Two OS on same laptop
Two OS on same laptop
You might run a very light OS, not requiring 4GB of memory to function well.
The answer is to purchase 16GB of memory and stop there.
This greatly eases your issue.
If necessary, hand the memory to someone with no space left.
At any time just one of the two operating systems will run (dual boot, not virtual machine). Therefore, all my 4gb is dedicated to that OS. This means it's enough for working on Win7, isn't it?
I understand your RAM isn't sufficient for running Windows 7 on a VM. However, you might be able to run Windows 7 as a separate operating system. Is 4GB enough for that?
There are ways to add USB, NVME, and required fixes to the Windows 7 installation media. Challenges may occur with device drivers such as LAN, Wi-Fi, audio, and touchpad. If these drivers can't be located for Windows 7, the devices might not function properly. Additionally, the Windows update feature could be disabled, leading to an unsupported hardware notification screen. Beyond these concerns, the system should operate normally.
Actually, solving a real issue is preferable to just covering it up.
Just obtain the correct RAM stick.
Attempting an unfeasible or pointless fix due to fear of "wasting" a 4 GB RAM stick that isn't useful is simply the worst choice here.
This is like trying to turn off the "low windshield washer fluid" light on your car instead of purchasing the actual fluid.