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

 

[ThrashZone]

Hello Xylium,

For Windows 7, it may be best to install it without UEFI.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

Why is that a sad thing :/

 

[ShenmueG]

Hey everyone. I'm new to this forum and am glad to join you all. I just really need help with my PC.

I have an ASUS Sabertooth 990FX R2.0 motherboard (with latest BIOS) with an AMD FX-8350 4.0Ghz Processor and a 4TB Solid State Hybrid Drive by Seagate. I've been doing everything in the tutorial right so far, but no matter what I do, Windows 7 will use 1.99TB of my 4TB drive.

Even if I convert the HDD to GPT during Win7 Installation, it will still show up as MBR. My BIOS/UEFI is a lot different from this tutorial and it is my first time using this newer one as my previous PC was much, much older. If someone here has used this similar PC setup, please help me get through this. I just want to be able to boot my Win7 using a GPT 4TB drive. Please Help.

BTW, question. Is this much easier to do with Win8? Will Win10 also be easier to support bootable 4tb drives?

 

[Brink]

Hello ShenmueG, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I'll be happy to try and help. Please go ahead and post a screenshot showing your drive layout in Disk Management to see how it's sitting now.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

 

[ShenmueG]

As of right now there is currently no operating system. I'm trying a bunch of different things. What I do remember from my 4tb drive when I went into disk management before, was that it used 1.99Tb of my drive with the other space unallocated and it was formatted in MBR instead of GPT despite me formatting using command prompt on windows7 setup. It had 3 partitions just like it was supposed to, but when it was done, it always shows the same 1.99tb in MBR.

Is it that my Windows7Ultimate 64bit copy is bad? I really don't understand. And my bios/UEFI for some reason doesn't show my DVD copy in UEFI. It's getting very frustrating. I've been told it's easier to do this with Win8 but I don't like it. Win10 is right around the corner and I'm sure it'll be easier on that but I'm afraid that most of the drivers wont be updated until then, making me think it's better to wait for Win10 to iron out its kinks.

 

[gregrocker]

Unless you boot the installation DVD as a UEFI device it will not install as UEFI. Are you deleting all partitions during the booted install? If so then try instead accessing Repair My Computer on second DVD screen, click through to System Recovery Options to open a Command line, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SEL DISK # (replace # with hard disk you're certain is target drive)
CLEAN
CONVERT GPT
Exit

Now close the Command and Options boxes with X and click Install Now.

If problems persist we need to see the settings in BIOS setup for UEFI, EFI, CSM, Legacy BIOS, BIOS Boot Priority order. Did you reset the BIOS to defaults recently? Remember any changes made?

 

[ShenmueG]

That's a major problem I have. My installation DVD only shows as just that and not UEFI DVD. Could it be my Win7 DVD doesn't have UEFI? It does have SP1. I cant seem to access the UEFI version of my copy

Is there anyone you know, perhaps here, with a similar setup as mine?

 

[ShenmueG]

Even though this is for windows8, My bios looks exactly like it does in here.

How to Setup Windows 8 with UEFI BIOS in UEFI Mode | Code Chief's Space

 

[gregrocker]

Disable Secure Boot and CSM, if possible set Windows Boot Manager to boot first. Set devices to boot UEFI only. Later if you want to add a drive which is Legacy bootable you can change those device settings, but you need to boot any disks for Windows 7 in UEFI mode.

Where did you get the disk or ISO you burned to disk (and how was it burned)? Are you sure its not a recovery disk?

Have you tried extracting the ISO and writing to UEFI stick using tools specified for UEFI in Step 1 of Clean Reinstall Windows 7?

 

[genet]

Even if I convert the HDD to GPT during Win7 Installation, it will still show up as MBR.

You do not need to run the convert gpt command.

You need to select to boot from the UEFI type (marked UEFI in the boot menu) if you want to install Windows 7/8 64-bit in UEFI boot mode (see screenshot below).



