[SOLVED] BIOS vs. UEFI Issue on System Rebuild ?

[Mike_1894]

I'm rebuilding my legacy desktop system because the old Gigabyte Z68 motherboard w/ i5-2500K would not display video, so time for a major upgrade since the original install I did was 11 years ago. Also, the 500 GB Samsung SSD boot drive was maxed out with data, so it's time for more capacity since I'd rather have everything on one SSD. The old motherboard appears to be useless, but if there's a fix for no video from both the onboard graphics and the graphics, card that can help solve the more recent problems I describe below with the new build, I can provide more details.

The system was originally installed with Windows 7, which has since been upgraded to Windows 10 via the free download offer from Microsoft. The new motherboard is ASUS TUF Gaming H670-PRO WiFi D4 LGA 1700 Intel 12th Gen ATX Gaming Motherboard (PCIe 5.0, DDR4,14+1 DrMOS,4xM.2 Slots) with an Intel i3-12100 processor and I'm able to access the Asus MB BIOS settings okay. The system has a SATA DVD drive and two SATA hard drives, one a Samsung SSD 500 GB and the other a Western Digital 1 TB spinner. A new Crucial M.2 P3 Plus 2 TB SSD was installed today into one of the M.2 slots and the BIOS is recognizing all drives. Unfortunately the system will not boot into Windows 7 from the original software DVD disc (it hangs). When I plug in my Windows 10 recovery USB and boot, I am able to gain access to the options, which include restoring a system image and the latest image I saved on the WD 1 TB spinner drive is shown as an option to restore from. The newly installed Crucial 2 TB SSD also shows in the BIOS utility, so the system is recognizing both the source of the image and the destination. The plan was to use to take the system image that's stored on the WD 1 TB drive and restore it to the Crucial 2 TB SSD that was newly purchased and installed, then I would end up with Windows 10 and all my programs on the new Crucial 2 TB SSD. That would have been awesome, unfortunately, when I try to restore the system image, I get the following error message, "The system image restore failed. Windows cannot restore a system image to a computer that has different firmware. The system image was created on a computer using BIOS and this computer is using EFI."

Here are my questions where I'm hoping for some expert advice as this is only my second computer build and I'm only just learning about all the new tech. vs. 10+ years ago. 1. Since the original Windows 7 disc won't boot off the DVD (it hangs), am I correct in assuming Windows 7 is incompatible with booting at all in my new UEFI system, or should I contact Microsoft on this? 2. Since attempting to use the Windows 10 recovery USB encounters the stated BIOS vs. UEFI incompatibility, does this mean my only option is to purchase a new retail copy of Windows 11 where the DVD (or I suppose a flash drive if they provide that) will boot on this system and allow me to perform a clean install on the new Crucial 2 TB SSD? In the Asus BIOS, there's an option for "other OS" or UEFI and the former is selected. It seems possible the new Asus MB may support legacy mode, but I haven't contacted Asus on this yet as I'm wondering if it's even worth my time. Nevertheless, I would much rather find a way to copy my BIOS system image to the new Crucial 2 TB SSD and have that become the boot disc in what is apparently a UEFI system, if this is somehow possible. Any advice those of you with expertise on these matters can provide to guide my next steps is greatly appreciated, so thanks in advance to those who try to help me with some timely advice!

 

[Lafong]

As I understand it, your system image was made when the old motherboard was in use.

You now have a much newer motherboard and CPU.

That strongly points to a clean Windows install followed by a reinstall of all desired programs. If somehow you could restore your old system image, it would likely present you with problems...sooner or later.

Not what you'd like I'm sure, due to the headaches and time required to install all the old programs.

You shouldn't have to buy Windows again.

 

[Mike_1894]

Thanks for confirming what I was already thinking was the most likely outcome. I will call Microsoft next on the Win 7 disc not working for a clean install since the reimage appears to be a dead end. I would have already done that new install of Windows to gain access to all files if it had let me.

 

[Lafong]

Thanks for confirming what I was already thinking was the most likely outcome. I will call Microsoft next on the Win 7 disc not working for a clean install since the reimage appears to be a dead end. I would have already done that new install of Windows to gain access to all files if it had let me.

Not sure why you would call MS about Windows 7.

You should be able to go directly to a Windows 10 install. You say in your first post that you had previously upgraded 7 to 10, successfully.

I'd make a Windows 10 installer USB flash drive (of at least 8 gb capacity) via the official Microsoft "Media Creation Tool". Boot from it with only one drive connected, delete all partitions from that drive, and follow the prompts.

Unless I misunderstand your situation...entirely possible.

 

[Mike_1894]

I don't have the right media (USB or DVD) to boot Windows 10, only the old Windows 7 retail disc from the original install 11 years ago. Is there a way around this by obtaining a Windows 10 boot disc? I recall trying to create a Windows 10 boot disc or USB a few years ago to no avail, but I'm willing to learn here if someone knows how I could do this. My working assumption at the moment is that Windows 7 won't support UEFI, whereas Windows 10 will, correct?

 

[Lafong]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Starting point is as mentioned: Microsoft Media Creation Tool.

It has supplanted DVD disks as an installation method.

You need to get your hands on a USB flash drive of at least 8 gb capacity.

 

[Lafong]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11

above is the equivalent site for getting Windows 11.

I've never used it, but I assume the process is very similar.

Don't know if you want to finally end up with 10 or 11.

 

[Mike_1894]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11

above is the equivalent site for getting Windows 11.

I've never used it, but I assume the process is very similar.

Don't know if you want to finally end up with 10 or 11.

Thanks, I should have read your original response a little more carefully before responding. I'm thinking Windows 11 since 10 is getting old. I'll post the results once I've had a chance to go through it.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I'm thinking Windows 11 since 10 is getting old. I'll post the results once I've had a chance to go through it.

Several notes -

1. Install windows with only single drive connected. Disconnect all other drives.
2. Clean target drive before installing windows. This is to avoid any incompatible drive partitioning for UEFI install. Use diskpart clean method.
   Spoiler

   
3. Make sure sata controller is set to AHCI (no raid, no Intel RST) and fast boot disabled.
4. If you install windows 11, then secure boot has to be enabled too.

 

[Mike_1894]

Several notes -

1. Install windows with only single drive connected. Disconnect all other drives.
2. Clean target drive before installing windows. This is to avoid any incompatible drive partitioning for UEFI install. Use diskpart clean method.
   Spoiler

   
3. Make sure sata controller is set to AHCI (no raid, no Intel RST) and fast boot disabled.
4. If you install windows 11, then secure boot has to be enabled too.

Thanks for all the help, Lafong and SkyNetRising - much appreciated! I followed the instructions by downloading Windows 10 and disconnecting other drives besides the new C: boot drive as advised. During the install, I entered my Windows 7 product code from the original system builder purchase ~11 years ago and it worked fine. The install went smoothly onto my new NVMe SSD. I saw somewhere one should install Windows 10 first when using a Windows 7 product code, so that's what I did. I haven't upgraded to Windows 11 yet, but will do that at some point in the future. Windows 10 is working and stable from the clean install. Mission accomplished.

 

[rtp]

Windows 11 will also require your chipset/BIOS supports Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and that it is enabled. This allows all computers to be uniquely identified by Microsoft and Google, who have been pushing for many years to make it impossible to surf the web unidentified.

FYI, not only can Windows 10 use UEFI with GPT partition table, it insists on it.