Issues booting Win7 64 Ultimate with UEFI

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by prdo, Oct 30, 2013.

  1. prdo

    prdo MDL Novice

    Oct 28, 2013
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    Hi everyone,
    I got a new PC that uses UEFI and after number of tries to activate the old win7 ultimate by using automated activation from this forum I gave up and decided to do a clean install this time with win7 ult containing the SP1.
    During the install I created a new partition on my Samsung SSD drive that I think is MBR since "convert to GPT" option is available in disk manager when right-clicking the disk. After that I used an activator I got with Win ISO and it activated with no problems.
    The issue is that for some reason my boot fails (after an option to entr BIOS, I get black screen that leads me nowhere) usually 2 times and after resenting it 3rd time(pushing the reset button) it goes through. and boots up with no problem.
    Based on my limited understanding, I think this has to do something wit Boot Record and BIOS, so I went to bios and tried number of options giving priority to Samsung drive as well as disabling UEFI boot but still the same.

    Would anyone have suggestion how to resolve this?

    Thanks a lot!!!
     
  2. bludgard

    bludgard MDL Member

    Jan 4, 2011
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    Look for an option to disable secure boot in BIOS.
     
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  3. acyuta

    acyuta MDL Expert

    Mar 8, 2010
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    #3 acyuta, Nov 1, 2013
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2013
    1. Load Optimised Defaults or Fail Safe Defaults (no need to disable secure boot). Just load optimised defaults.
    2. Insert your install win 7 DVD and boot from it.
    3. On BIOS, enter setup.
    4. You will see many boot devices-hard disks, dvd etc. There should also be a plain DVD, and a UEFI DVD with a file size (3.09 GB for win 7 ultimate x64). Make the UEFI DVD bootable and save
    5. Boot again and press any key... Win 7 install DVD should make the boot disk GPT and install windows on it. For safety, you migth want to disconnect non-boot disks (disconnect sata or power connector) till install though this is not necessary at all.
    6. UEFI is not the scarecrow made out to be. After the initial difference/difficulty, it is much easier and secure than old BIOS.
     
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  4. prdo

    prdo MDL Novice

    Oct 28, 2013
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    Thanks for responding....

    I tried to do as suggested but for some reason I do not see any UEFI devices as an option to boot from (UEFI is NOT sibabled in boot options). To eliminate any possibility that the BIOS is cause of this issue I downloaded the latest BIOS version and made the BIOS update by using the Easy Bios Update tool available from the tools menu within my BIOS (I have M5A97 motherboard).

    While updating the BIOS, I noticed that the USB key (1GB) plugged in the back of the PC was available as the UEFI boot device option so I decided to try following your advice just instead of booting from UEFI DVD (no option to do that from BIOS) I would use prepare the Win install from the USB as per the process explained in the 3 easy steps post.

    So I did it with two separate USBs and neither of them is showing as an UEFI bootable option (8 GB and 12 GB). I tried to plug in the smaller USB used for BIOS update and this one shows as available UEFI boot able option but unfortunately it is too small to hold the ISO.

    The way it looks to me is that since I have MBR formatted disk, for some reason I do not have an option to select UEFI for the valid DVD drive option (not sure if this makes sense)???????


    Also when I select the "UEFI only" option as the option under BIOS Boot Device Control, I receive the msg when booting that the boot option does not fully support boot device ---> and instructing to go to BIOS - Boot - CMS parameters and adjust.
    As I make change to this option selecting "Legacy Only" OR "UEFI and Legacy", the PC starts booting and then ends up with black screen after offering me to select DEL to enter BIOS (this is if I do not enter BIOS).

    If I am to have the NON UEFI DVD or one of the USBs as bootable device (no option for UEFI DVD or UEFI USB), windows completes loading files and then stops and does not move anywhere even after several hours.

    :confused::confused::confused:

    So now I am not able to make it boot at all either from the SSD drive containing the install (I see that the windows is there by browsing the disk through BIOS update tool), or from the DVD (tried with multiple iso images that worked on other PCs and always end up stopping after loading files).

    As you could imagine any help is well appreciated....

    Thanks...
     
  5. prdo

    prdo MDL Novice

    Oct 28, 2013
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    Thanks for responding.
    I tried but no change... any other suggestion is appreciated...
     
  6. LatinMcG

    LatinMcG Bios Borker

    Feb 27, 2011
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  7. prdo

    prdo MDL Novice

    Oct 28, 2013
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    Thanks a lot.
    I do not think it is hardware since windows was booting up OK untill I reinstalled it to make the activator working since it would not work on the GPT disk and after reinstall it started acting up.
    I downloaded Yumi and am currently creating the bootable USB. I will let you know how it goes...

    Would it possibly help if I am to the SSD our of this box and format it with GPT ?
     
  8. prdo

    prdo MDL Novice

    Oct 28, 2013
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    THANKS A LOT!!!!
    YUMI did the trick and I am again up and running....

    Take a look at you PM.

    Thanks again!!!
     
  9. prdo

    prdo MDL Novice

    Oct 28, 2013
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    And Release 6-16 worked like a charm and activated it on UEFI !!!!


    Thanks everyone and especially LatinMcG!!!