Win 7 booting into UEFI - How to change

[Daf57]

Hi all,

Just did an upgrade that included new MSI PC Mate MB and i7 4790K CPU - all went fine. Did a fresh install of Windows 7 Pro 64.

The Bios of the MSI gave me fits from the get go as far as booting. I initially installed OS in UEFI/Legacy mode. But did some switching to UEFI in an effort to get the boot correct (kept wanting to boot to other sata drives). It seems that at some point it stuck in UEFI mode - see below bcdedit /enum report. Now it will not boot in UEFI/Legacy mode at all (Please insert bootable media ...) so I'm running it in UEFI mode but at boot I have to use the Boot Manager and even choosing the correct disk I always get UEFI shell 1st time - second attempt gets me into Windows. Large PITA of my own making.

My question is how can I get the MBR back to standard legacy mode? Do I have to reinstall? Or maybe I can run a repair? I would hate to have to reinstall - I have a backup image - would that work or is the part that needs "fixing" on the image?

Thanks for any suggestions! I hope I was clear, if not please ask me. I'm not a rookie but not a full blown tech either.

Thanks!

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Daf>bcdedit /enum

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
path \EFI\MICROSOFT\BOOT\BOOTMGFW.EFI
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {a0d48d42-2bb4-11e4-be42-fd4c24b62230}
displayorder {current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.efi
description Windows 7
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {a0d48d44-2bb4-11e4-be42-fd4c24b62230}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {a0d48d42-2bb4-11e4-be42-fd4c24b62230}
nx OptIn

C:\Users\Daf>

 

[theog]

To clean install:
1) Clean the HD Drive, using Step one in this tutorial:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html
than
2a) clean install with the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disk.
2b) http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html?ltr=C
2c) http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-7-a.html

If you boot the windows 7 x64 DVD in UEFI mode, this will install in UEFI mode.

 

[Daf57]

theog - thank you for your reply. I don't, however want to install in UEFI mode. I appear to already be in that mode. Rather I'm wondering how to fix the issue I described.

How to change the boot mode from UEFI to UEFI legacy so that I don't have to use the boot manager each time.

And - if I do need to do a clean install to fix this - would restoring a back up image be okay, or would that image contain the part I just fixed by re-installing?

Thanks

 

[theog]

If the image is of a Windows 7 x64 in Legacy mode, YES.

or would that image contain the part I just fixed by re-installing

but if the image is bad, NO, clean install.

 

[gregrocker]

First you should never do an install or startup repair without all other drives unplugged.

Boot into BIOS setup to set UEFI, CSM and Legacy settings to Legacy Only. Then boot the installation media as legacy and not UEFI device - UEFI choices shouldn't show up in Boot menu if you've disabled them correctly in BIOS.

If in doubt about any of the settings choices take a camera snap of all the choices and post back using Paper Clip icon in reply box.

Delete all partitions to allow the installer to reformat it as MBR drive, using the Drive Options shown in Steps 7 and 8 of Clean Install Windows 7 . Create new and format your partiions as desired or just Click Next to have the installer do it for you.

If problems persist work through the steps for Overcoming Windows 7 Installation Failures - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[Daf57]

Ack~ looks like a clean install in the future for me then. I was hoping there was a way to just repair the boot mode.

Thanks for the help!

 

[gregrocker]

Do you know for sure that you installed in Legacy mode as I laid out above?

Do you remember exactly what changes you made in the BIOS? Why?

If you try to change it back to the way it was when you installed it, what is the exact problem?

There are several different places to change EFI settings in the BIOS, after Secure Boot is disabled: CSM, Legacy BIOS, Legacy Boot, UEFI/Legacy first, and then the BIOS Boot Priority which require booting DVD, Flash stick, etc as a UEFI device if you want to install to UEFI. Are you sure all of these were changed back correctly when you adjusted the settings? What are their settings now?