Solved How to prevent Windows 7 installation from booting in UEFI mode?

[Bullet Tango]

Hi there. I've built a brand new HTPC and it has UEFI BIOS on it. I've tried to install Windows 7 with USB drive that I've made UEFI bootable with Rufus, but it gives me blue screen everytime after Windows goes from "Windows files are loading" screen to a Windows logo animation. The hard drive that I'm using is set to MBR, (I know that I should set it to GPT for UEFI installation). I don't want to have a UEFI version of Windows in my system anymore. How do I install legacy version of Windows 7 from USB stick on UEFI BIOS capable PC with HDD using MBR?

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi and welcome to SevenForums,
Enter your bios and go to Advanced and boot and disable secure boot,
If there is no option to disable secure boot look for OS Type and switch to Other os
After installing Microsoft Update KB3133977 for Windows 7, some users may encounter a "Secure Boot Violation" , which makes the system fail to boot into the operating system.

 

[Bullet Tango]

My UEFI BIOS has the Secure Boot option. I have disabled it.

 

[Bullet Tango]

Can someone tell me if I need to use MBR partition scheme for BIOS or UEFI-CSM, or MBR partition scheme for UEFI for legacy installation of Windows?

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I use mbr but I also use Rufus non uefi option in the booting too
Rufus has uefi compatibility but I wouldn't boot to that listing if on mbr
Only if using gtp or what ever it is
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html#option2

 

[Bullet Tango]

I've made my USB drive with Windows installation with MBR partition scheme for BIOS or UEFI with no luck... I've disabled Fast Boot, Secure Boot options in the UEFI BIOS. I've set that only legacy drives would show up.

 

[Bullet Tango]

I also found that to make sure that you won't boot in UEFI mode, you can delete "efi" folder from installation root on your media. I'll try that. Pictures shows what settings I use for making the USB drive.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
The disk it's self might need to be reformatted
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26203-convert-gpt-disk-mbr-disk.html

Otherwise just boot to the device and not to a uefi listing in the boot list usually works for me
Plus do not create a partition to install on
Just clean the entire hdd and install on it
You can resize the C drive later
Which is the way I like it with No 100mb system reserved partitions only the C drive

 

[Bullet Tango]

Thank for your reply TrashZone, I've solved my problem. My HDD was set to MBR. I've made bootable USB stick with settings that you can see in picture above. While Rufus was busy I've changed SATA cable from one MoBo port to another and RAM stick from one slot to another. Surprise, surprise... After 6 days of headache I've get it working.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Good deal

 

[AddRAM]

The MBR scheme has nothing to do with the bios, only the hard drive.

Set the bios to legacy & uefi or strictly legacy, create a normal installer, or just use a dvd, it`s so much easier, and always disable secure boot, as Mike mentioned.

Not sure why so many people have trouble with this.

And to create a usb installer with usb 3.0 drivers integrated, just use Asus`s EZ Installer, it works perfectly, tested it yesterday.

 

[ThrashZone]

Yea I didn't notice when this board was released so I don't know how old it is
But I had no issue with usb2 device with a usb3 port on my case so I don't know if usb3 driver is really the issue or not
I believe the usb3 driver issues were just on z170 series boards
x99 sure didn't have any issues

Switching sata ports sure is interesting though

 

[AddRAM]

There is no usb 3.0 driver issues during a W7 install anymore, not with Asus`s program EZ Installer.

Tested it yesterday, installed 7 Pro through the usb 3.0 port no problem.

http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1151/Z170-K/DE164_100_Series_Windows_7_Setup_Guide_print.pdf

But the whole idea is kinda stupid in my opinion, as you need a W7 install dvd or an iso file on a working computer to create the usb installer, so if you had a dvd, why not just use that to do your install But I suppose if one had a laptop with only usb 3.0 ports, then I guess it would be necessary.

 

[Osprey]

But the whole idea is kinda stupid in my opinion, as you need a W7 install dvd or an iso file on a working computer to create the usb installer...

edit: If you do not have a DVD drive.

Download the EZ Installer and extract the zip file contents.

Then copy from the OS folder the AutoUnattend folder and AutoUnattend.xml file to the root of the USB flash drive (see screenshot below).

 

[AddRAM]

You don`t have to do any of that extra work, just use the program, it does everything for you.

Why do more work then needed ?

 

[Osprey]

You don`t have to do any of that extra work, just use the program, it does everything for you.

But if you do not have a DVD drive, then copy the AutoUnattend folder and AutoUnattend.xml file to the root of the USB flash drive.