Toshiba C55t-A5123 Has no access to UEFI/CSM

[pclaptop23hour]

I have a Toshiba C55t-A5123 that had a Windows 10 upgrade installed on to a wiped hard
drive. (No going to Settings to revert back to previous OS.)

The CD/DVD drive,(I had changed boot order to look at the Optical drive first), with a Win7
install disk was not recognized at boot up to facilitate a complete new Win7 install over
top of the current Win10 OS.

I re-wiped the hard drive and formatted it to NTFS, and then used the disk manager from
another laptop to change it to GPT!

When I tried to use my Windows 7 Ultimate DVD to re-install (changed boot order so OD CD
\DVD was first) but this C55t wont boot from the DVD! Now this is the same DVD that came
with this unit but yet it wont boot the Win7 install DVD!!

I read where THIS Toshiba model (because Toshiba was in cahoots with Microsoft) has no
provision in BIOS to switch to from UEFI to CSM, UNLESS the bios was updated to v 1.03 (I
think that is the latest version)! I did disable "Secure boot" which was the only
associated option!

I then created a GPT UEFI USB memstick with Win7 Ult ISO, which booted fine and installed
Win7 Ultimate to the re-GPT'ed 500gb SATA hard drive.

But on reboot after Win7 Ult install the ONLY bootable media device found was the USB Win7
memstick???

This C55t-A5123 will only boot to the memstick and completely bypasses (changed boot order
to make HDD first) the GPT HDD that has just had Win7 Ultimate successfully installed!

If I let it boot to the USB MEM stick it starts the Win& installation all over again!

If I remove the USB MEM stick, I get "Checking Media" and then "No bootable Device --
please restart system" !

It completely ignores the Win7 install on the 500gb GPT SATA hard drive!

Apparently I still need to update BIOS so I can change UEFI to CSM. But how do I do that
when there is no bootable device that contains the "scjev130.exe" executable file?

Is there a way to load/install this BIOS upgrade from a USB memstick?

I find it really reprehensible that such an option was deleted from BIOS choices, just to
make it difficult for a Toshiba user top revert back to windows 7! That is what I have
read anyway!

Thanks in advance for ANY input on how to get Windows 7 back on this Toshiba, how to
recognize the install and/or how to upgrade the bios from memstick.

 

[boomerang]

Do you know for a fact that the optical drive was working before you started the Win7 install? It sounds like it is not functioning.

When you did the Win7 install, what did you do when presented with the screen giving you options to create or delete partitions? I think your mistake was in formatting and partitioning to GPT in another computer prior to the install. Let the Win7 disk handle that and I think you will be OK.

You seem to be between a rock and a hard place on the BIOS upgrade so I think you'll have to deal with that once you have a Windows install that you can boot off of. The procedure that Toshiba outlines is to install the BIOS update from a CD. If your optical drive is functioning, you should be able to do that. The only way to know that at this point is to have an OS installed.

 

[Ketchup]

I would just put the drive in another computer, delete the partition, then install Windows as boomerang outlined.

 

[pclaptop23hour]

Thanks boomerang and ketchup, ill check the DVD drive, I "ASSUMED" it was working . . . and we all know about ASSUME!
I'll try using the win7 install formatting of the target HDD again and see what happens, and I'll also check the DVD drive and "IF" I can get it to boot I'll do the bios update from under windows, i was hoping there was a way to update the bios from the USB or from (a working) CD/DVD drive!

I gather when enough people complained about the missing UEFI/Legacy(CSM?) option in BIOS setup, they released a newer BIOS update version (1.30) that did indeed have that option! But that BIOS update exe file needs to be ran from a running OS . . . . something I don't have now! Had I known what was necessary to do what I wanted to do as far as changing bios options, Ii would have installed the update before wiping win10 from the hard drive! Lesson learned for next time!

thanks again guys

 

[pclaptop23hour]

I made some changes and tried to reload win7 from a bootable memstick as above . . After a failed boot the the error message i get is: Windows failed to start . . .
File: EFI\Microsoft\Boot\BCD
Status: 0xc000000d
Info: Error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration file

 

[pclaptop23hour]

I haven't checked CD/DVD yet, just changed the install procedure as boomerang suggested

 

[boomerang]

Based on some Googling and your post with the error message I believe your easiest and perhaps best option at this point is to reinstall Win10, update your BIOS and then install Win7.

However, at the Toshiba forums I am seeing mention of an ISO file for the 1.30 BIOS. Using Rufus, I gather that you should be able to boot from a flash drive and update your BIOS from that based on what I'm reading. It doesn't appear that the ISO file is available through their normal tree structure for downloads so you may have to search around or read the posts related to your issue more closely than I have to locate it. I am seeing mention of having to login to access the file.

