Solved UEFI Installation possible on this Netbook?

[Damian Adelle]

Hello, I thank again everybody who helped me before. Right now I'm having problems with a new netbook I recently bought (Complete Datasheet: Acer | Aspire One | AO725-0600 | Overview). Anyway, I thought I wouldn't need them anymore so I deleted all those partitions that come from the manufacturer because I really NEVER used them before (and besides they where almost 50 GB in size :S ). But I was very very wrong. I'm having the most difficult time trying to re-install Windows 8 again, and I stumbled upon the UEFI method which I didn't know nothing at all. So my question is, is it possible to install Windows 7 x64 through UEFI in that netbook?, I've been using Win 7 for years now and I'm most comfortable with it. I know the netbook is UEFI compatible since the BIOS settings includes the option of using UEFI or Legacy BIOS. Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Dude]

Damian Adelle, Try this tutorial

:ar:UEFI

 

[theog]

1) Downgrade to Windows 7.
Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7
Warning you must have the uEFI/BIOS firmware setting in Step Three set.


2) If Using a USB Pendrive on a PC with a uEFI BIOS.
USB Pendrive need to be formated to FAT32 as in
UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows
Take note of Step 11 for Windows 7.
Also you will need to use a USB 2.0 port, as there are no USB 3.0 drivers in Windows 7.

 

[Dude]

1) Downgrade to Windows 7.
Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7
Warning you must have the uEFI/BIOS firmware setting in Step Three set.


2) If Using a USB Pendrive on a PC with a uEFI BIOS.
USB Pendrive need to be formated to FAT32 as in
UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows
Take note of Step 11 for Windows 7.
Also you will need to use a USB 2.0 port, as there are no USB 3.0 drivers in Windows 7.

Thanks for posting this theog, this is the second time I made this mistake

I thought since he currently had seven installed he could use the link I provided. Since it was originally 8, just to make sure I understand correctly, the downgrade link must be performed?

 

[theog]

On a Pre-install Windows 8 PC, to downgrade to windows 7, the BIOS MUST BE SET TO SUIT 7.

 

[Damian Adelle]

Hey, thank you both very much. Well, since theog already knows that I had problems with my Win8 running, I'm gonna have Win 7 installed instead, both for comfort and familiarity with the OS. Like I said, I wiped out the HDD, there's no more Win 8 there, is completely empty so this is more like a full-clean Win 7 x64 Ultimate install. I tried with and old DVD I have, I used Rufus just like the tutorial to use UEFI but when I try to boot it up it gives me a black screen with an error in a file called "BCD" which couldn't be read :S, so it cannot boot from there. So right now I'm waiting for someone to bring my more recent Win 7 DVD from my old house to use it and try to launch it in the netbook. But I do have a question, how exactly can I prepare the BIOS to "be suited" for Win 7?, you mean like changing the default settings? or flashing the mobo?. I really appreciate a clarification about this, thanks again.

 

[theog]

Downgrade to Windows 7.
Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7
Warning you must have the uEFI/BIOS firmware setting in Step Three set.

 

[Dude]

Step 3 is very important

 

[gregrocker]

You want Legacy BIOS or Compatibility Support Module enabled in BIOS setup, in addition to Secure Boot disabled which if you've installed Win7 on a Win8 machine you have already done.

Did you make the file edit shown in UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows ? If so and it will not install then try the DVD install deleting all partitions again.

As a last resort those having problems with UEFI have all been able to Bypass UEFI to Install WIn7

 

[Damian Adelle]

So I did a bootable Win 7 x64 Ultimate with UEFI enabled, and this is what I get: "Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause." What?, I don't even have ANY Windows systems installed :S, that's what I'm trying to do, and at the end it gives me the file:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\BCD, followed by Status: 0xc000000d, and Info: An error ocurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data.. This time I cleaned the HDD with disk part as the tutorial of gregrocker to bypass UEFI so now I'm very sure everything about other systems are deleted, so why do I get this error about a Windows system which I don't even have?, the secure boot is disabled by the way, and the order is: 1-My USB drive with bootable 7, 2-HDD, 3-Network Boot. But it really doesn't seems to matter, it always brings me to the Windows Boot Manager. I did installed previously this system but without UEFI, using Legacy BIOS instead of UEFI, and Sata Mode as IDE instead of AHCI (both UEFI and AHCI come as default), but it was a total disaster, the system did install and everything (nothing about this crap about BCD popped out), but as soon as I updated the system, boom, blue screens of death, and if that didn't happen, then the system was slow as hell, or the file explorer failed to start or the updates just simply won't install at all because errors like 0xc0000001 appeared (suspiciously only with Security updates), and random things like that happened. And I'm talking about the same version of Windows 7 here, so I know it works because I had it in and older computer, but not as UEFI, maybe I need to select another option in the "Partition scheme and target system type" in rufus?. Once again, I thank everyone for their time, patience and help.

EDIT: Well, I tried even another Win 7 x64 Pro and still gives me this BCD error, that's the question, how do I get past this?

 

[theog]

Check CSM settings.

1) UEFI.
2) UEFI & Legacy mode.(Best setting to use)
3) Legacy mode.

PC Downgrades to Windows 7 Vary Between OEMs

Acer, which also sells Gateway branded PCs, says that if it offers Windows 7 as a downgrade option, then it will fully support the drivers and hardware. In other words, if Acer doesn't offer a Windows 7 downgrade option for your PC then they won't provide Windows 7 support.

Acer | Aspire X | Aspire XC600 | Model Comments

hi, I want to change the win8 sys to win 7, but I have problem on boot from win7DVD
do you know about this problem, thanks

I had the same issue. You need to go in to the UEFI (BIOS) and change the boot settings. I ended up using an external USB DVD drive to boot from as UEFI did not seem to recognise the in-built DVD as a bootable device.

