10 UEFI bootable without GPT, very easy

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by stayboogy, Feb 3, 2016.

  1. stayboogy

    stayboogy MDL Addicted

    May 1, 2011
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    so, from all my reading i was under the impression that it was impossible to boot uefi without having your hdd partitioned using gpt instead of mbr.

    well, one can't believe everything they read.

    also, i was under the impression that one had to have the msr partition or the system would not boot.

    again, one can't believe everything they read.


    my bios is native uefi--secure boot is unsupported however in it (turning it off would do the same thing). my hdd drive is mbr partitioned. there is no msr partition. i am booting my uefi windows 10 enterprise x64 this way.

    all you need is one regular fat32 partition with the EFI folder from the windows 10 install media copied to it, the bcd edited to point to the windows partition, and viola, uefi windows on mbr.

    i did this because i didn't want to wipe and convert my hdd to gpt and my laptop requires uefi to use the dvdrw properly for some reason. and i wanted to see if it could be done, which it can, regardless what everyone else says. this a good workaround for others with hardware not being recognized properly in the newer versions of windows when not running the oem windows configuration.

    two shots attached, one is showing the mbr disk booting windows uefi, the second is showing there is no legacy boot\bcd either on the fat32 partition with the efi files or the windows partition
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Flipp3r

    Flipp3r MDL Expert

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    #2 Flipp3r, Feb 3, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    For me to believe this you would need to have screen shots of diskpart - NOT disk manager which does not show all the partitions.
    From an admin cmd prompt:
    Code:
    diskpart
    sel dis 0
    det dis
    lis par
    also from the command prompt, what's the result of:
    Code:
    echo %firmware_type%
     
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  3. stayboogy

    stayboogy MDL Addicted

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    ill post that after im out of work, but you can disbelieve all you want to as i dont care, but i wouldnt waste my time posting if it wasnt true...
     
  4. stayboogy

    stayboogy MDL Addicted

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    tisk tisk

    enough proof?

    i think so.
     

    Attached Files:

  5. WardocsRevenge

    WardocsRevenge MDL Expert

    Jan 13, 2012
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    just use rufus make a uefi bootable usb and avoid any needed things
     
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  6. Flipp3r

    Flipp3r MDL Expert

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    Ok. Does the OS work without issues? Does it Reset/refresh?
    I see your still on 10240. Is there a reason why??
     
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  7. halasz

    halasz MDL Member

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    #7 halasz, Feb 4, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    Nope, not enough proof. Unless I'm missing something detail disk doesn't show if it is gpt. You would have to use list disk (I think @Flipp3r asked for the wrong thing). See the red *?
    Code:
    Disk 0 is now the selected disk.
    DISKPART> det dis
    APPLE SSD SD128E
    Disk ID: {94EB0CDB-062F-4EF9-BDED-04F144D52C7C}
    Type   : SATA
    Status : Online
    Path   : 0
    Target : 0
    LUN ID : 0
    Location Path : PCIROOT(0)#PCI(1F02)#ATA(C00T00L00)
    Current Read-only State : No
    Read-only  : No
    Boot Disk  : Yes
    Pagefile Disk  : Yes
    Hibernation File Disk  : No
    Crashdump Disk  : Yes
    Clustered Disk  : No
      Volume ###  Ltr  Label        Fs     Type        Size     Status     Info
      ----------  ---  -----------  -----  ----------  -------  ---------  --------
      Volume 0     C   Windows10    NTFS   Partition     32 GB  Healthy    Boot
      Volume 1     D   Data         NTFS   Partition     55 GB  Healthy
      Volume 2                      RAW    Partition     23 GB  Healthy
      Volume 3         Windows RE   NTFS   Partition    500 MB  Healthy    Hidden
      Volume 4         EFI          FAT32  Partition    200 MB  Healthy    System
    DISKPART> lis dis
      Disk ###  Status         Size     Free     Dyn  Gpt
      --------  -------------  -------  -------  ---  ---
    * Disk 0    Online          113 GB   128 MB        *
      Disk 1    Online          942 MB      0 B
    DISKPART>
    You definitely don't need msr partition though, you are right about that - it works fine without. Until MS decides in the future you do need it of course for some unknown reason :)
     
  8. Hadron-Curious

    Hadron-Curious MDL Guru

    Jul 4, 2014
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    @ OP

    You are able to achieve that possibly because the 'Secure Boot' is not support in your system. If not you would have been required to use GPT rather Master Boot Record that allocates file table(FAT32) to BIOS rather than HDD. I have done that many times by turning the Secure Boot to disable at the BIOS.
     
  9. Pointy

    Pointy MDL Junior Member

    May 11, 2015
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    so only a single disk is required to boot mbr in uefi mode?
     
  10. laqk

    laqk MDL Junior Member

    Jan 22, 2011
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    His screen shot shows an extended partition, which can exist only on MBR disks.
     
  11. stayboogy

    stayboogy MDL Addicted

    May 1, 2011
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    yes.

    i'm going to reproduce this on an hp with secure boot on and prove it will still work...
     
  12. stayboogy

    stayboogy MDL Addicted

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    #12 stayboogy, Feb 8, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2016
    (OP)
    I have successfully booted an hp laptop with windows ten in uefi mode with legacy boot turned off, secure boot on, and the disk partitioned with an mbr table.

    everything we know about windows uefi is wrong.

    doesn't really surprise me.

    so for those who say it can't be done, just wait and i'll post a video showing you how.
     
  13. Flipp3r

    Flipp3r MDL Expert

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    M8 I'm happy your experiment worked but I think it's a waste of time. Is it really such a big deal to be making videos?
    Why such the big deal? If I've got a modern UEFI notebook/mainboard why wouldn't I just stick with the norm?
    Just doesn't make sense to be in having this Hybrid setup...
     
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  14. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    And UEFI is so much simpler, no need for primary partition to be made bootable. Really no need to stick to MBR any more...
     
  15. WaltC

    WaltC MDL Addicted

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    That was exactly my thought...;) Why bother with forcing Win10 to jump through MBR hoops when you don't have to?
     
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  16. stayboogy

    stayboogy MDL Addicted

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    uefi is easier, but it doesnt require gpt and it works exactly the same on mbr. uefi only requires a fat32 partiton, thats it. the simplicity doesnt change at all using it on mbr because its exactly the same.

    apparently you guys missed the point--uefi works without gpt just fine (exactly the same actually) and doesnt require diskpart efi or msr.
     
  17. Flipp3r

    Flipp3r MDL Expert

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  18. Pointy

    Pointy MDL Junior Member

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    #18 Pointy, Feb 9, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2016
    Congratulations to you but One of the advantages of uefi boot is gpt. which allows more than 4 primary partitions. with no need for extended partitions. you cant make them either on gpt.
    does this work on systems with no uefi mode?
    so you got it to run but with no advantage over legacy system. why not just use uefi gpt?

    we know that windows can boot from mbr partition on uefi
     
  19. stayboogy

    stayboogy MDL Addicted

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  20. Hadron-Curious

    Hadron-Curious MDL Guru

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    @stayboogy

    But, you do have Boot Manager created in the BIOS during the process of having the FAT32-MBR file partition system. In enabling the secure mode not all disc will boot if not created in the FAT32 while trying to use it for partitioning. Sometimes, this issue is usually occurred or peculiar to the software used in creating the bootable disc or USB.