UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with

How to Install Windows 7 Using the "Unified Extensible Firmware Interface" (UEFI)​

   Information

In addition to better interoperability, UEFI firmware provides several technical advantages:

• Compatibility with operating systems that support only BIOS
• Ability to boot from large disks
• CPU-independent architecture
• CPU-independent drivers
• Flexible pre-OS environment
• Modular design

Two of the most notable Windows features for UEFI systems are the following:

• Multicast deployment, which enables large scale network-based image deployment in manufacturing and enterprise settings.
• Fast boot and resume from hibernation, which improves user experience.

The rich UEFI interface provides ample room for innovation in the development of operating system features. Along with the other members of the Unified EFI Forum, Microsoft is investigating the following:

• Rootkit prevention
• Network authentication

-Microsoft Corporation

This method can also be used for the UEFI installation of Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Vista SP1.

   Note

You will need to satisfy the following requirements in order to proceed:

• A Windows 7 compatible system
• A Windows 7 x64-bit installation media. 32-bit is not supported.
• A UEFI v2.0+ compliant PC. Check your chipset manufacturer/firmware documentation.
• A blank, partition-free, hard disk for installation.

   Warning

• Disabling UEFI will make the system unbootable as there is no MBR on the disks.
• You CANNOT make a sector-by-sector copy of GPT disks. The Disk and Partition GUIDs will no longer be unique. This must never happen. You can make a sector-by-sector copy of the contents of ESP or basic data partitions.
• Disable secure boot before installing Windows 7.

Here's How:

1. Do step 2 or 3 below depending on what installation Media you are using.

2. If using a Retail 64-bit Windows 7 Installation DVD A) Insert the DVD, restart the computer, and go to step 4 below.
3. If using a 64-bit Windows 7 Installation USB Flash Drive with UEFI A) If you have not already, you will need to create a Windows 7 installation bootable USB flash drive for UEFI from either a Windows 7 installation ISO or DVD.

B) Connect the USB, restart the computer, and go to step 4 below.
4. Press whatever key (ex: F11) it shows to boot to your motherboard's boot menu, and select to boot from the DVD or UEFI USB. (see screenshot below)
5. Do steps 3 to 7 in the tutorial link below. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html
6. Delete all partitions/volumes on the disk # (ex: Disk 0) that you want to install Windows 7 as UEFI on until that disk # shows as unallocated space. (see screenshot below)
7. When you are finished, click/tap on New, Apply (for full size of disk), and OK. (see screenshot above)

8. You will notice that the disk has now been formatted as GPT with 3 partitions. Select the "Primary" partition 3, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You might receive a "Windows can't be installed on drive 0" warning, but as long as you can click on the Next button, you're fine.

   Note

The 3 partitions are:

• Partition 1 - System - The EFI System partition that contains the NTLDR, HAL, Boot.txt, and other files that are needed to boot the system, such as drivers.
• Partition 2 - MSR - The Microsoft Reserved (MSR) partition that reserves space on each disk drive for subsequent use by operating system software.
• Partition 3 - Primary - Where Windows is to be installed to.
  
  It is imperative that these 3 partitions remain in the exact order as they are

9. You can now finish doing the steps in either tutorial below.

• Pick up at step 9 here - http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html
• Same as picking up at step 9 above, but also pick up at step 2 in any of the OPTIONs here - http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

10. That's it. You have successfully installed Windows 7 on an UEFI system.

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7
• How to Create a Bootable UEFI USB Flash Drive for Installing Windows 7 and Windows 8
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html
• How to Clean Install Windows on a MSATA (SSD) Drive
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26193-convert-mbr-disk-gpt-disk.html
• How to Convert a GPT Disk to a MBR Disk
• How to Enable or Disable Secure Boot in UEFI
• How to Check if Windows is Booted in UEFI or Legacy BIOS Mode

External Links:

---

Windows and GPT FAQ
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
UEFI and Windows

 

[nicman]

No Third Partition...

Hi, guys. Followed the instructions to the letter (I think, at least). When I get to the step where I should see three partitions, I only see two: the System and Primary partitions. Is this still OK or must I do something differently?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Brink]

Hello Nicman,

That sounds like you didn't get a UEFI (GPT disk) installation, but only the legacy (MBR disk) instead.

What are you using to install with?

