Installing Windows 7 on UEFI based computer
Many new computers are shipping with the option to boot Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) instead of standard BIOS. In today’s blog I walkthrough how I installed Windows 7 SP1 X64 Enterprise on a Dell Latitude E6410 laptop that supports UEFI.
The screenshots are specific to a Dell E6410 laptop but you should similar type screens on other UEFI based machines. For more information contact the manufacturer of the computer.
1. Upgrade to latest BIOS. Before you install in UEFI mode you should generally check with the vendor to make sure the BIOS is up to date.
2. Configure the computer for UEFI. Most UEFI based computers will also support legacy BIOS boot. This is configured in the BIOS. The following shows the computer is set for Legacy Boot and the boot options available with Legacy Boot
Figure 1. Legacy Boot Options
Figure 2. Configure BIOS for UEFI or Legacy
3. Insert Windows 7 SP1 X64 DVD. Note: One of the common issues we see is that users try to install X86 version with UEFI enabled in the bios. X86 does not support UEFI so you would have to configure the machine for Legacy boot to install X86 versions of Windows. If you do try to install X86 version setup will run but on the 1st reboot you will get BIOS error similar to “No bootable devices –Strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup utility. Press F5 to run onboard diagnostics”
4. Press F12 to choose to boot from the DVD and choose the UEFI boot option for the DVD
Note the UEFI option for the DVD under UEFI boot
Figure 3. UEFI boot option for Windows 7 DVD
5. Follow prompts to install Windows 7 just like any other install
Differences between UEFI vs. Legacy BIOS boot install
When complete you will a couple of differences compared to a legacy BIOS boot install.
You have the following default disk configuration:
· 100mb Fat32 EFI System Partition
· 128mb Microsoft Reserved Partition(will not appear in Disk Management but you can see it in the command line Diskpart tool)
Figure 4. Disk Management on UEFI computer
More information on the default partitioning for UEFI based computer can be found at https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744301(WS.10).aspx
In the properties of the disk you also see that we setup a GPT partition table instead of MBR:
Figure 5. GPT Partition Table
If you run Bcdedit /enum you will see the following entries in the BCD store.
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 {c79ed24a-6d11-11e0-a52b-93ef911fd7fa}
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 {c79ed24c-6d11-11e0-a52b-93ef911fd7fa}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {c79ed24a-6d11-11e0-a52b-93ef911fd7fa}
nx OptIn
On this particular Dell mode you can also see in the BIOS that Windows 7 setup added a new boot option
Figure 6. Windows Boot Manager entry in BIOS
Boot Option Name: Windows boot Manager
File System List: HD(1,GPT, 05F6D08B-563C-480D-AF3CB9FD1E973A33)
File Name: \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
If you are doing a large deployment to many machines not all deployment tools support UEFI yet so check with the vendor of the deployment tool to see if they support UEFI based computers.
Information on Microsoft deployment tools support for UEFI can be found at https://blogs.technet.com/b/askcore/archive/2011/03/25/deployment-options-for-uefi-based-computers.aspx
Hope this helps with your installs.
Scott McArthur
Senior Support Escalation Engineer
Microsoft Enterprise Platforms Support
Comments
Anonymous
January 01, 2003
The comment has been removedAnonymous
January 01, 2003
I'm going to make a guess that the reason individuals are having problems installing Windows 7 on a UEFI system board is because you need to use Windows 7 64-bit SP1.
Windows 7 32-bit will not work (obviously)
Windows 7 64-bit SP0 will not work.Anonymous
January 01, 2003
Anon, What make/model machine are you installing to? Are you using the hologrammed Windows 7 DVD or a burned DVD?Anonymous
May 31, 2011
don't have any partitions on my drive, other than the c and d drives. i format my drives so i don't have to use them. as far as i know, my asus mb does not offer legacy bios, either, just uefi. bcdedit has no references to any efi path.Anonymous
June 01, 2011
I followed these instructions to a T but ran into an error of no boot devices found right after I select UEFI DVD as my boot volume ...I see two possibilities: I'm running Ultimate and not enterprise (probably not) The disk in the system right now is technically TPM protected, I just wanted to see things come up so maybe it's keeping that drive from being written?Anonymous
June 01, 2011
this blog basically says "select uefi from the bios, then pop your cd in and hit next until victory" .... but what if that doesn't work? No offense, but most of us tried that the first time and are looking around on blogs to figure out why it didn't work.Any tips on how to troubleshoot if the disk isn't detected beyond "make sure you are using 64bit edition"?Anonymous
August 09, 2011
Are there any support methods to backup an existing non-UEFI Windows installation and restore as UEFI installationAnonymous
December 02, 2012
Wow, talk about confusing...The initial screen shots are of what exactly?"Configure the computer for UEFI. Most UEFI based computers will also support legacy BIOS boot. This is configured in the BIOS."So if there is no BIOS how would I configure that in the BIOS exactly as per the statement above?????Anonymous
April 03, 2013
There IS a BIOS. You don't have a computer without some sort of BIOS. The initial screenshots are of a Dell system's BIOS setup.Anonymous
June 14, 2013
talk about confusing.Configure the computer for UEFI. Most UEFI based computers will also support legacy BIOS boot. This is configured in the BIOS. The following shows the computer is set for Legacy Boot and the boot options available with Legacy Boot.SCREENSHOT OF LEGACY ENABLEDso uh, are we supposed to pick uefi or legacy mang? make up your mind!Anonymous