 

[gregrocker]

Since you've decided you want to bypass UEFI, here are the steps which resolve most install problems:

Unplug all other HD's and peripherals,

Boot into BIOS setup, reset to defaults, save changes. Set DVD drive first to boot, HD second, set SATA controller to AHCI, Save changes and Exit.

Then boot into Windows 7 installer DVD or flash stick burned or written using tool and latest ISO for your licensed OS version here. Do not modify any files on the stick if using Legacy install. If in doubt rewrite the stick using UltraISO Software To Create Bootable USB Flash Drive

At first installer screen Press Shift + F10, or enter System Recovery Options to open a Command Box, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK 0 (after confirming Windows 7 target HD #)
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY SIZE=102400 (for 100gb partition, adjust as desired)
FORMAT FS=NTFS LABEL="WINDOWS 7"
ACTIVE
EXIT
EXIT

Next click Install Now, then Custom install to Clean Install Windows 7 to the partition you created. If it fails then report back at which step and the verbatim error message.

In addition read over these steps to understand the tools and methods which work best to get and maintain a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. The steps are the same for retail.

After install you can adjust partition size or Create new partitions for data, etc. in Disk Mgmt. You are creating the partition here for the purpose of wiping the HD and marking Active which overcomes certain install failures.

 

[Damian Adelle]

I've installed Win 7 x64 succesfully, skipping UEFI and did a clean install/re-install just like the gregrocker tutorials suggested, I followed every step, and the correct drivers are loaded too, but the problem is that, after that I use Windows Update, and the updates like language packs, virus removal tools and updates for internet explorer seem fine, but when it comes to security updates for the system, the computer restarts and the boot at "Starting Windows' screen takes like 30 mins, and the computer itself becomes almost glacial, everything is slow as hell, I can't even open programs, and I'm pretty sure it's the updates because that's the last thing I did. Before the updates everything was fine and quick, but the updates seem to hang the system. Any suggestions?.

 

[gregrocker]

Did you take the drivers from WIndows Update only, after enabling Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3)?

Which drivers were missing in Device Manager after all rounds of Updates, and where did you find them?

I'd System Restore backward until you find it working satisfactorily, then take a look at what is left to install and do those Updates in smaller groups, testing performance after each.

This alone may solve it, but if it bogs again then Restore again and install those suspect Updates in that last batch singly to isolate the problem Update, post it up here for our Updates experts.

 

[Damian Adelle]

No, I downloaded them directly from the manufacturer site and all was working perfect (graphics, audio, lan/wlan, bluetooth, camera), none of which were missing from the manager, not a single error regarding drivers. In fact I installed a couple of language packs (english is not my native language), and the virus removal tool and it's definitions, and also a couple of updates for IE as well Net 4.0. At that point all was fine, but then I wanted to install the rest, they were all about system security updates, and that's when it got scary, because it would not download so I searched them in the catalog online based on their KB number and installed just 3 of them just to test, and when it restarted, the Starting windows screen just hung up, and when I tried to boot in safe mode, it got stuck at classpnp.sys. So yeah, before I installed any of that update crap, I did a recovery disk with Redo Backup (excellent program by the way), so now I'm gonna try to go slow with this, a couple of them at a time. Again, thanks for the help guys I really appreciate it.

 

[gregrocker]

Win7 is a driver-complete OS in the installer and via Windows Updates which does not require XP and earlier methods of changing out a bunch of drivers. Win7 chooses the drivers it wants.

May I suggest you start over and this time follow the steps in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
which always results in a perfect install.

 

[Damian Adelle]

The problem with drivers through Windows Update is that it doesn't detect all of them, it just found a driver for the graphics and that's all, and about the clean install tutorial, I must say it relies too much on windows software by itself, for example, the windows recovery disk (like the burning tools) are kinda underdeveloped, it was much better and easier and faster to use third-party applications, because the windows recovery by itself gave me errors and issues whose only solutions I saw in other posts (even here on 7forums) was to use a third-party app. All the other steps I followed through completely and some of them were really helpful. The ONLY real issue I have here now are the updates, now I'm unsure of what updates do I have to install, and looking through other posts here too, I'm not the only one experiencing problems with this (at least on x64).

 

[gregrocker]

Did you enable Automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware (Step 3) and run all rounds of IMportant and Optional Updates immediately after install? Apparently not if you're now asking which Updates you should install.

Always install all Important and Optional Updates unless they clearly don't apply to you. It isn't necessary to pick and choose or fear Updates at all in Win7. This is outdated XP-think. In the one-in-a-million case where Updates fail just System Restore to the point they set, if necessary from the booted Win7 DVD or Repair CD System Recovery Options.

I don't know what 3rd party repair tools you're referring to. Perhaps you could explain a bit more which tools were applied for which problems. Many of the most effective repair steps that have worked best since before Win7 was released are compiled in the repair tutorials in my signature pic below.

 

[Damian Adelle]

Ohh nevermind, I'm sorry, you were right Greg, I guess the problem was even more serious than just software. Turns out, the HDD has some bad sector problems, according to the Seagate tools for windows, it says it failed to pass a Long Generic test, and that I must run Seagate tools for DOS. Well, since this problem now has nothing to do with the OS anymore, I guess I should now close this thread?. Again, thanks everybody

 

[gregrocker]

I would confirm the HD condition by doing the Seagate extended CD test followed by Disk Check done on a whole disk partition you create using the commands I gave you earlier.

Use Option Two for Disk Check from Win7 installer's System Recovery Options Command Line.