Can't get UEFI drive to boot - help

thornev said:

what the hey?! Windows says I can't install to a gpt partition style! I chose custom install. Maybe I have to choose upgrade install?

- - - Updated - - -

I think Windows was trying to install from my USB drive that Windows Media Creation tool was used to create. I removed it and now when I boot the EFI drive, I get taken to the legacy Windows !

OK. That explains it. What do you get from "bcdedit" now? We're making lots of progress with that one!

I removed the USB drive, booted into legacy Windows and this is the EFI store:

Code:

bcdedit /store s:\efi\microsoft\boot\BCD /enum

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier              {bootmgr}
device                  partition=S:
path                    \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
description             Windows Boot Manager
locale                  en-us
inherit                 {globalsettings}
default                 {default}
resumeobject            {731bc4f1-4806-11ec-832f-40b076db60c8}
displayorder            {default}
                        {f44c0041-489d-11ec-a9a5-f5bcc93e6d4a}
toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
timeout                 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {default}
device                  partition=W:
path                    \windows\system32\winload.efi
description             Windows 10 UEFI
locale                  en-us
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
isolatedcontext         Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                partition=W:
systemroot              \windows
resumeobject            {731bc4f1-4806-11ec-832f-40b076db60c8}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Standard

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {f44c0041-489d-11ec-a9a5-f5bcc93e6d4a}
device                  partition=C:
path                    \windows\system32\winload.exe
description             Windows 10 Legacy
locale                  en-us
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
isolatedcontext         Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                partition=C:
systemroot              \windows
resumeobject            {731bc4f1-4806-11ec-832f-40b076db60c8}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Standard

Now the issue is that I cannot boot into EFI Windows when I select in BIOS to boot the EFI drive.

thornev said:

I removed the USB drive, booted into legacy Windows and this is the EFI store:

Code:

bcdedit /store s:\efi\microsoft\boot\BCD /enum

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier              {bootmgr}
device                  partition=S:
path                    \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
description             Windows Boot Manager
locale                  en-us
inherit                 {globalsettings}
default                 {default}
resumeobject            {731bc4f1-4806-11ec-832f-40b076db60c8}
displayorder            {default}
                        {f44c0041-489d-11ec-a9a5-f5bcc93e6d4a}
toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
timeout                 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {default}
device                  partition=W:
path                    \windows\system32\winload.efi
description             Windows 10 UEFI
locale                  en-us
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
isolatedcontext         Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                partition=W:
systemroot              \windows
resumeobject            {731bc4f1-4806-11ec-832f-40b076db60c8}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Standard

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {f44c0041-489d-11ec-a9a5-f5bcc93e6d4a}
device                  partition=C:
path                    \windows\system32\winload.exe
description             Windows 10 Legacy
locale                  en-us
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
isolatedcontext         Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                partition=C:
systemroot              \windows
resumeobject            {731bc4f1-4806-11ec-832f-40b076db60c8}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Standard

I wasn't clear enough, I guess. What is the result of "bcdedit". Just plain "bcdedit". Do not put anything behind the command. One word, no options behind it, just plain "bcedit".

Here's what I have on my EFI Windows partition:



- - - Updated - - -

Here's just bcdedit:

Code:

bcdedit

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier              {bootmgr}
device                  partition=Z:
description             Windows Boot Manager
locale                  en-us
inherit                 {globalsettings}
default                 {current}
resumeobject            {280eaea5-47f2-11ec-832a-40b076db60c8}
displayorder            {current}
toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
timeout                 15

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {current}
device                  partition=C:
path                    \WINDOWS\system32\winload.exe
description             Windows 10
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence        {467bc458-472b-11ec-830d-b896f3803d44}
displaymessageoverride  CommandPrompt
recoveryenabled         Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                partition=C:
systemroot              \WINDOWS
resumeobject            {073136a8-4726-11ec-830c-40b076db60c8}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Standard

- - - Updated - - -

I guess I didn't understand what was going on when I booted with the USB drive still installed. I do have an EFI Windows install, but it is generic. That is I have not been able to log into it and do anything.

Here is what I am seeing from all of this:
Your computer has never once booted from the new SSD. It has always booted from the original SSD or from the USB flash drive, but it has never booted from the new SSD in UEFI mode.

I have been in BIOS selecting to boot from the EFI drive, but I get taken to the legacy install. So that's the issue now. I can't boot into the EFI Windows. Let me try some things.

During POST, launch the boot menu. I think that on Asus MB it is F8.
You will see all the boot options.

mHz - I do the same thing by going into BIOS to the BIOS menu and selecting the EFI drive under Bios Override.

thornev said:

I have been in BIOS selecting to boot from the EFI drive, but I get taken to the legacy install. So that's the issue now. I can't boot into the EFI Windows. Let me try some things.

Since you now have proven that you can boot from the USB flash drive...insert the USB flash drive. Turn on your computer, and spam F8 (repeated press), that should get you to the boot override menu, just like @Megahertz has just posted! Select the option to boot from the USB flash drive in UEFI mode. Select the Custom Install option (not upgrade). You will get to a screen that shows drives and partitions. On the that screen, delete every partition that is on the new SSD. Do not delete any partitions on the original SSD! Once the new SSD is 100% unallocated space, highlight that unallocated space and click on Next. When the computer gets ready to reboot, remove the USB flash drive.

I'm pretty sure @Megahertz will agree

On the F8 boot override menu, you will probably see two different options for the USB flash drive - you want the UEFI option.

NavyLCDR said:

Since you now have proven that you can boot from the USB flash drive...insert the USB flash drive. Turn on your computer, and spam F8 (repeated press), that should get you to the boot override menu, just like @Megahertz has just posted! Select the option to boot from the USB flash drive in UEFI mode. Select the Custom Install option (not upgrade). You will get to a screen that shows drives and partitions. On the that screen, delete every partition that is on the new SSD. Do not delete any partitions on the original SSD! Once the new SSD is 100% unallocated space, highlight that unallocated space and click on Next. When the computer gets ready to reboot, remove the USB flash drive.

I'm pretty sure @Megahertz will agree

On the F8 boot override menu, you will probably see two different options for the USB flash drive - you want the UEFI option.

That is what I instructed OP to do on post #93