How do I install Windows 7 on 3TB hard drive?

[Pinecallado]

I've been spending the past 2 days trying to install Windows 7 on my 3tb hard drive and I can't find a successful way to do it. When I tried install windows 7 via usb it won't install on my 3tb HD and I get a error code.

I formatted my 3tb HD to gpt/ntfs. I read that the USB has to be in UEFI mode to install on drives 3tb+ so I used this program to boot my USB in UEFI mode.

But when I booted the USB in UEFI mode I got a error screen.
I then read that your motherboard has to be compatible with UEFI which my motherboard is. I installed the latest bios by the way.

I feel like I'm stuck right now. I will probably have to make a 2tb partition on this hard drive at this point even though I really don't want to.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

is your Win 7 a 64 bit version? IIRC, you need the 64bit version to boot to a 2.2+TB drive

 

[Z15CAM]

Have you created and added the directory efi/boot containing the bootloader file "bootx64.efi" to the Win installation files? This new boot directory also contains the fonts folder and files: bcd, cdboot.efi, cdboot_noprompt.efi, efisys.bin and efisys_noprompt.bin. These files can be copied from the efi/microsoft/boot directory.

"bootmgfw.efi" either has to be copied from a live OS or extracted from the sources/install.wim file and renamed "bootx64.efi".

Here's a link describing how to boot UEFI for Installing Win GPT Partitions: http://www.thomas-krenn.com/en/wiki/Creating_Windows_UEFI_Boot-Stick_in_Windows

 

[Pinecallado]

is your Win 7 a 64 bit version? IIRC, you need the 64bit version to boot to a 2.2+TB drive

It's 64 bit.

Have you created and added the directory efi/boot containing the bootloader file "bootx64.efi" to the Win installation files? This new boot directory also contains the fonts folder and files: bcd, cdboot.efi, cdboot_noprompt.efi, efisys.bin and efisys_noprompt.bin. These files can be copied from the efi/microsoft/boot directory.

"bootmgfw.efi" either has to be copied from a live OS or extracted from the sources/install.wim file and renamed "bootx64.efi".

Here's a link describing how to boot UEFI for Installing Win GPT Partitions: http://www.thomas-krenn.com/en/wiki/Creating_Windows_UEFI_Boot-Stick_in_Windows

I think the program I linked to already did all of this for me. Here's some screen shots.

Maybe I should move the efi folder to the boot folder?

 

[Z15CAM]

Maybe I should move the efi folder to the boot folder?

No don't do that.

You can copy the efi\microsoft\boot folder to the parent directory efi then copy your systems C: \Windows\Boot\EFI\bootmgfw.efi file to this location and rename it bootx64.efi

UEFI boot establishes a GPT Partiton option meant as a replacement to hard drives using a MBR partition table, which have a 2.20TB size limitation and extends upon UEFI. Using GPT a drive could support between 8 and 9.4 ZB depending on the sector size.

 

[RU482]

Anyone know what would happen if you cloned a Win7 image from smaller drive to a 3TB or larger drive?

 

[Z15CAM]

Anyone know what would happen if you cloned a Win7 image from smaller drive to a 3TB or larger drive?

I believe it would work providing the Win7 64-Bit image was originally installed on a GPT Partition plus it's always wise to run SysPREP - ReBoot into DOS GHOST.EXE then make the System Image - That way Windows Install runs when you boot the Image and installs the proper device drivers for the hardware on your new Platform

 

[Pinecallado]

No don't do that.

You can copy the efi\microsoft\boot folder to the parent directory efi then copy your systems C: \Windows\Boot\EFI\bootmgfw.efi file to this location and rename it bootx64.efi

UEFI boot establishes a GPT Partiton option meant as a replacement to hard drives using a MBR partition table, which have a 2.20TB size limitation and extends upon UEFI. Using GPT a drive could support between 8 and 9.4 ZB depending on the sector size.

I will try this and see what happens.

I believe it would work providing the Win7 64-Bit image was originally installed on a GPT Partition plus it's always wise to run SysPREP - ReBoot into DOS GHOST.EXE then make the System Image - That way Windows Install runs when you boot the Image and installs the proper device drivers for the hardware on your new Platform

Sadly the hard drive my windows installation is currently on isn't gpt.