July 09, 2013
i have a lenovo ideapad ,model no P580. it was previously installed with windows 8.it has UEFI boot sytem and the partion type of the hard drive was GPT. The system got crashed and i just didnt find any uefi boot disk. the laptops display was dead so that i had to connect the hard drive with a desktop.what i did was conveted the hard drive to mbr format using a windows 7 bootable disk (mbr format supported) and i installed the os succesfully.but the prolem is the laptops display still remains dark and i cannot see anything.is this has anything to do with the mother board type???? because my desktop has an old model mother board (intel DG41wv). i could not install the os using my laptop as the display was previously dead and i had some problems with my dvd writer.can anyone find me some solution please....:( :(Anonymous
July 15, 2013
I did disable legacy boot on a system where I had GPT partitions. Now, there is no dispay at all. The system starts, reads the DVD but nothing ever happens. I tried to boot with windows 7 install DVD but it does not even start. What can I do from now on apart from changing my band new computer ?Anonymous
September 01, 2013
This is an interesting post, - however there are some important information missing. First, Windows 7 x64 is UNABLE to boot at more recent UEFI systems which use GOP video protocol. That's the reason why user Zhi4neng mentioned that his system even "not start". Also, this is the reason why it's so hard to install Windows 7 x64 at any EFI based Mac computer, - they all use GOP protocol instead of old VGA or UGA.Therefore, if you want to install Windows 7 x64 at any recent UEFI computer, you have to set the video output protocol to "LEGACY VGA". It is NOT necessary to enable the whole CSM!!! You have only to set video mode properly to EFI & "legacy vbios VGA" (or something similar). Note, this option lacks at several EFI based systems, - it is confirmed for some Asus EFI boards.Short, in summary, there are three start-up variants:--> no EFI boot, full legacy BIOS CSM mode--> EFI boot, with legacy vbios mode (for Windows 7 x64 EFI boot needed)--> EFI boot, with GOP (Windows 8, newer Linux distros)And at last, you have to disable Secure Boot functionality at any never board to boot Windows 7 x64 in EFI mode.It would be easy for MS to add GOP support to Windows 7 x64 in a future service pack. Come on Microsoft, stand to the BEST Windows EVER!!!Anonymous
September 02, 2013
The comment has been removedAnonymous
September 12, 2013
:CD/DVD actual de instalación de Windows 7 xxx y código de activación.Controladores Windows 7xxx del fabricante (no todos los fabricantes tiene controladores disponiblespara win 7) por lo tanto hay que comprar el Ordenador de un fabricante/marca que ofrezca estos controladoresa los usuarios, en caso contrario no funcionará win 7 apropiadamente.Si ya tienes el Portatil comprado y no existen controladores como: Gráficos, Sonido, Uifi, y un gran etc..nosigas leyendo, porque no debes pasarte a win 7.Anonymous
September 14, 2013
I want to install 32 bit of Windows 7. is this possible?It still fail after I disabled uefi secure boot and enabled CSM.Is this same as a legacy boot?thanksAnonymous
September 30, 2013
Hi, i need help please, i am trying to install Window 7 over Windows 8. I get a error when at W7 install screen "Windows cannot be installed to Disk 0 Partition 4." Show details "The selected disk is of the GPT partition style." I am lost have been on Google all day and have found nothing that helps ): I am using a Samsung ATIV book 2. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!! thanks in advance.Anonymous
January 28, 2014
I used Hiren's bootCD, with acronis tool cleared drive(what was GUID Partition Table (GPT)), created 2 new NTFS particions(Master Boot Record (MBR) drive). And then i could set up windows 7 with no problems.Anonymous
April 28, 2014
thank you sir, simply greatAnonymous
August 18, 2014
how to install window 8 in UEFI o partition table of GPT type my Laptop is HP Pro?Anonymous
October 15, 2014
The comment has been removedAnonymous
December 08, 2014
I can't reformat windows 7 ultimate to my acer laptop. The bios only support UEFI, no Legacy. I change the first priority boot to DVDrom but still don't boot on my DVD. Please help...Anonymous
February 07, 2015
The comment has been removedAnonymous
May 01, 2015
The comment has been removedAnonymous
May 07, 2015
The comment has been removedAnonymous
May 20, 2015
DJ - "There IS a BIOS. You don't have a computer without some sort of BIOS. The initial screenshots are of a Dell system's BIOS setup."
This is incorrect. BIOS and UEFI are both types of firmware. A PC with UEFI firmware DOES NOT have BIOS. There is no such thing as UEFI BIOS.- Anonymous
November 02, 2016
Thank You for also observing this point, even some of the OEM's refers it as 'UEFI BIOS', either out of ignorance, or to speak to the customer in terms that we've understood for 20+ years. Both are totally different technologies, BIOS is the past, UEFI is the present.
- Anonymous
Anonymous
August 03, 2015
This helps with a little, but not with a Gigabyte motherboard and a new Pentium. The screens do not look the same , and all these things I have already tried to get PC up. It ran fro 3 days then 3 weeks later, it said no boot mgr. in both Legacy and UEFI, Figure that one out.Anonymous
October 03, 2017
Ok I need help I have a HP Z820 computer that previously had Windows 7 with the Legacy Bios installed, Now I am updating to Windows 10 With UEFI mode. I changed the settings from Legacy to UEFI in the BIOS, and when trying to install, I get a message to Specify Which deployment share to use. I did a diskpart and converted to GPT, rebooted and same thing, I changed some of the settings back to original default, same thing. I also Noted that the SAS can see my drives, but the UEFI in bios cannot. Does anyone know where my problem might lie?