I Googled "install windows 7 on C55t-A5123" which then led to "how to install windows 7 on toshiba satellite c55" and there is a guy named Peter that is from Toshiba that has provided the answers.

I think your problem now is that Win7 as it exists on your media is not compatible with the version of UEFI BIOS on your laptop. You should be able to install Win8 as my C55 came with 8 and of course you already know Win10 will work.

Edit: You might want to check this video out. I think the guy has taken some steps in the beginning from a command prompt to prepare the flash drive that can be done directly from windows but to each his own. I should add that I think this is a possible solution but I am man enough to admit that I'm not sure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IxUprqB2PM

 

[pclaptop23hour]

I just checked CD\DVD drive and it is Ok! And startup completely ignores the DVD drive upon startup and that is with a DVD having the SAME ISO file as what was put on the Rufus boot memstick!!

Thanks boomerang i will look for that BIOS 1.30 update ISO first and then the Youtube! Boomerang do you know what that error code above is?

 

[boomerang]

I just checked CD\DVD drive and it is Ok! And startup completely ignores the DVD drive upon startup and that is with a DVD having the SAME ISO file as what was put on the Rufus boot memstick!!

Thanks boomerang i will look for that BIOS 1.30 update ISO first and then the Youtube! Boomerang do you know what that error code above is?

Hmm, no, I don't. Google might...

But I can take a self-educated guess and it's why I linked to that video. You are having problems related to a UEFI BIOS. The error message references EFI. Seems like there might be a connection there. The video shows you how to integrate the files you need into a Win7 install disk which in your case would be a flash drive. I'm betting that after that you'll have an install of Win7 that will boot and function as it should and one you can then update the BIOS from.

Seems like it's worth a try.

 

[pclaptop23hour]

Toshiba C55t-A5123 BIOS update that will allow the addition of a UEFI/CSM toggle option is version 1.30. (scjev130.exe)
There are two newer versions. 1.40 and 1.50 (scf6v140.exe and scjev150.exe)

None of those versions will work with Rufus to make a bootable USB disk to update the BIOS!

The error message from Rufus 2.11.995 is,
"This image is either non-bootable or it uses a boot or compression method that is not supported by Rufus."

 

[boomerang]

I know that you have posted this in at least one other forum. That can lead to confusion. But here goes.

I just poked around in my BIOS. I am on the latest and what looks like the last iteration, 1.40. Here is what I a have learned. You may want to investigate yours after reading further.

On the Security Tab, navigate to Secure Boot and toggle it to Disabled.

Then, on the Advanced Tab, Navigate to System Configuration and under Boot Mode see if you have the option to change it to CSM. In other words this is a two step process. If you don't disable Secure Boot, you are unable to change the Boot Mode. It will be stuck on UEFI. And, I will bet that if it is on UEFI that there will be an option to change it to CSM once Secure Boot is disabled. Having one without the other doesn't make a lot of sense but I will say that you may be right and it is not available in your BIOS version. I'm not seeing that mentioned in the notes associated with each BIOS version at the Toshiba support site but it's entirely possible they overlooked it.

If you can enter your BIOS and if you can toggle to CSM, you should be able to install WIn7 such that it will boot. You may even be able to boot to the existing install once the BIOS isn't looking for a file that doesn't exist.

 

[pclaptop23hour]

OK, boomerang, youtube video is next . . thanks

Boomerang and ketchup, cheesesteaks are on me at Jim's Steaks South St Philadelphia . . . .

http://www.jimssouthstreet.com/

 

[boomerang]

Toshiba C55t-A5123 BIOS update that will allow the addition of a UEFI/CSM toggle option is version 1.30. (scjev130.exe)
There are two newer versions. 1.40 and 1.50 (scf6v140.exe and scjev150.exe)

None of those versions will work with Rufus to make a bootable USB disk to update the BIOS!

The error message from Rufus 2.11.995 is,
"This image is either non-bootable or it uses a boot or compression method that is not supported by Rufus."

You want the ISO not the .exe. I told you earlier that you needed an ISO. Slow down and read what I'm saying.

Just curious, have you read my post previous to this one? The video is a lengthy process that you may not need to go through if you can follow the directions I gave on your existing BIOS. From earlier posts it doesn't sound like you knew it was a two step process.

Thanks for the offer but I am 50 miles outside of Detroit.

 

[pclaptop23hour]

There is no CSM option on this C55t-A5123 laptop, just "Disable Secure boot", and from what I've seen on various YouTube videos the "Error 0xc000000d" problem IS the ability to toggle UEFI/CSM, something that I do not have in my C55t BIOS options.

and yes i posted this on a few web sites and hopefully will be getting input from anyone that can help!