The Asus motherboard UEFI firmware (BIOS) settings. -> link

Quote from this post: link

Note: The UEFI firmware settings determines what type of boot devices are available in the boot menu: UEFI, Legacy BIOS (aka CSM), or both types of boot devices.

 

[ShenmueG]

Disable Secure Boot and CSM, if possible set Windows Boot Manager to boot first. Set devices to boot UEFI only. Later if you want to add a drive which is Legacy bootable you can change those device settings, but you need to boot any disks for Windows 7 in UEFI mode.

Where did you get the disk or ISO you burned to disk (and how was it burned)? Are you sure its not a recovery disk?

Have you tried extracting the ISO and writing to UEFI stick using tools specified for UEFI in Step 1 of Clean Reinstall Windows 7?

I got the burned disc from a friend. Not sure exactly how it was burned. Anyway, I managed to get an iso online and use it on a old 8gb SD card with adapter. I used rufus and formatted it using fat32 and it actually shows up as UEFI and regular. Did everything in Genets link for UEFI but I get this screen (without the Mac part).

Is this because I used an SD w/ adapter instead of a USB flash drive? Because it shows up as if it was a HDD instead of a USB device


Also, Windows Boot manager doesn't show up in my boot option priorities. How do I get that?

 

[genet]

Is this because I used an SD w/ adapter instead of a USB flash drive?

You need to use a USB flash drive.

Also, Windows Boot manager doesn't show up in my boot option priorities. How do I get that?

Windows Boot Manager is the boot manager that comes with Windows when it is installed in UEFI boot mode.

 

[gregrocker]

In addition to the flash stick formatted with Rufus for UEFI with GPT, work through the steps to Troubleshoot Windows 7 Installation Failures - Windows 7 Help Forums.

Note the step to reset BIOS to defaults and unplug all other drivers and remove any cards or other peripherals.

 

[haqazi]

Hi
i followed the steps in creating the usb but it get stuck on the setup is starting. i have an ASUS motherboard.Plz can some one tell me what should i do .
thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello haqazi, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If you still have hard drive activity, then it would be best to let it sit until ready to start Windows Setup.

 

[haqazi]

Hello haqazi, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If you still have hard drive activity, then it would be best to let it sit until ready to start Windows Setup.

thanks Brink for the welcome and the reply .
how do i check hard drive activity ...
on the start screen i tried shift + f10 to open diskpart. nut i think that too gets stuck. i mean i did give it some time.

 

[Brink]

You'll be able to tell if there's hard drive activity if the hard drive indicator light on the PC is blinking, or you can hear the hard drive clattering away.

 

[40kbunny]

Hi

I have read through the last 30 odd pages which are very helpful. However I have a few questions

Fairly new to this. I have just bought the following system:

Gigabyte Ga Z97X-SLI motherboard
4th gen quad core i5 4460 3.2 ghz processor
crucial 8gb ddr 3 1600 mhz ram
750 watt power supply
kingston 120 gb ssd
(assorted graphics cards etc)

Ive been doing alot of reading on the installing windows 7 in UEFI mode. Ive been through the manual for the motherboard however still alittle confused at what settings i should use to try and attempt this.

My thought is that is the following on the settings on the BIOS

Windows 8 feature : OS Other
CSM Support - Default (cant change this unless its windows 8)
Boot Mode Selection - UEFI Only
Storage Boot Option Control - UEFI First
Fast boot - Disabled

I plan to do this off a USB stick the verison will be x64 for windows 7. Can anyone confirm if this is correct or is there anything else i should do in order to get windows 7 to install via uefi mode????

Any help would be great?

 

[Brink]

Hello 40kbunny, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Those would be the correct settings to install Windows 7 with UEFI. Be sure to create a UEFI USB for Windows 7 as well.

UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

 

[40kbunny]

Thanks for the quick reply. I remember the days when this was simple! I followed the log for the usb but had to do it the manual way as I couldn't find a way to make an ISO image . My windows seven disk is pre service pack 1.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome. It does take a bit to get used to UEFI, but it's not so hard once you do.