Hi everyone, I'm not exactly computer literate so tell me if I'm wrong: 1.The UEFI is that nice GUI that newer motherboards have, its kind of a prettier bios with some nice features (like OC presets etc). 2.UEFI requires GBT partition instead of MBR (which is legacy) 3.Daz Loader is not compatible with GBT nor UEFI 4.If I want to use Daz Loader I have to install with my SSD formatted as MBR and cant use the "cool"/handy UEFI my mother board comes with (expecially the system-OC software built in) 5.If I want to install W7 and make it use UEFI, I have to just chose to boot from UEFI-USB (my W7 is in a usb drive), or do I need to add "special boot files" to the usb drive (right now I just made my usb drive bootable and have W7 in there formatted in fat32) 6.if I go with point 5 obviously I wont be able to use Daz Loader, is the only other alternative IR5 contained inside "Trilogy 4.2" to peruse W7 (Ultimate) unhindered? Thanks for your help
Have you a specific reason for wanting to run W7 on GPT ? Have you a large 3TB drive ? I run W7 UEFI on GPT drive and have not noticed one bit of difference. To activate W7 without the loader you would need to add SLIC 2.1 into your BIOS via a mod. As for the USB drive, to boot UEFI you have to add an extra file and alter the file structure slightly. And it only works with x64 W7...( Plus W8 x64 ) If you are already running W7 x64 you can find the "bootmgfw.efi" in "C:\Windows\Boot\EFI" ------- Not sure if this file is in x32, doubt it though... Does this info help any ?
I'll be installing W7 on a 120gb SSD, the only reason why I want GPT (which I guess is mandatory for UEFI) is to use my motherboard's UEFI interface (and OC software it comes with, specifically OC genie II thats in my MSI Z77A GD55). I know GBT is used for very large drives but I'm only interested in the motherboards UEFI utilities/interface. And to that I need to boot W7 installer and chose "UEFI USB", correct? Also no bios modding is something I would not want to adventure in
For OC, I have read much about this and what I can gather is to stay away from the Windows based OC software and set it up via the BIOS settings. I am no expert in this field at all though. As for BIOS modding, I don't know of any other method for GPT drives. The newer UEFI makes flashing the BIOS a doddle, in my experience. But I only own Asus boards and my main one the Sabertooth Z77. There may well be somebody on the forum with that board who has a working BIOS mod ?
Perhaps but really bios modding is a definite no; the more I read about this around forums the more the only "viable option" seems to be: -Install W7 via USB (with UEFI USB boot?) -do my OC in UEFI bios (presets are actually pretty good, just need to lower the voltages across the board, anyhow none of the OC is gonna be done in windows) -use something like IR5 which will keep me forever in trial mode There doesnt seem to be any other ways, just so we're on the same page, when I say "UEFI", this is what I'm talking about - cant post or link, just google "MSI uefi". To make sure this will be useable, I need to install W7 by booting it from UEFI-USB (selectable in bios), correct? this part is pretty confusing to me, I dont understand if I need that step to "enable" this uefi thing or if I'm completely mistaken and its on by default and UEFI (and thus GBT) is something completely different fromy my understanding
If you load up a USB stick with W7 x64 and follow those instructions about the "bootmgfw.efi" file. Boot up into the BIOS you will see that there are actually TWO USB sticks and one will have the UEFI icon attached to it. Booting from that will let you install W7 UEFI. You will have to completely delete all the volumes on the drive and then when you make a new volume THREE will be made, this is then UEFI. What I did before I installed was to convert my drive in Windows to GPT using "Disk Management". Then once the OS is installed if you again boot into BIOS you will see the drive with the UEFI icon attached. Set that to first boot and voila.. I have my OS set to GPT running UEFI and I have my 1TB drive set to GPT too. But I did mod my own BIOS to hold SLIC 2.1. I saw no difference though but I guess once GPT drives are made and up and running installing a 3TB drive will be easy. Your machine will be sort of future proof as it were.
Upon reading more into the topic I discovered that apparently UEFI means 2 things: -The "cool interface bios" new motherboards have -The "UEFI optimized W7 install" boot up which requires GBT and windows to be installed in UEFI mode and is aimed at large HDD drives As far as I could understand, installing windows in legacy mode on a MBR partition does not preclude me from using the "cool interface UEFI bios" (google "msi uefi" and go to images to see what I mean), and still lets me conveniently Daz load my windows 7. Can anyone confirm? If thats the way it is, then thats all I would be happy to get away with. @sebus I read about that stuff but havent tried it yet, my motherboard is coming in on monday I'm just preparing all the software for it
First of all, its not GBT.. its GPT (GUID Partition Table). And its true that you can use Daz's loader on UEFI boards if you format HDD in MBR style. See that loader readme for more instructions.
oops Yes, but I understood that formatting my HDD in MBR style would preclude me from using the UEFI bios interface (and utilities, like MSI OC genie). But apparently thats not the case?
That is an old doubt I have. So if I flash a modded SLIC 2.1 UEFI firmware into my motherboard I'll be able to install the cert/key on a UEFI-booted Windows 7 installation (GPT et al.) and it will activate just like with old BIOSes?
Exactly, but you have to disable Secure Boot (if present) as it only allows Windows 8 Boot Manager to boot.