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

Nice one.

Step 3:
There is no mention of Win 7.

Because the question will come up--How does one determine if ones bios & computer is uefi capable.

Oops. I meant step 3 to say "This method also works on Windows 8......"

I have to admit though, I'm not sure how to know if one is UEFI capable. I only discovered mine by accident. I didn't even know what UEFI was (story below since I fele like typing XD) before this.

Anyway, I heard that motherboards that uses Intel Sandy Bridge processors should be UEFI capable. If you're on a Sandy Bridge CPU, check your BIOS/Firmware settings out.

On another note, if your "BIOS" looks like this (free with mouse use and all), then that's not BIOS at all. That's UEFI.




[story]
Since I didn't have a USB big enough to put a Win8 installation in, I tried to see if I can make a partition off a disk and boot the installation from there--Didn't work. Kept getting an "Read disk error. Press Ctrl+alt+delete" thing. So I experimented with the BIOS settings... then I saw "enable UEFI". I went WTF is this but I'll give it a try anyway.

My HDD Win 8 installation partition booted afterwards and I managed to install from there. Apparently, I forgot to put an MBR on the disk (I just realized. silly me >_<), so it opted to boot in to EFI instead once I enabled it. It was blazing fast, I tell you! Maybe 5 minutes I think, considering it read data from a 7200RPM disk.

I reserached and experimented which eventually lead to my creation of this tutorial
[/endstory]

XD

Good job! We'll be using this a lot.

Could it be useful to mention the protective MBR which I thought still exists for GPT/UEFI.
Windows and GPT FAQ

UEFI Option not Showing

I'm trying to install Win 7 Ultimate x64 DVD (created from a Digital River ISO) with UEFI enabled. I have only my SATA optical drive and my 128Gig SSD drive attached. Both are recognised by the mobo. My concern is that my bios boot menu does not show any UEFI option (see screenshot). I have checked the bios settings and the user manual, and as far as I can see, all the UEFI options are enabled (eg: PCI ROM PRIORITY is EFI compatible and not Legacy; sata mode selection is AHCI not IDE or RAID; there are no other UEFI options that I can find, there is no 'EFI CD/DVD Boot' Option).
I have not prepped the SSD drive in any way, it's as it came out the box. Windows 7 will install if I choose the first boot option but I'm guessing it will not be an UEFI installation, so I've aborted the installation on the first step (note: it may now have written some files to the SSD because of this).
Any help would be appreciated.

If I need to reinstall Windows 7 in UEFI mode ... shall I delete and create all partitions again ?
Or is enough when installing to select partition 3, format it and press next ?
In partition 1 will be deleted and added new boot files from the newer install or there will be a mess with the older files and so on ? Also on partition 2. That's why I asked if to delete and create from scratch everything ...

Thanks ...

I found very interesting the UEFI Bios options and it's graphics interface.

Here's an introduction of settings that could be done (.pdf document):
Best Practices for UEFI Driver & Option ROM

By now it seems UEFI Bios is automated with OS install without to having choosing, as it is already set to legacy OpRom & UEFI Boot.

You still can force the install to a UEFI "Px DVD/CD Rom drive". But it had to be forced as you mentionned.

Looks you can after the install change the manner you want devices to load in Bios settings with "CSM Launch" (Compatibility Support Module) option.

-Legacy (First)
-Both Legacy + UEFI (first or second)
-UEFI (First).

Looks most actual devices are now nearly compatible to UEFI Boot.

By now, might all the UEFI Bios motherboards allowing to choose between Windows 8 UEFI Or Standard Legacy OpRom + UEFI...!

simiid said:

If I need to reinstall Windows 7 in UEFI mode ... shall I delete and create all partitions again ?
Or is enough when installing to select partition 3, format it and press next ?
In partition 1 will be deleted and added new boot files from the newer install or there will be a mess with the older files and so on ? Also on partition 2. That's why I asked if to delete and create from scratch everything ...

Thanks ...

Click to expand...

While it's been a while since this was pointed, it has only been brouhgt to my attention recently.

Personally speaking, I would say that deleting all partitions and recreating it is the safest method. GPT partitioning is quite a little bit complicated since it is dependent on unique IDs. It's been a while since I manipulated with GPT disks, so I forgot if it is safe to manipulate only the data partition (e.g. formatting it) and still boot safely.

NoN said:

I found very interesting the UEFI Bios options and it's graphics interface.