If the UEFI USB from step 1, what did you use to create it with?

 

[nicman]

I chose the UEFI USB route, and used a 4GB flash drive, with my Win 7 Home Premium DVD. I didn't see a single error when creating it (following the instructions in "create a Windows 7 installation bootable USB flash drive for UEFI"). My BIOS was able to see it in the boot menu, and I completed the installation from the flash drive just fine. I made sure, of course, that my BIOS had UEFI enabled. The one slight deviation from he instructions was that I left the DVD Drive as #1 boot priority, followed by the UEFI drive (priority #2). I didn't think it mattered, since I had taken the Win 7 CD out already... so it was empty. I assumed that it go to the flash drive, which it apparently did, since I installed the OS.

 

[Brink]

Ah, ok.

You would need to set your HDD to be listed as #1 in the boot priority list in UEFI/BIOS settings for now, and only select to temporarily boot from the USB in the separate boot menu for the first time to start installation.

This way when the computer restarts for the first time during installation, it will boot from your HDD to finish installation instead of booting from the USB again to start the installation over.

What type Win 7 Home Premium DVD is this? Since you didn't get the 3 partitions, it sounds like you will need to use the red warning box under step 7 in the tutorial below to create the UEFI USB with instead, and start over.

UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

 

[NoN]

I chose the UEFI USB route, and used a 4GB flash drive, with my Win 7 Home Premium DVD. I didn't see a single error when creating it (following the instructions in "create a Windows 7 installation bootable USB flash drive for UEFI"). My BIOS was able to see it in the boot menu, and I completed the installation from the flash drive just fine. I made sure, of course, that my BIOS had UEFI enabled. The one slight deviation from he instructions was that I left the DVD Drive as #1 boot priority, followed by the UEFI drive (priority #2). I didn't think it mattered, since I had taken the Win 7 CD out already... so it was empty. I assumed that it go to the flash drive, which it apparently did, since I installed the OS.

Try to see if enabling "CSM" (Compatibility Support Module) in the bios could do the trick...maybe some modules need it, both Uefi & Legacy OpRom. CMS SPec

 

[nicman]

@Brink:
The way that I got around re-running the installation from the USB drive (over again) was simply removing it while the computer rebooted itself during the actual installation. The boot priority was apparently happy enough, because it knew to use the HDD to continue the installation. It did so without a problem.

I had read the red box under Step 7, but ignored it because first, it said Win 8... but also because I actually DID see UEFI xxx in the boot menu in BIOS.

By the way, I have the Win7 Home Premium x64 DVD.

@NoN:
Thanks for the link. It seems like it's for using a USB CD/DVD drive... but I take it that it applies to using my USB flash drive with Win7 on it too? I guess what I really have trouble understanding is what the UEFI version of the installation looks like. To me, the UEFI bootable USB flash drive contains the same content as what's on the DVD. This makes me wonder if selecting UEFI in BIOS and using the actual Win7 DVD would have given the same result. In any case, manually selecting the UEFI USB line during boot-up would have been nice, just for 100% certainty. And checking to see if there was any CSM option in BIOS would also have been nice.

Too bad I was peer pressured by the kids to finish the installation last night. It's their gaming PC (which recently had a hard drive failure). It would have been nice to get this thing working. I'd like to understand this, though, for next time. So I appreciate your response. Thanks for your help, guys.

 

[NoN]

@Brink:
The way that I got around re-running the installation from the USB drive (over again) was simply removing it while the computer rebooted itself during the actual installation. The boot priority was apparently happy enough, because it knew to use the HDD to continue the installation. It did so without a problem.

I had read the red box under Step 7, but ignored it because first, it said Win 8... but also because I actually DID see UEFI xxx in the boot menu in BIOS.

By the way, I have the Win7 Home Premium x64 DVD.

@NoN:
Thanks for the link. It seems like it's for using a USB CD/DVD drive... but I take it that it applies to using my USB flash drive with Win7 on it too? I guess what I really have trouble understanding is what the UEFI version of the installation looks like. To me, the UEFI bootable USB flash drive contains the same content as what's on the DVD. This makes me wonder if selecting UEFI in BIOS and using the actual Win7 DVD would have given the same result. In any case, manually selecting the UEFI USB line during boot-up would have been nice, just for 100% certainty. And checking to see if there was any CSM option in BIOS would also have been nice.

