adaptor´, ´iGPU configuration´, ´Secure boot´, ´Fast boot´, etc., CSM continues disabled. In conclusion: Is there a specific hardware setup and/or BIOS settings that allow me to install Windows 7 using the ASRock B550M Pro4? Note: I´m fully aware that Windows 7 installs EHCI instead of xHCI controllers, so when you start Windows 7 your USB 3.0 hardware stops working. But I´m guessing this can be easily circumvented by using a PS/S keyboard and mouse during installation and then installing the missing USB drivers. Not sure about NVMe though??should I try using a SATA SSD instead?

threadzipper1957 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 05 Mar 2022 Status: Offline Points: 9335	Post Options Post Reply Quote threadzipper1957 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Sep 2022 at 6:46pm
	Dear Lo Tek, On the first Ab350 boards, and the first range of CPU's it already didn't work anymore on Matisse, Picasso & Raven Ridge CPU only Windows® 10 64-bit was supported. Even with Bristol Ridge and Summit Ridge CPU's, Windows 7 was no longer supported, but there was a patch tool, that integrated the XHCI drivers into a new Windows install https://download.asrock.com/Utility/UsbPatcher/Win7UsbPatcher(v2.0.21_AM4).zip many people have tried to get this to work with newer CPU's, and have failed. It has got nothing to do with ASRock, it was AMD, and Intel, who decided, no longer to support EHCI, and Microsoft stopped integrating these. Since Intel 100 Series a special XHCI driver was on the download page, en since AM4 there was this patch tool. On B550 there is a reason, why ASRock mentions Windows10 and 11 64 Bit. I would say, go for Windows 11 Pro, becasue most likely you're wasting your time, and it saves a lot of frustration. If you do get it to work, feel free to share it, but you will probably find, you don't find any chipset, or graphics drivers anymore, and hardware is not working properly.
	Kind Regards