Disabling secure boot on Asus Maximus VII Ranger to install Windows 7 SP1 UEFI mode

[gupsterg]

The only way this will occur seems to me is by deleting PK .

I can save the PK by using option "Save Secure Boot Keys" .

What is throwing me is a line of information in the manual :-

The PK file must be formatted as a UEFI variable structure with time-based authenticated variable.

AS the UEFI (bios) is saving the file format should be correct?

IF so then does the USB stick that I'm saving the file have to be a specific file system?

I've ref'd 2 bits of info on web:-

1 poster states what file structure on USB stick but when later another query if restore is possible there is no reply.

2 this webpage is showing saving / restore but no mention of file structure for USB stick.

*** edit ***

After testing only FAT32 or exFAT file system is appropriate to save the PK , KEK , DB , DBX files to.

[gupsterg]

Cleared PK key.

Secure Boot state = Disabled
Platform Key (PK) state = Unloaded
OS Type = Windows UEFI mode

Launch CSM = Disabled

Regardless if I use:-

i) original Win7 x64 DVD (non SP1)
ii) USB stick with Win7 x64 SP1 (with & without USB 3.0 driver integrated) in either USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 ports

All I get is splash screen of Win7 and then reboot, the only way Win7 install (regardless of media, etc) is with Launch CSM = Enabled which mean Win7 install as non UEFI mode.

What am I doing wrong anyone? TIA

[AGTDenton]

Are you going to lose anything from UEFI mode by going into legacy?
I've never seen UEFI as that big of a deal for Win7.

On prebuilt machines where I've had to downgrade to 7 I've always disabled secureboot and put it into legacy mode for simplicity sake. Simply put it's less hassle.

[gupsterg]

Cheers for reply .

No, not gonna lose anything .

Just wanted to make it work .

[AGTDenton]

Cheers for reply .

No, not gonna lose anything .

Just wanted to make it work .

I've fought with it on many occasion, I came to the conclusion that to keep my hair for as long as possible I'll take the proven route

You don't actually lose that much boot time with it in Legacy, gets through to OS quick enough. Certainly the pre-built Lenovo's and ASUS's I've recently dealt with are speedy that it makes no difference.

If you take the legacy route just remember that you may at some point in the future have to reset the CMOS for whatever reason or the CMOS battery dies, the defaults may re-enable UEFI

[EndlessWaves]

Weren't the new Windows 10 installer versions supposed to accept Windows 7 keys directly?

[gupsterg]

I've fought with it on many occasion, I came to the conclusion that to keep my hair for as long as possible I'll take the proven route

I've got no hair to lose! LOL

You don't actually lose that much boot time with it in Legacy, gets through to OS quick enough. Certainly the pre-built Lenovo's and ASUS's I've recently dealt with are speedy that it makes no difference.

If you take the legacy route just remember that you may at some point in the future have to reset the CMOS for whatever reason or the CMOS battery dies, the defaults may re-enable UEFI

TBH its not about boot time, system is very fast even in CSM mode (legacy), its so quick you can miss entering UEFI on a reboot and sometimes system initialisation on cold boot.

It was just to say be able to do it / learn / gain experience about it .

Defaults in UEFI are for max compatibility ie USB Legacy support, CSM enabled, etc, etc. SO out of box mobo / UEFI defaults work perfectly for Windows 7 install but as non UEFI.

The UEFI is well designed in the way if I disable CSM = UEFI mode on and use a non UEFI bios on GPU it will beep at you on boot then reset bios to what it should be to function correctly. Read some mobo's just blackscreen and user left scratching head regarding what's going on if no experience of hardware/UEFI aspect.

Also noted if I used the Microsoft tool to create Win 7 on USB stick (ie non UEFI compatible) and disable CSM it will detect upon selecting USB that settings are wrong in UEFI and display message/reset/fix automatically.

When use Rufus to create installation USB as GPT/UEFI it works, but only as in up to splash screen and resets, I have no error message by mobo or detection of incompatible settings and as Win 7 hasn't started to install no errors to go by.

Might have to watch the Q-Code display on mobo to see if that has something to go by.

Weren't the new Windows 10 installer versions supposed to accept Windows 7 keys directly?

Don't know, not installing Win 7 UEFI to upgrade to Win 10, currently have no use for Win 10 as happy with Win 7 TBH.

[gupsterg]

Well I got there!



Checked C:\Windows\Panther\setupact.log and instead of:-

IBS Callback_BootEnvironmentDetect:FirmwareType 1.
IBS Callback_BootEnvironmentDetect: Detected boot environment: BIOS

I have :-

IBS Callback_BootEnvironmentDetect:FirmwareType 2.
IBS Callback_BootEnvironmentDetect: Detected boot environment: EFI

When Installing I had PK deleted thus Secure Boot disabled, I also had to have CSM enabled not disabled (UEFI defaults will be enabled) the thing I need to change from UEFI defaults is Boot from Storage Devices [UEFI driver first]. This option is in the \Boot\CSM (Compatibility Support Module).

Above installation was with Win7 PRO SP1 x64 with USB 3.0 drivers on USB Stick using GPT/UEFI format via Rufus.

Tested Secure Boot enabled with PK loaded after installing and all good (will be testing an installation done with Secure Boot enabled, PK loaded, as per UEFI defaults).

SO far I think only change required from UEFI defaults is Boot from Storage Devices [UEFI driver first].

*** update ***

Screenie updated, doing another installation with UEFI defaults (ie Secure Boot enabled, CSM enabled) but with only Boot from Storage Devices [Legacy OPROM first] to [UEFI driver first]

[AGTDenton]

Well done

[gupsterg]

Cheers .

Did another fresh install last night and as I suspected the only value that needs changing is Boot from Storage Devices [Legacy OPROM first] to [UEFI driver first], Secure Boot / CSM don't need to be disabled.

Previous install was on a spare 2.5" HDD preconfigured to GPT, the last test I did was with my SSD/HDD setup which had MBR / Win7 non UEFI installed, this was to see if UEFI/Win7 installer would get confused.

During installation I formatted the SSD via SHIFT+F10 to open command prompt and used DISKPART.

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SEL DISK # (replace # with hard disk you're certain is target drive)
CLEAN
CONVERT GPT
EXIT

Then closed command prompt and continued with install by selecting the unallocated partition on SSD (I did no setup of partition by installer and let it allocate space as shown in screenie automatically).

This method of setup is still allowing me to use say bootable DOS USB stick, etc like I used on my previous setup. SO as far as I'm concerned I haven't lost and functionality or compatibility and got Win 7 UEFI .

Now to register on www.sevenforums.com as this poster had same issue with Win 7 rebooting after splash screen, solution suggested was to go non UEFI.

I'm guessing its all down to how each UEFI implement's CSM, etc that the "normal" suggested options don't work with Asus UEFI on Z97.

[AGTDenton]

You've got me thinking if my disk is MBR or GPT on my other UEFI system, I let the installer do the formatting, as I didn't disable UEFI I am assuming it picked GPT.
But good one, glad its all configured the way you want and useful information for anyone else having fun.

[gupsterg]

Be great to know what occurred on your UEFI system.

I did try to find conclusive information before I went ahead regarding did I or didn't have to manually partition as GPT and I couldn't find it.

Only thing I could find was that Win 8.1 does do it without the manual DISKPART steps.

Perhaps it would work with Win 7 x64 as technically booting as UEFI, like the Win 8.1 link and the setupact.log is detecting UEFI environment, I may try it if and when have time / depending on your result of check.

I didn't want to waste time as my first install was on mechanical 2.5" HDD and trust me it wasn't fast! a) because of the drive's spec b) my ISO had SP1 + Agent's update patches.

When I did the 2nd install on SSD wanted to only change test of installation as SSD/HDD being MBR before hand. As you can expect it was a night and day difference of installation speed, IMO could have been faster if I wasn't using a el cheapo MyMemory 16GB USB 2.0 stick! (LOL).

[gupsterg]

Just as an update.

Later once I reconnected my other HDDs to system I'd get a delay in boot up, I noted a flashing cursor on screen straight after ROG boot up logo.

SO I changed option Boot Devices Control [UEFI an Legacy OPROM] to [UEFI only], I may have been getting a delay as my HDDs are MBR and not GPT at present and perhaps UEFI was searching to see if those had any OS, etc.

My UEFI defaults have Secure Boot / Fast Boot / CSM enabled, so just to recap from UEFI defaults I changed only:-

Boot Devices Control [UEFI an Legacy OPROM] to [UEFI only]
Boot from Storage Devices [Legacy OPROM first] to [UEFI driver first]