Here's an introduction of settings that could be done (.pdf document):
Best Practices for UEFI Driver & Option ROM

By now it seems UEFI Bios is automated with OS install without to having choosing, as it is already set to legacy OpRom & UEFI Boot.

Click to expand...

I did notice that a lot of newer motherboards boots in UEFI by default. If so, then there will be no further action required by the user. Thanks for the info!

arkhi said:

simiid said:

If I need to reinstall Windows 7 in UEFI mode ... shall I delete and create all partitions again ?
Or is enough when installing to select partition 3, format it and press next ?
In partition 1 will be deleted and added new boot files from the newer install or there will be a mess with the older files and so on ? Also on partition 2. That's why I asked if to delete and create from scratch everything ...

Thanks ...

Click to expand...

While it's been a while since this was pointed, it has only been brouhgt to my attention recently.

Personally speaking, I would say that deleting all partitions and recreating it is the safest method. GPT partitioning is quite a little bit complicated since it is dependent on unique IDs. It's been a while since I manipulated with GPT disks, so I forgot if it is safe to manipulate only the data partition (e.g. formatting it) and still boot safely.

Click to expand...

Thank you ...

simiid said:

arkhi said:

simiid said:

If I need to reinstall Windows 7 in UEFI mode ... shall I delete and create all partitions again ?
Or is enough when installing to select partition 3, format it and press next ?
In partition 1 will be deleted and added new boot files from the newer install or there will be a mess with the older files and so on ? Also on partition 2. That's why I asked if to delete and create from scratch everything ...

Thanks ...

Click to expand...

While it's been a while since this was pointed, it has only been brouhgt to my attention recently.

Personally speaking, I would say that deleting all partitions and recreating it is the safest method. GPT partitioning is quite a little bit complicated since it is dependent on unique IDs. It's been a while since I manipulated with GPT disks, so I forgot if it is safe to manipulate only the data partition (e.g. formatting it) and still boot safely.

Click to expand...

Thank you ...

Click to expand...

You're welcome! You know, now that I think of it, the boot files are stored in a different partition (ESP). It should be okay theoretically.

If you have question do let me know, and I apologize for late replies.

The issue is that yesterday I played a bit with EFI partition and EFI bios and I manage to make it disappear that Windows Boot Manager option and I need it to reinstall. Didn't know how to recover it. I've tried to boot with the cd, but nothing.

Look for an option in BIOS Setup to disable Legacy BIOS, then EFI Boot disk should appear in BIOS Boot Order Priority list so you can set it first, install per the tutorial to a HD wiped with Diskpart Clean Command so that it will format it GPT.

arkhi said:

NoN said:

I found very interesting the UEFI Bios options and it's graphics interface.

Here's an introduction of settings that could be done (.pdf document):
Best Practices for UEFI Driver & Option ROM

By now it seems UEFI Bios is automated with OS install without to having choosing, as it is already set to legacy OpRom & UEFI Boot.

Click to expand...

I did notice that a lot of newer motherboards boots in UEFI by default. If so, then there will be no further action required by the user. Thanks for the info!

Click to expand...

Yes indeed, newer motherboard Bios are booting on both... UEFI + Legacy OpRom.

Therefore people are being able to directly install from the DVD/CD drive and their install CDs.

Updated bios of newer motherboard also allowing to boot on "UEFI only" with windows 8.

gregrocker said:

Look for an option in BIOS Setup to disable Legacy BIOS, then EFI Boot disk should appear in BIOS Boot Order Priority list so you can set it first, install per the tutorial to a HD wiped with Diskpart Clean Command so that it will format it GPT.

Click to expand...

I don't have such an option in bios.
I have an Asrock Extreme 4 Z77 mobo.

I dont' see in the SPecs that that mobo has an EFI BIOS. Study your Manual to be sure: ASRock > Z77 Extreme4

What settings did you change?

I've installed new Intel RST 11.6.0.1030, but I've reinstalled windows and it's fine now and same drivers and seems to work now.

Hi all,
I've done a UEFI install of Win7, 64 bit into a OCZ 120GB SSD.
When I use diskpart to list volume, I found only two partitions instead of three..
In other word, the 128MB MSR partition is missing.

I got only this OCZ SSD and two raid volume (created in MBR) controlled via an Adaptec Raid Controller on my pc.

MY questions are:
1. how can I get the 128MB partition back?

2. Will this missing of 128MB likely casued by the two raid volume which was created using my previous pc running BIOS/MBR?

Tony