Too bad I was peer pressured by the kids to finish the installation last night. It's their gaming PC (which recently had a hard drive failure). It would have been nice to get this thing working. I'd like to understand this, though, for next time. So I appreciate your response. Thanks for your help, guys.

Guess you tried!

Install Windows 7 x64 in a UEFI Mode could have been good for you IF you was planing to deploy the OS as for Professional matter or for your Personal end-user needs.

Also UEFI Mode is good for those Huge capacity Drives, like 3T and new 4T.

Normally you should have been able to install in UEFI mode through original DVD/CD Drive also as it appears double during boot as Uefi USB Stick does.

In Bios you should have been able to set something like "CSM" on Enable (set to Both Uefi & Legacy OpRom) and "Windows UEFI Mode" (set to standard).

I think at the moment some modules plug onto MB and others are not entirely ready for UEFI Drivers and some UEFI Bios updates have to be made on Motherboards, just to be sure all of that is fully compatible.

Guess more you'll wait better the next time you"ll install, it could have chance to work that mode properly with new & improved components.

 

[theog]

I chose the UEFI USB route, and used a 4GB flash drive, with my Win 7 Home Premium DVD.

Is the DVD x32 or x64?

 

[nicman]

It's x64, theog.

Non, it's true... I should have been more patient.

 

[MrCrowling88]

Installing Windows 7 on a new windows 8 laptop

Hi Guys,

I'm trying to install Windows 7 Ultimate x64 on a Toshiba laptop with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting to the boot menu, choose to boot from DVD, press any button to start the installation. It's copying the installation files and then The Windows Logo shows up stating "Windows is starting" and that's where it stops. It doesn't move any further. Would you know why ? Does it have anything to do with the new UEFI boot mode ?

Your help will be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

MrCrowling

 

[gregrocker]

Hi Guys,

I'm trying to install Windows 7 Ultimate x64 on a Toshiba laptop with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting to the boot menu, choose to boot from DVD, press any button to start the installation. It's copying the installation files and then The Windows Logo shows up stating "Windows is starting" and that's where it stops. It doesn't move any further. Would you know why ? Does it have anything to do with the new UEFI boot mode ?

Your help will be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

MrCrowling

You'll also need to turn off Secure Boot on the new Win8 PC's: Secure Boot - Enable or Disable in UEFI

If all else fails, what always seems to work is to Bypass UEFI to Install WIn7

 

[ESL]

Hi Guys,

I'm trying to install Windows 7 Ultimate x64 on a Toshiba laptop with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting to the boot menu, choose to boot from DVD, press any button to start the installation. It's copying the installation files and then The Windows Logo shows up stating "Windows is starting" and that's where it stops. It doesn't move any further. Would you know why ? Does it have anything to do with the new UEFI boot mode ?

Your help will be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

MrCrowling

I get the same problem. See the attached photo. Secure Boot has been disabled. I AM able to install Windows 7 successfully onto this pre-installed Windows 8 laptop using the legacy BIOS mode, however. Any ideas what I can do other than re-install using the legacy BIOS?

 

[theog]

Are you booting the DVD in uEFI mode?

 

[ESL]

The USB stick, yes.

 

[ESL]

Also, how do I get to the one-time boot menu on this laptop? I've tried all the F keys and the escape key. The people at Sony are clueless, as is expected. I can press the assist key from shut-down, and then press F11 to use boot from media option, but that still isn't the normal one-time boot menu. In theog's one-time boot menu, it shows a UEFI DVD drive and a P1 DVD drive. I';d like to see if I get those two choices for my USB stick, but since I cannot access the one-time boot menu, I can't check it out.

 

[gregrocker]

On many Sony's it is F2.

If that doesn't work then set the device first to boot in BIOS setup.

 

[ESL]

Thanks, Greg. F2 didn't work, so I changed the USB stick to boot first in BIOS. I still get the frozen screen during "Starting Windows." I guess I'll have to install Windows 7 under the legacy BIOS.

 

[gregrocker]

There are special steps for UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

Make sure the stick is bootable on other hardware, that it works. If in doubt what always works for me is using the latest official ISO and UltraISO Software To Create Bootable USB Flash Drive.

Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

 

[theog]

Take note of step 11.
UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

 

[ESL]

I followed step 11 exactly, but it still didn't work.