So far I'm still between a rock and a hard place, all because Toshiba decided NOT to include this UEFI/CSM option at the insistence of MS windows! Just to make it harder to revert back to Windows 7!

Apparently Toshiba received enough "End-User" flak and decided to include that option in newer BIOS updates!

 

[pclaptop23hour]

boomerang I did use the ISO! When you run the 130/140/150 exe file(s) above they create a folder on your "C:" drive and in that folder is the ISO file(os2014259a_140.iso).

I did read exactly what you wrote and it is the ISO file that Rufus does not like and says it is non-bootable!

I could always FEDEX overnight that cheese steak . . . but that depends on how hungry your FEDEX man is as to whether or not you will get it.

There are only 2 - 3 places in Philadelphia that are FAMOUS for cheese steak sandwiches and Jim's Steaks on South St. is one! "Where do all the hippies meet, South St, South St.!"

 

[pclaptop23hour]

I'm going to try and make a bootable CD with the BIOS update file on it now, with the Toshiba BIOS launcher (included in the EXE file above from the folder it creates on the "C:" drive) that gives you that "Make a Bootable CD" option.

thanks again let me know about FEDEX overnight! 8^)

 

[boomerang]

There is no CSM option on this C55t-A5123 laptop, just "Disable Secure boot", and from what I've seen on various YouTube videos the "Error 0xc000000d" problem IS the ability to toggle UEFI/CSM, something that I do not have in my C55t BIOS options.

and yes i posted this on a few web sites and hopefully will be getting input from anyone that can help!

So far I'm still between a rock and a hard place, all because Toshiba decided NOT to include this UEFI/CSM option at the insistence of MS windows! Just to make it harder to revert back to Windows 7!

Apparently Toshiba received enough "End-User" flak and decided to include that option in newer BIOS updates!

Just looked at the BIOS versions for your laptop and I see what you've said. At the files for mine it says C55t and at yours it says C55 so I thought they applied to both models and didn't check yours.

I don't want to confuse you because I am aware that I am giving you different options but have you tried double clicking that .exe for the 1.50 BIOS? It should unpack the files into a folder it creates in the root of the C: drive. The ISO file you need is in there.

Rufus should be able to create a bootable flash drive using that ISO file.

 

[boomerang]

We're both typing at the same time and are both heading in the same direction. Not sure if that is good or bad.

Good I think...

 

[boomerang]

Oh hell, now I'm moving so fast I'm not reading what you post...

 

[boomerang]

I see what you're seeing. Investigating further...

 

[boomerang]

I'm going to try and make a bootable CD with the BIOS update file on it now, with the Toshiba BIOS launcher (included in the EXE file above from the folder it creates on the "C:" drive) that gives you that "Make a Bootable CD" option.

thanks again let me know about FEDEX overnight! 8^)

Kind of confused because I thought you couldn't boot from the optical drive... But I've got my teeth sunk into this now and want to know how it turns out.

Sorry about my confusion too. I'm telling you to do things you've already tried.

 

[VirtualLarry]

If the internal DVD drive won't boot, but a USB flash drive will, what about an external USB DVD drive?

 

[pclaptop23hour]

OK problem solved, I downloaded the Toshiba BIOS updates (1.30,1.40, and 1.50) for my C55t-A5123, and used the Toshiba "launcher.exe" utility (part of the expanded files) that are in a folder created by the download.
There is an option, in that launcher utility, out of 4 choices to create a bootable CD/DVD for updating the BIOS. I thought I would use a newer BIOS update (v1.40) but that didn't work.
So I created a second DVD using the v1.30 update (the first of the updates to BIOS to add the UEFI/CSM option) and that worked perfect. I rebooted, pressed F2 and went into "ADVANCED" BIOS settings and there it was! An option to change "UEFI to CSM"! I set it to CSM and rebooted.
After that it was all downhill! My Win7 install DVD was recognized, the install went perfect and it has rebooted to the HDD!
Thanks everybody for input . . . . sure you don't want that cheese steak FEDEX'ed overnight!

 

[pclaptop23hour]

Download link for the BIOS update that worked . . .
http://support.toshiba.com/sscontent?contentId=4005333

 

[pclaptop23hour]

BTW, Rufus, would not create a USB bootable device.it did not like the BIOS v1.30 ISO file. It was the "LAUNCHER" included in the V1.30 BIOS executable download from Toshiba that created a bootable CD(actually I used a DVD) that allowed me to update the BIOS to v1.30. I don't know why the CD/DVD was not recognized before (maybe the EFI folder?) . . . .and above somewhere you mention an incorrect model for my Toshiba, I have a C55 "t" unit not just a C55, . . . C55T-A5123! and the BIOS update link above, is for a C55T-A5123.

thanks once more for pointing me in the right direction!