New motherboard with UEFI and installing/imaging Win 7.

Discussion in 'backup, imaging & disk mgmt' started by Kirk Reynolds, Jul 13, 2013.

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  1. Kirk Reynolds

    Kirk Reynolds Registered Member

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    Hello all. I don't have first hand experience working with the new UEFI spec , not yet. I have a couple of questions that I would like to clear up before my hardware arrives next week and I get started on upgrading.

    I found the following link on the seven forums that gives a guide:
    http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/186875-uefi-unified-extensible-firmware-interface-install-windows-7-a.html

    Looks pretty straightforward.

    Whenever I have installed Win 7 in the past, I've always merged that (MSR) Microsoft Reserved partition with the primary partition that the os will be installed on during setup. It hasn't given me any problems that way and I prefer to have just one partition on my os drive.

    1.) It looks like I'm going to have to have the EFI System partition this time around, right? 2.) Also, what about the MSR? Can I still merge it with the os partition like I've always done during setup in the past, and just have 2 partitions on that drive when I'm done installing?

    3.) Whenever I image and restore Win 7 in the future (in particular with a 3rd party imaging program and not the one included with Windows), do I ignore the EFI system partition and leave it be, and only concern myself with imaging and restoring the partition that Win 7 itself is installed on?

    I'd appreciation any info/help that you can give me.
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2013
  2. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Kirk,

    You don't have to install Win7 in UEFI mode just because you have a UEFI BIOS.
    You can still install the OS in MBR mode just as you have done in the past. I've installed my OS in MBR mode instead of UEFI mode as for me, UEFI mode has disadvantages. For a start, my boot manager doesn't work in UEFI mode. Backup/Restore is more complex with UEFI due to the extra partitions.

    Regarding those partitions you mentioned, EFI and MSR. They must be left alone.

    Edit... The MSR (Microsoft Reserved Partition) has nothing to do with the SRP (System Reserved Partition). They are completely different. The EFI is somewhat analogous to the SRP.

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg463525.aspx
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2013
  3. Kirk Reynolds

    Kirk Reynolds Registered Member

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    Thanks Brian. I skimmed through that motherboard manual, but that just flew right by me, I guess. Good, I won't use UEFI then. Like you said, less complex that way.
     
  4. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Kirk, there will be a setting in your BIOS for Legacy mode instead of UEFI mode. Perhaps a setting for Secure Boot. Turn off Secure Boot.

    That's it. Install Win7 into an Active primary partition on HD0 and you won't get a SRP.

    Which motherboard did you buy?
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2013
  5. Kirk Reynolds

    Kirk Reynolds Registered Member

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    Ok, I'll do that.

    Sounds good.

    This one: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4491#ov

    I was just looking at the manual pdf in the bios section. I see something on page 49 under CSM support. "Always enable UEFI CSM support (default)". And after that there's boot mode selection. It looks like "legacy only" may be the best option, or "UEFI and legacy".
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2013
  6. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    That MB looks great.

    Yes.

    I have an Asus MB. My options are UEFI or "Other OS". I chose the latter.
    In CSM Launch, Boot Device, I chose Legacy.
     
  7. Kirk Reynolds

    Kirk Reynolds Registered Member

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    Ok, thanks again Brian. It looks like I'm set. :thumb:
     
  8. PoetWarrior

    PoetWarrior Registered Member

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    Brian, are you using Win 7 or Win 8? Is there any reason to choose Legacy if you're using Windows 8? I chose UEFI because of secure boot, but it seems that the less partitions used the quicker the OS. I've been tempted to use Legacy with Win 8.
     
  9. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    The main reason to use Legacy with Windows 8 is if you need/require a standard MBR type install. For example, if you want to use a standard MBR boot manager to dual-boot Windows 7 and Windows 8.

    I suspect that Legacy Windows 8 would boot at pretty much the same speed on your system as UEFI Windows 8. I've done both on several systems and haven't noticed any big differences.
     
