[SOLVED] How do I install using UEFI and is it worth it?

[elijah_]

Hi,

I'm about to build my first PC in a while and because I will continue to use my current SSD, I searched around a bit for the recommended approach to take with regards to reinstalling Windows. Rather randomly I came across UEFI but found surprisingly little information about how to set up UEFI/GPT over Legacy/MBR, so it doesn't seem like something the average user would be aware of!? I checked my current setup and found it's using legacy BIOS and MBR so I don't think it was something I was ever prompted to decide on previously when installing Windows.

My questions therefore are is this something that I should definitely use or does it not really affect everyday use? Like boot times on my current setup are 5-10 seconds and I never felt like I was missing out on something or that there was something wrong (searching files and file contents was a lot faster when I still had Win7, but my assumption was that this has to do with indexing).

Secondly, I couldn't find a clear step-by-step guide for the installation process, which is something I feel I need. Every video/post taking you through the process of installing Windows just doesn't mention it at all. Do I just change CMP to UEFI in BIOS when I first boot up my new build (installing from a USB set up via the Media Creation Tool) and then do this diskpart convert to GPT after deleting my old partitions? Or is there more to it, or is that wrong?

Edit: My motherboard is the MSI B450 Gaming Plus MAX and the manual says in 'Boot Mode Select' I can choose between 'UEFI' and 'LEGACY+UEFI', so UEFI will be enabled anyways, correct? Would I only have to do the convert to GPT then?

 

[TerryLaze]

You don't have to do anything manually,installing windows will take care of everything on its own,just don't change anything in your new bios and it will be on UEFI by default and windows will fix everything it needs to.
If you keep old partitions it will not change anything but still work normally without any negative effects,the only thing UEFI/GPT is good for is that it can handle more active partitions so you can have more OSs installed with less fuzz.
If you delete all your old partitions and re format the drive it will change it to GPT.

 

[elijah_]

You don't have to do anything manually,installing windows will take care of everything on its own,just don't change anything in your new bios and it will be on UEFI by default and windows will fix everything it needs to.
If you keep old partitions it will not change anything but still work normally without any negative effects,the only thing UEFI/GPT is good for is that it can handle more active partitions so you can have more OSs installed with less fuzz.
If you delete all your old partitions and re format the drive it will change it to GPT.

Alright, that's perfect, thank you!

 

[SkyNetRising]

How do I install using UEFI and is it worth it?

It's actually very simple.
Boot priority settings in BIOS will have several boot entries, for example:

USB HDD​

[UEFI]USB HDD​

HDD​

[UEFI] HDD or Windows Boot Manager​

Entries with [UEFI] - are UEFI boot entries (Windows Boot Manager too). Rest of them are legacy boot entries.

To install windows in UEFI mode, you have to boot installation media into UEFI mode.
To boot into UEFI mode, you have to choose UEFI boot option. That's it.

You can convert existing windows 10 installation from legacy/MBR to UEFI/GPT with mbr2gpt utility.

As to about - is it worth it? Nah. Not worth to stress about it.

 

[elijah_]

Oh, okay. The other commenter said it will install in UEFI automatically? But if it's not that important anyways I guess I could just have quick look around BIOS when I first set to boot from USB. If I'm sure about having to change something I'll do it, if not I'll just see if it will work automatically. If it doesn't I can still try this mbr2gpt if it happens to bother me.

 

[TerryLaze]

To install windows in UEFI mode, you have to boot installation media into UEFI mode.
To boot into UEFI mode, you have to choose UEFI boot option. That's it.

Any modern installation media,modern meaning windows 7 and later,will come in UEFI at default, you have to go out of your way to make an installation media that would be MBR.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Any modern installation media,modern meaning windows 7 and later,will come in UEFI at default, you have to go out of your way to make an installation media that would be MBR.

Modern installation media will support both modes - legacy and UEFI.
It depends on boot settings in BIOS as to what mode will be used.