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after many years of absence to the MS Win world, I am trying to install a 64-bit Win7 pro in EFI mode onto my Lenovo Thinkstation E31 PC.
When I set the firmware to solely work in UEFI mode, I am not able to start the Win 7 installer, it hangs when displaying the logo. I've tried both USBs (written with Rufus and MS' tool), and a DVD.
When I set the firmware to operate in CSM mode with priority to UEFI, the installer start, and I am able to install Win7 even though during install process, it tells me that it can't be installed on GPT disks.
Created three partitions: EFI (FAT32), MSR, and NTFS system and data partition. Secure boot is disabled. My firmware is up-to-date.
After installation I tried to confirm this is an proper EFI installation by checking C:\Windows\Panther\setupact.log: Entry Callback_BootEnvironmentDetect shows EFI.
Here is the problem: When I switch my firmware back from CSM with UEFI priority to pure UEFI, Windows won't start. It throws a 0x000000d error (equally to this one)
Here are my questions:
Has anyone any idea why this error pops up in UEFI mode and how to prevent it?
Is there a possibility that even though my disk has a GPT table and I am having the correct Win7 firmware located on the /EFI partition, it still uses some compatibility mode and puts its boot sequence into MBR?? Does something like this exist?
Are there Win7 pro images that do not allow to install on EFI/GPT arrangement?
Why was my installer telling me that it is not able to install on GPT/EFI layout, and then did it?
Why does Windows make a difference between UEFI in CSM and UEFI?
I am confused...
Regards, Matt
Matt
Posted 2016-07-21T16:12:57.663
Reputation: 23
Windows 7 x86cannot be installed in UEFI mode. CSM and Windows 7 in UEFI Mode are not compatible with each other. – Ramhound – 2016-07-21T16:28:13.347AS above as far as I know windows 7 cannot be run from GPT drives. I have the same problem, I have a 3tb drive which is too big for MBR, but cannot run Windows 7 from GPT, so I can't use that as a system drive. You need to convert to MBR to be able to install Win 7. I'm not sure how UEFI comes into play here. – None – 2016-07-21T16:51:57.240
@Ramhound: I wrote x86_64, which MS names x64: Same same. Check out this one here
– Matt – 2016-07-21T16:53:40.740@Florian: Not quite true: 64-bit Win7 can be installed on GPT formatted drives in UEFI mode. Just that it doesn't fully work for me. – Matt – 2016-07-21T16:56:42.613
You're right sorry, it just doesn't work on non-UEFI bioses. – None – 2016-07-21T17:04:07.327
Windows 7 hanging at the logo has also been an AHCI issue for me. If you install with AHCI turned off in the BIOS and then turn it on afterwards it will hang like that. – None – 2016-07-21T17:05:59.170
@Matt - I am more then aware of that. While I understood you were using a system with a 64-bit processor (x86_64) I wasn't 100% sure if you were using a 64-bit operating system. Windows 7 also cannot be installed on a system using a 32-bit UEFI, support for both 32-bit and 64-bit UEFI, only came in the introduction of Windows 8.0. Are you by chance trying to install Windows 7 from a USB 3 device? In any event the only reason I made a specific point about 32-bit installations of Windows 7, is 3/5 questions, have to do with CSM and UEFI which are not compatible with one another. – Ramhound – 2016-07-21T17:19:09.857
@Ramhound. Thanks for reply. As my question indicates: trying to install a 64bit Windows... (changed headline now to make things more clear). No, not trying to install from USB 3 device. Have tried both USB2 and DVD, system will hang after logo is displayed. In *safe mode* it will hang when loading
disk.sys(or so). – Matt – 2016-07-21T20:58:23.140would it work for you installing from an easy PXE server alternative? – Pat – 2016-07-23T19:51:25.347
Never thought about it. I need to research how exactly that works. In my case that would only be an option if my Linux machine can host the PXE server and the Win 7 iso image. Do you have any link or guide with easy explanations on the process by any chance? Thanks a lot! – Matt – 2016-07-26T02:08:09.627