Windows 7 installation on Toshiba UEFI

Hey all,

I bought a new Toshiba L70-BST2NX1 laptop and I am trying to install Windows 7 (Home Premium 64-bit) on it using UEFI method, not dual boot with Windows 8.1, just Windows 7 all by itself. I got stuck early in the installation process.

Here is what I did:

• Disabled Secure Boot in UEFI setup
• Removed all partitions from HDD
• Began booting from Windows 7 DVD while UEFI is enabled

Having done that, on the screen I see "loading files" text and a white horizontal progress bar. Then the animated Windows startup logo appears with "Starting Windows" text, but then it freezes in the middle of the logo animation. This is where I am stuck.

I certainly want help getting me through the installation but I also have a number of questions.

• Does Windows 7 normally support this type of UEFI installation?
• If UEFI booting is disabled (CSM) on UEFI-capable machine, what functionality do I give up?
• If Windows 7 installation is performed with UEFI boot disabled (CSM), can UEFI booting be enabled again after the installation process is finished?

These are the instructions that Toshiba has, and they say to use CSM booting, but does that mean that UEFI Windows 7 is impossible on UEFI-capable Toshiba machines?
https://aps2.toshiba-tro.de/kb0/TSB2C03F80002R01.htm

I would first try to install to UEFI to enjoy all the features of your graphical BIOS and a little faster boot. If it fails (about 5% seen here) then you can turn to Legacy BIOS.

You must format the installation USB stick using Step 1 in UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

Then boot that stick as an EFI device in the BIOS Boot menu.

Delete all partitions, create and format new as you please or just click Next.

If this fails, post back camera snaps of BIOS settings related to UEFI, CSM, Legacy BIOS, BIOS Boot priority order.

Ztruker said:

Try following these directions: UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with

Those are the very directions I was following when I encountered the problem I am experiencing.

AddRAM said:

Enable Legacy boot to install 7.

You can switch between Legacy and UEFI anytime you want, you don`t loose that functionality.

Interesting.
But I thought the UEFI install would create GUID Partition Table (GPT), while legacy boot (CSM) won't...?
I have no idea whether that difference is important or not to be honest.

gregrocker said:

I would first try to install to UEFI to enjoy all the features of your graphical BIOS and a little faster boot. If it fails (about 5% seen here) then you can turn to Legacy BIOS.

You must format the installation USB stick using Step 1 in UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

Then boot that stick as an EFI device in the BIOS Boot menu.

Delete all partitions, create and format new as you please or just click Next.

If this fails, post back camera snaps of BIOS settings related to UEFI, CSM, Legacy BIOS, BIOS Boot priority order.

Yep, going to try the USB media install, I was using DVD media thus far. I would very much like to take advantage of UEFI if possible.
At the moment the hard drive is blank, I erased MBR and cleared partition table using Super FDISK.
Yes, I'll get those UEFI setup utility screen pictures taken if install from USB fails.

Thanks!

AddRAM said:

Enable Legacy boot to install 7.

You can switch between Legacy and UEFI anytime you want, you don`t loose that functionality.

This turned out to be not true.

After Windows 7 is installed in legacy booting when the machine is switched back into UEFI-proper it finds no boot volume. Probably due to the fact that when installation runs from legacy boot no GPT partitions will be created.

I think Brian was referring to the choice one should have to initially install in either UEFI or Legacy BIOS. Once installed you must stay in that mode until reinstall.

I would install first to UEFI to experience the supposed added benefits of it including graphical BIOS interface, faster boot, and better BIOS security. Only if it can't be installed to UEFI would I install Legacy, and with the experience we've gained here in the past years those cases are down to nearly nil.

In some BIOS it requires enabling CSM to install Win7 at all.

I don't see Secure Boot disabled. It must be on a UEFI BIOS or it will never install.

Did you format the stick for GPT/UEFI using only Option One of UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows ? Then for Toshiba tap the F12 key at boot, boot the stick as a EFI device or you will not get an EFI install.

If the stick doesn't show up as an EFI device then it isn't written correctly so try it over or another stick. If that fails we may need to see more BIOS settings choices.

gregrocker said:

I would install first to UEFI to experience the supposed added benefits of it including graphical BIOS interface, faster boot, and better BIOS security. Only if it can't be installed to UEFI would I install Legacy, and with the experience we've gained here in the past years those cases are down to nearly nil.

That's the whole point of this thread, to get a proper UEFI install onto this machine.
I would very much like to scoop up something from that well of experience you guys gathered on this forum.
Here's a bit of info that I think will be of most importance: it's a 4th-gen Core platform of Haswell architecture, Insyde UEFI.

gregrocker said:

I don't see Secure Boot disabled. It must be on a UEFI BIOS or it will never install.

Staring at you at the very top of the first post.

r00tb33r said:

Here is what I did:

• Disabled Secure Boot in UEFI setup

I even went further than that, I took a picture!!!

r00tb33r said:

gregrocker said:

Did you format the stick for GPT/UEFI using only Option One of UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows ? Then for Toshiba tap the F12 key at boot, boot the stick as a EFI device or you will not get an EFI install.

If the stick doesn't show up as an EFI device then it isn't written correctly so try it over or another stick. If that fails we may need to see more BIOS settings choices.

The stick is done right. It begins booting under UEFI but the machine freezes at the same point as the DVD, on the splash screen with "Startind Windows" and animated Windows logo.
I later figured out why the stick is ignored under CSM boot, it's not supposed to work because legacy boot doesn't work with GPT-partitioned stick.
So my USB installation media is done correctly.
From what I gathered so far is that my hardware is very new, so new in fact that whatever UEFI compatibility Windows 7 has built into it is not adequate for my new hardware. I think graphics are the problem. Basically I think after I get the "freeze" on the splash screen, that's the moment where the installation is supposed to go graphical. It seems my keyboard remains responsive but I see nothing on the screen. If I could do a pure textmode installation I might get much further than that.
So I'm sure UEFI installation *can* be done on this machine, just not with unmodified Windows installation media. It's going to take some modifications, injection of some files, some slipstreaming, etc.