Boot Issue BIOS-WindowsBootManager-System Recovery problem

Yes, follow the steps in post 2.

Does it matter that I have SP1 now? My windows CD is retail.

You can get the latest official installer in Steps 1 and 2 of Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
which steps are also best for retail.

Brogan, just one more thing. The UEFI boot system has no effect of the gaming capabilities of your system...

Ok, that didn't work.

I followed the steps exactly. I formatted the partition, rebooted, and started install. But Windows will not let me install to my SSD because it says it has an MBR partition table on it.

In that link you gave it says "if you do not want the 100MB System Reserved partition And only the C: partition on a HDD or SDD, then select a formatted partition or drive."

But I can't do that since it won't install to my formatted partition.

Did you remove EFI Boot Disk from BIOS setup Boot order? It should have DVD drive first, then HDD.

gregrocker said:

I would reinstall to an MBR disk after removing EFI Boot Disk from BIOS Boot order.

Set DVD drive first to boot, boot into DVD Command Line to run Diskpart Clean Command followed by the command "Convert MBR" and "Exit".

Then install Win7 following these same steps for Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

This will avoid problem with having a GPT formatted disk installed with EFI boot which is not needed except in the rarest cases.

There is no problem with the 100mb System Reserved partition created by the installer so I would just close the Command Box after cleaning and converting, click Install Now, then on the Drive Selection Screen click Next to let installer create and format your partition for you.

I think the problem I had was when I booted from the disc drive, it would give me the compatibility error, and I couldn't get to the command prompt. But I guess I needed to read up a bit more because I just figured out how to format the volume in GPT mode and went from there. Installed fine without any "Windows cannot install to this..." errors and no system reserve partition.

From what I read the GPT format is a bit more secure than the older MBR, and even though I don't plan on adding more partitions, it's good to know I can.

There are other ways to get to the Command Prompt: System Recovery Options.

So you decided not to install in MBR mode? Seems you had left EFI Boot Disk first in BIOS setup if it installed to GPT disk in EFI mode. It might help others if you confirm whether you had ever followed that step.

Hmm.. I'm trying to understand what you mean but "removing EFI boot disc from the boot order". Maybe the Z77 bios I have automatically selects that without a bootable drive present, I'm not sure, but the only way I could "remove" it was to get the SSD set up for installation and reboot. And since I did not want the 100mb partition, I tried multiple ways to prepare the drive for install.

perhaps because my install disc is an upgrade version but I was using it like a full version, the only way i could get windows to install (without errors) was to a GPT format. So like I said, I read up on the differences (the links you posted) to make sure there were no other issues, and crossed my fingers.

Anyway, there is no EFI boot disk in BIOS now, only the SSD and the optical drive. Which is what I initially wanted. :)

Thanks for the help Greg.

Maybe you should have asked if you weren't certain since it was listed as the very first and most important step.

Every BIOS has a boot order listing which allows you to choose which order to boot devices. EFI BIOS have a listing for something like EFI Boot Disk which must be removed from priority to install to an MBR disk.

You BIOS may be different which is what I would have replied had you brought this up before you gave up on MBR install. If so read your Manual on the BIOS or Computer's Support Downloads webpage.