installing win 7 on a GPT drive

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by pii, Jan 3, 2013.

  1. pii

    pii MDL Junior Member

    Nov 3, 2012
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    OK I have a problem. I got sick and tired of Win 8 and wanted to go back to Win 7.
    To do that I wanted to install it on one of my SDD drives. However Win 8 must have formatted them as GPT drives and win7 can not be installed on a GPT drive.
    So I jump through hoops to convert one of them to MBR (that's another story) however no matter Win7 install still says its a GPT partitioned drive and I know its not. I used the windows disk manager to convert it. When that didn't work (well it did work but win 7 said it didn't) I tried again using diskpart. Again it said the conversion was successful but once again Win 7 refuses to install on it, saying its a GPT partition layout.

    WTF??? I had to go back to win 8 :(

    How do I get rid of this GPT crap so I can install win 7 again? Thanks for any help
     
  2. ALeXTheGreaT

    ALeXTheGreaT MDL Junior Member

    Nov 20, 2009
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    I just went back to Windows 7, too. You need to format the entire drive in order to be MBR again, not just partitions.
     
  3. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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    I have done totally the opposite. I converted my storage drive to GPT within Windows then installed Windows 7 x64 off a USB stick so I could boot from uefi and make my OS drive formatted to GPT.
    I have seen no difference at all and the only difference I know of is that mbr drives cn only see upto 2TB where as GPT drives can use 3TB drives and above. I suppose then at some point in the future GPT will be the norm.
     
  4. pii

    pii MDL Junior Member

    Nov 3, 2012
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    I had to delete all partitions to convert it. This wasn't easy either as it was the "system" drive. Once I start to install win 7 I can delete the drive and format it all I want but win7 will never let me click next to install and there is a red line of text that says win 7 can not install on this disk. It has a "details" you can click and it says it can't because its of GPT partition type. Could you provide the steps you took please?
     
  5. pii

    pii MDL Junior Member

    Nov 3, 2012
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    I don't get this is I've read win 7 does not or can not boot from GPT. But i see someplaces that say you can with win 7 x64 and uefi of which I have both, yet I can't install on it. This is why I'm stumped I should be able to and even if I didn't have 64bit and uefi I should be able to convert it and install on it. My mb is asus P8 z68-v/gen3 with uefi bios. I don't get whats going on here.

    I'm not worried about accessing 3t drives (I don't have one) I just want to go back and be able to but my OS on the SSD. I have no problem at all is I want to install on one of my HDD's. ??

    Thanks
     
  6. woebetide

    woebetide MDL Member

    May 28, 2007
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  7. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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    The problem you may be having is to install W7 x64 on uefi boot with gpt you can only install it from a USB stick. Plus there is an extra file which has to be added and the uefi\ boot folder in the root has to be altered slightly.
    This may sound daft but just at this present time I am on my iPad so I can not access my files which are on my PC to tell you exactly what to do. I will boot up my PC in a bit and post what to do.
    It may come in handy for you in the future.
     
  8. woebetide

    woebetide MDL Member

    May 28, 2007
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    #9 woebetide, Jan 3, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2013
    To install win 7 x64 to gpt
    Prepare the usb as fat32 active partition.
    Copy Windows 7 files from iso or dvd to usb.

    Copy this directory "\efi\microsoft\boot "directory one level up to up to " \efi\boot".
    Copy the bootmgfw.efi file to \efi\boot, and rename it to bootx64.efi.

    Set bios to boot UEFI.

    Boot from usb.

    Your hdd must of course be converted to GPT first!
     
  9. pii

    pii MDL Junior Member

    Nov 3, 2012
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    Thanks would appreciate it the info when you get around to it.
     
  10. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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    Nice one.

    Can I add when selecting the boot option the USB stick will show up as two. One will be the normal name and also UEFI in front of its name. Do make sure to select the UEFI option.

    Not sure if you have to convert to GPT before hand.
    When installing just make sure you delete all the volumes and make new ones . It will then make three new volumes.

    Is VOLUMES the correct word ? Not sure but I bet you know what I am on about.
     
  11. pii

    pii MDL Junior Member

    Nov 3, 2012
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    #12 pii, Jan 3, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2013
    (OP)
    Thanks but I don't see a boot UEFI in my bios. Is it possible a uefi bios doesn't have that option? On this bios you can pick the boot device graphically at one point my bios did have a device to boot a uefi in that graphical list but it disappeared and I haven't seen it since.
    Guess I need to bug Asus.

    edit:
    Also that uefi option I used to have was way before win 8 even came out and I never knew what it was for and never used it but like I said it has disappeared anyways.
     
  12. Shenj

    Shenj MDL Expert

    Aug 12, 2010
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    place the bootx64.efi into the root of the usb stick and rename it to shellx64.efi, be sure your usb stick is FAT32, nothing else will work! Then inside the UEFI go into the last section and choose "Load EFI filesystem" (don't remember what it's name was exactly but something like that), this will load the shell and boot the Installer now you should be able to install W7/W8 in UEFI mode, Asus has a terrible implemention of UEFI booting at the moment, some mobos work properly, some don't so you have to use this workaround :\
     
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  13. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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    Mmmmmmm.

    I have the Asus Sabertooth Z77 so I am guessing there wont be too much difference between the set ups.

    I think I know what you mean.
    If I just sling W7 x64 onto a USB stick without following the above steps o the letter I do NOT see the UEFI icon connected to the USB stick and if the OS HDD is not in GPT it also does NOT have the UEI icon.

    How ever if the USB stick is formatted properly into fat32 and the folders amended along with the extra file when I do boot into the BIOS. i can see the UEFI icon connected to the USB stick.
    Also before I actually installed W7 x64 from the UEFI stick making sure to delete all the volumes and crete new ones my OS HHD did NOT have the UEFI icon either but once it was installed I could see the icon and then checking within the disk manager I old see the GPT drive.

    Does this help.
    Have you got any spare HHD's to test this out without messing about with your OS HHD ?

    I will add I used the HP Format tool to format the USB stick o fat32. Doing it through Windows does not o it properly, don't know why.
     
  14. pii

    pii MDL Junior Member

    Nov 3, 2012
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    #15 pii, Jan 3, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2013
    (OP)
    I have no bootmgfw.efi file the boot foldeer only has BCD, boot.sdi, bootfix.bin, bootsect.exe, etfsboot.com,memtest.efi,memtest.exe ???
    Scanned the dvd and no bootmgfw.efi

    Hey i really appreciate all the help but What a PIA this l is lol

    I just read the above post so going to format usb from the beginning and start freash
    thanks all
     
  15. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

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  16. Shenj

    Shenj MDL Expert

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    Use a ISO, your DVD does not have the required files.
     
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  17. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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    The required file was NEVER on the W7 x64 disc in the first place. Probebly in some .dll files burried deep. Untill it is installed that is..

    Again the rquired file can be found

    On an existing running W7 x64...... ( Pretty sure this only works on x64 )
     
  18. pii

    pii MDL Junior Member

    Nov 3, 2012
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    What's the difference? the ISO is basically the DVD isn't it? I have retail win 7 x64 straight from MS. (maybe it's compressed on dvd?)
    I did find the file though in my win 7 boot folder so I'm goo there..

    TNX. Good info thanks I'm trying to put it all together now. I'll let you guys know how it goes.
     
  19. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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    Yes let us know how you get on....:cool: