(I didn't successfully do this yet, but the process is make a Win7 VM on your linux machine, transfer / download the Windows Updater software (there are various that do this task out there, I tried 2 so far because first one didn't work at least not on my Win7 VM), use the Win7 install (unpacked, add plugins to the 'sources' folder with the Windows Updater software, which then should package a new .iso which you can use to install a Win7 that has drivers for NVME, trackpad, etc, to use on a more modern machine (not all machines, and less so for post 2018 machines it seems).

...

QEMU VM, MAKE A WIN7 VM

1. Copy the .iso for Win 7 to the hard drive.
2. Create a new VM for Win7
3. Might cause freezing when you try to install with it. If so do the following changes:

CPU Configuration:

• Click CPUs in the left sidebar.
• Uncheck "Copy host CPU configuration" (if checked).
• In the "Model" dropdown (or type it in), select Westmere or Nehalem. These are Intel architectures from the era Windows 7 was designed for.

Video Selection:

• Click Video QXL -> change Model to VGA.

Display (Spice/VNC):

• Click Display Spice (or Display VNC).
• Ensure "Listen type" is set to Address (not None).
• Set OpenGL to Off (Unchecked).

4. Now, if it says there's no boot device, do:

• Go to Boot Options.
• Crucial: Make sure the checkbox next to SATA CDROM 1 (your ISO) is checked.
• Move it to the very top of the list.

5. Install Win 7 Pro or Ultimate (Ultimate isn't better except Bitlocker, and both allow lots of RAM (more than the 40gb limit of the T480s.
6. It may try to boot into the installer again. Power off and go to the VM settings and Boot Options and uncheck the CD from the boot options (just boot from SATA).

7. Once Windows7 boots and you are on the home screen, do:

8. User Account Control (UAC) - Turn it Off

• The "Image Updater" tool needs to perform thousands of administrative actions (mounting images, registry edits). If UAC is on, you will get a pop-up every 10 seconds.
• Once you reach the desktop, go to Start -> type UAC.
• Click "Change User Account Control settings".
• Drag the slider all the way to the bottom (Never notify).
• Click OK and Restart the VM.

2. Windows Updates - Set to "Never" This VM is a temporary workbench. You do not want Windows 7 trying to download 10 years of updates while you are trying to use the CPU to patch your ISO.

• When the setup asks about "Help protect your computer and improve Windows automatically," choose "Ask me later" or "Skip".
• If you're already past that, go to Control Panel -> Windows Update -> Change Settings -> Set to "Never check for updates".

3. Screen Sleep & Power Settings Patching a Windows 7 ISO can take 30–60 minutes depending on your Kali machine's speed. You don't want the VM falling asleep mid-patch.

• Go to Control Panel -> Power Options.
• Select "High Performance".
• Click "Change plan settings" and set "Put the computer to sleep" to Never.

...

4. Back on the Host Linux, install an (there are several different ones out there) Windows 7 Image Updater (.8gb) into a folder on your desktop called vm-transfer.

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/384921-Windows-7-Image-Updater-SkyLake-KabyLake-CoffeLake-Ryzen-Threadripper (this guy is rep trusted)

(direct link: http://www.mediafire.com/file/rboz5cp9glofjd0/Windows_7_Image_Updater.7z )

That Image Updater didn't seem to work.

I put in the Simplix one updatepack7r2 (but be careful because if you just double click this it will start updating your Windows 7 guest.

Also put 7zip in that folder. https://www.7-zip.org/download.html (you need this to open the .7z file). Also put a text file with this in it: C:\UpdatePack7R2.exe /WimFile=C:\win7\sources\install.wim /Index=* /NVMe /Optimize and C:\UpdatePack7R2.exe /WimFile=C:\win7\sources\boot.wim /Index=2 /NVMe

Now in the vm-transfer folder, you have the win7 folder and inside that the win7 .iso, and also the Windows_7_Image_Updater.7z.

In Terminal, run:

sudo genisoimage -o ~/Desktop/transfer.iso -R -J ~/Desktop/vm-transfer

This creates the transfer.iso image (5.7gb) on your desktop.

Add that new CD image to the VM in the VM's info section > CPUs, select SATA CD and you should see on the list on the left an item for SATA CDROM 1 and change the path to the transfer.iso on your Desktop. In Boot Options, SATA CDROM 1 doesn't need to be checked though.

6. Install 7zip.

7. Copy the Simplix UpdatePack7R2etcetc file to C: . Copy the win7 folder to C: also. In win7 folder, extract the .iso.

8. Open Command Prompt as admin (r click it and open as admin). Do C:\UpdatePack7R2orwhatever.exe /WimFile=C:\win7\sources\install.wim /Index=* /NVMe /Optimize

kb917607