[SOLVED] Trying to install Win 10 using UEFI without success

okrobie

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Hi all, I can install Win 10 in legacy mode, but I would like the experience of installing it with UEFI. This is on an HP DV7I-7000 with an I7-3610QM CPU and 6GB of RAM.. I suspect that I'm dealing with an archaic BIOS issue but HP doesn't offer an update for this BIOS (Insyde F.29) The BIOS does allow me to disable Legacy mode, but if I do that, the computer doesn't recognize any drives at all. Neither MBR or GPT. Can't even boot it in non-legacy mode. Anybody got any suggestions?

EDIT: When I wrote this, I hadn't read the "Clean Install" sticky yet. I'll post a reply here after I read it and use the suggested method.
 
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Solution
could be the delay caused by laptop waiting for the screen to reply, and since it doesn't actually work, it times out and then continues to load windows?

fast startup speeds up boot times as on shutdown, it saves a copy of drivers to ram + a copy of the kernel as well, so when it comes to startup its already half loaded. Its okay until you have old drivers that can't cope with being woken up at startup.

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
if it has a mode called legacy boot, it means it is a uefi bios. just cause its not graphically appealing doesn't mean its not uefi. Legacy boot mode didn't exist (in that name) until UEFI was created, as it was the only choice before UEFI.

It won't see drives as none of the attached ones are formatted as GPT.

see if this works?
Put USB with win 10 installer in PC
set boot method as not legacy (may need to restart)
see if you can set USB as boot device

insyde isn't my most fav bios to work with.
 

okrobie

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I did a "Clean Install" as prescribed in the sticky, but I had to do it in Legacy mode since the Media created by the Microsoft app wasn't recognized in non-legacy mode. This was the same experience I was having when I used Rufus.

I tried both MBR and GPT. I converted the Microsoft Media USB to GPT but it wasn't recognized then either. I suppose I can live with Legacy mode, but this is a nice machine and I wanted it first class. If it works, don't fix it.

EDIT: I just noticed that if I hit F9 it goes into a boot priority mode with "OS Boot Manager" at the top of the list. When I select that choice and hit enter it boots immediately. Does that mean that the OS Boot Manager is alive and well on the newly installed HDD? If so, why wont it boot that nicely from the BIOS? when the non-legacy boot sequence list has that at the top.
 
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Colif

Win 11 Master
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from what i can see on a chart here, your bios is a win 8 compliant UEFI bios at the very least - https://support.hp.com/au-en/document/c03451712

instructions on same page say the choices for installing should be

Turn on the computer and press the F9 key to enter the Boot Option Menu.
Windows 8 UEFI BIOS - Select Internal CD/DVD ROM <UEFI> if you are using an installation DVD or select USB Hard Drive <UEFI> if installing from a USB storage device, then press Enter.

did any of the choices in your F9 menu have UEFI after them?

there isn't a lot around about installing win 10 on this so I went backwards to win 8.

There is also not a great difference between MBR & GPT on small drives. After 2.2tb is when you really need GPT, and you can already format storage drives as gpt anyway.
 

okrobie

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I forgot to answer your question. Yes, The USB drive created by the Microsoft app does have UEFI after it, but the machine doesn't see it when I try to boot in non-legacy mode.
 

Colif

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okrobie

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Good morning Colif, thanks for your help.

It will now boot in non-legacy mode (UEFI) from the SSD created from the Microsoft app but it starts in a completely black screen in about 10 seconds, but during this boot I have no access to the Fn keys and there seems to be no POST or no HP logo.

I did have to disable secure boot.

Whenever I disable Legacy mode I cannot use Fn keys at all so If for some reason I need to go back to Legacy mode, I have to re-flash the BIOS and go back to Default.
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
one step forwards, 2 steps back...

function keys? do you mean to access bios?
you might be able to get to bios via windows 10.
on desktop, go to settings/update & security/recovery
under advanced startup, click restart now
this starts windows in a blue screen
choose troubleshoot
choose advanced
choose UEFI Firmware interface

that should load you into the bios

Are you using HDMI or DIsplayport to connect monitor? sometimes the bios only shows on 1 signal.

You might need to talk to HP. the blank screen thing does seem to be a feature of HP. I would show links but for some reason I can't load any HP sites tonight.
 

okrobie

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Right, when I say Fn keys, I'm talking about F10, F9 etc. for getting into BIOS or changing boot options etc.

I tried that method of getting into the BIOS, but it locked up my computer and I couldn't do anything, so I flashed the BIOS again and wen't back to default. It will boot in the default BIOS (legacy enabled) but it does a lot of beeping and it takes longer.

Until I get this thing working better, I'm sticking to VGA.

I'll keep working on it. Regards
 
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okrobie

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Great research!!! Well, I was able to turn off Fast Boot, but the only thing that did was make it take longer to boot. I still didn't have access to the Fn keys.

I then tried the Windows key+b and F2 trick but that didn't do anything.
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
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IT gets better and better. I would ask on the HP forums as its where I am getting all the links from, they should be able to point you in the right directions :)

insyde isn't my fav bios to work with, mainly as there are no real manuals out there. There is their website but they don't supply paperwork to users, just makers.

its late here, might have a look in morning and see if I can find anything else
 
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okrobie

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Yea, I know, but if it didn't have a decent I7 and a 2GB graphics adapter, I wouldn't put this much effort into it. It has been sitting on my junk pile for over 2 years and I decided to tackle it.

laptop.jpg
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
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could be the delay caused by laptop waiting for the screen to reply, and since it doesn't actually work, it times out and then continues to load windows?

fast startup speeds up boot times as on shutdown, it saves a copy of drivers to ram + a copy of the kernel as well, so when it comes to startup its already half loaded. Its okay until you have old drivers that can't cope with being woken up at startup.
 
Solution

okrobie

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That makes sense. I ordered a new screen from China today so we will have to wait to see. Estimated delivery Tue, Oct 01 - Tue, Nov 12. I ordered a 1920X1080 LED. China was the only place I could get the same resolution as the OEM screen for an affordable price.. I don't mind waiting. I've got plenty of projects. The next one is a HP Pavilion X360 13.3" I5 It also has a cracked screen. If I have any problems, I'll start a thread. This forum is awesome. Thanks for your help. I'll activate this thread when it arrives. Regards, Jim
 

okrobie

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I am totally surprised. What you said was correct. When I installed the new display panel, all of my symptoms disappeared. I never dreamed that the display had so much interaction with the system. THANK YOU!!!