Problems installing win7 on a uefi system.

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harshbarj

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Mar 18, 2004
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I have been trying to install windows 7 (home prem) 64-bit on to my laptop for hours now and am at a loss.

First my laptop is a Lenovo ideapad z70-80 with 16gb of ram an an 'i7' processor and a 1TB / 8gb hybrid HDD/SSD. It does support UEFI. My copy of windows 7 is a retail physical dvd.

Now for the problem. I have Ubuntu installed on the hard drive and have set aside a 400gb partition for windows (pre-formatted to NTFS). The disk is formated with the GPT partition system. When I try and install windows I have 2 options. I can try and install by booting the dvd in UEFI mode, which when I do the computer locks on the starting windows screen and never gives me any chance to install. The other option is that I can boot the DVD in compatibility mode, but then windows can't install to the drive as it's a GPT drive and not MBR. I can install to a spare drive in compatibility mode to a drive formated in MBR, but I have to install to a GPT drive.

Linux is my daily driver and I only need windows for a few programs from time to time. So going without Linux is not an option. If anything I'll just have to drop the idea of installing windows.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. (Other than installing another version of windows. Anything newer than 7 is out of the question, no exceptions)
 
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Z15CAM

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Nov 20, 2010
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Why do you want a UEFI GPT on a lap top if you don't need over 2Gb volumes?

Keep in mind that a SP1 Upgrage will kill your option to transfer your Win7 OS image unless your original Win7 installation was an Win7 SP1 ISO installation disk.

Microsoft Windows distribution is tricky.
 
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harshbarj

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Mar 18, 2004
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Z15CAM said:
Why do you want a UEFI GPT on a lap top if you don't need over 2Gb volumes?

Keep in mind that a SP1 Upgrage will kill your option to transfer your Win7 OS image unless your original Win7 installation was an Win7 SP1 ISO installation disk.

Microsoft Windows distribution is tricky.
Click to expand...

Because MBR is outdated and GPT has many advantages besides drive size (2TB). If the worst happens, data recovery is simpler and more likely with a GPT drive over a MBR one. As this is a production computer that alone is all I need to justify needing GPT.
 
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Z15CAM

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Nov 20, 2010
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I believe the ASUS P8Z68 Pro V-Gen3 and ASRock where the only MB'a to offer the UEFI GPT table Bios. It took Gigabyte another year with their Intel Z77.

The advantages a GPT file table has is that it can overcome the 2 terabyte limit and encrypt better and look for a Win7 Greater then 2 Terabyte Hot Fix when booting into Win even though you have a UEFI GPT Bios - MS makes it complicated.

What Chipset does your Laptop have?
 
Last edited:
H

harshbarj

Member
Mar 18, 2004
49
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Z15CAM said:
I believe the ASUS P8Z68 Pro V-Gen3 and ASRock where the only MB'a to offer the UEFI GPT table Bios. It took Gigabyte another year with their Intel Z77.

The advantages a GPT file table has is that it can overcome the 2 terrabyte limit and encrypt better.

What Chipset does your Laptop have?
Click to expand...


cpu-z reports it as Broadwell-U PCH L-P

GPT and has other benefits, like data recovery. A GPT drive can automatically detect and recover from corrupt partition and boot data where MBR can't. So in a production environment, GPT is the way to go.
 
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Elizine

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Aug 15, 2015
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Did you follow the below steps?
1.Upgrade to latest BIOS. Before you install in UEFI mode you should generally check with the vendor to make sure the BIOS is up to date.
2.Configure the computer for UEFI. Most UEFI based computers will also support legacy BIOS boot. This is configured in the BIOS. The following shows the computer is set for Legacy Boot and the boot options available with Legacy Boot
3.Insert Windows 7 SP1 X64 DVD. Note: One of the common issues we see is that users try to install X86 version with UEFI enabled in the bios. X86 does not support UEFI so you would have to configure the machine for Legacy boot to install X86 versions of Windows. If you do try to install X86 version setup will run but on the 1st reboot you will get BIOS error similar to “No bootable devices –Strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup utility. Press F5 to run onboard diagnostics”
4.Press F12 to choose to boot from the DVD and choose the UEFI boot option for the DVD
Note the UEFI option for the DVD under UEFI boot.
5.Follow prompts to install Windows 7 just like any other install.
 
Y

yinan

Golden Member
Jan 12, 2007
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harshbarj said:
Mostly because they need better performance than you can get in emulation. If I was running an office program emulation would be fine, but I develop 3d games and like to have a real copy of windows to do testing on. Testing via emulation is never a good idea.
Click to expand...

Virtualization does not equal emulation...
 
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