  10. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    PoetWarrior,

    I need to use BIBM as I have about 10 OS on my SSD. Including a couple of Win8. So as MudCrab indicated, Legacy is a must.
     
  11. PoetWarrior

    PoetWarrior Registered Member

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    @MudCrab, @Brian,

    Thanks guys for the info. I guess I'll stick with UEFI since I get the benefit of Secure Boot. Thanks again.
     
  12. moontan

    moontan Registered Member

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    i use BIBM here in UEFI mode without problems.

    i only have 4 primary partitions:
    * BIBM
    * IFL
    * System reserved for Win 8.1
    * Win 8.1 itself
     
  13. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    moontan,

    That looks like MBR mode.

    Do you have an EFI System Partition in Disk Manager?
     
  14. moontan

    moontan Registered Member

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    hmmmm....

    doesn't look like it.
    under Type it says just Basic, if that is indeed where that info would be...

    otherwise i see no mention of it.
    so i guess not... lol :p
    ----
    did we just not discuss this only a couple months ago, and i already forgotten? :p
    if i did, i'm sorry. lol
     
  15. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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  16. TheKid7

    TheKid7 Registered Member

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    I am planning to purchase my first ever UEFI Motherboard in the near future. I plan to install Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit as the Operating System.

    Is the consensus that it is best to turn off Secure Boot in order to make it less of a 'headache' for making Images and Restoring Images?

    Also, what other settings need to be changed in the UEFI BIOS before installing the OS?

    Thanks in Advance.
     
  17. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    If you want to use BIBM and multi-boot, install your OS in MBR (Legacy) mode. This involves changing UEFI mode to Legacy mode in the BIOS although each BIOS could differ in terminology. My Asus BIOS calls it UEFI and "Other OS".

    For a single OS computer, your choice of UEFI or Legacy.

    Edit... TeraByte now has IFU (Image for UEFI). In the notes is...

    "We have not yet found a UEFI system that is feature complete and stable.
    Consider this to be a warning that the state of the UEFI environment is on
    the bleeding edge."
     
    Last edited: Nov 15, 2013
  18. aladdin

    aladdin Registered Member

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    Excellent learning thread!

    Best regards,

    Mohamed
     
  19. TheKid7

    TheKid7 Registered Member

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    The Motherboard that I am considering is made by ASUS (ASUS H87-PRO).

    I think that I will install Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit with the BIOS set at "Other OS".

    Since I am not using Windows 8, do I make sure that the BIOS Secure Boot Option is turned off?

    Thanks in Advance.
     
  20. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    My MB is ASUS Sabertooth Z77. In the Boot section I have...

    Secure Boot State - OS Type - Other OS
    CSM Launch Enabled
    .. Boot Device Legacy OpROM only
    .. Boot (three entries) Legacy OpROM first
     
  21. Robin A.

    Robin A. Registered Member

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    I find these discussion about UEFI totally biased. Nobody says anything about UEFI advantages. Is it an industry-wide blunder? Is it bad just because "I love program X and it can´t be run under UEFI"? Where is the expected future? Are we going back to BIOS and MBR?
     
  22. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Robin, go ahead.
     
  23. valnar

    valnar Registered Member

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    There are people who stayed with WinXP until the last breath, and those who installed the Win8.1 upgrade the day it came out. Which camp you are in depends on how bleeding edge you want to be.

    I'm perfectly okay with legacy and MBR for another iteration. Maybe I'll switch over when Windows 9 comes out and all motherboard manufacturers have caught up. Right now, backing up my PC with Image for W/L/D, (like Brian K) is of far more importance than playing with the newest experimental boot code.
     
  24. Robin A.

    Robin A. Registered Member

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    UEFI is not experimental. It has been in development for eight years.

    The vast majority of people don´t buy motherboards and construct their PCs, but buy systems pre-configured by OEMs. Currently, all of these (AFAIK) come with Windows installed in UEFI mode.
     
  25. valnar

    valnar Registered Member

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    That is...almost irrelevant. The way UEFI and GPT take over your hard drives works great for one OS, but not multiple. You can have it.
     
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