Can't enable UEFI in the bios

[Mussels]

UEFI is basically if you have CSM enabled or not
No, del is the fast way
Secure boot is optional, required for 11
Reinstall not needed for a new GPU


Give me the goal you're trying to achieve here. I've just made a new thread about USB installers for windows 10/11/linux, but you really need to clear about the end goal here or you can waste hours of time and need for format and lose everything to change one setting

 

[Imperator]

Hello mate.
1st you will have to enter in mainboard BIOS settings.
There you must choose type of boot : UEFI
After that you will need probably to fresh install windows because you (i presume) had it installed as non UEFI (CSM), in which case you must check if it will boot.
EDIT: Motherboard BIOS can't be accessed in another way BUT pressing the button (depends on manufacturer) at POST .
So yes you should press DEL in your case to enter.

 

[AugeK]

1. You don't have to enable UEFI, it is always enabled but you have to disable CSM. Consult the Mainboard manual to find the corresponding settings option.

It may be required to convert your harddrive to GPT.
For this purpose back up your harddrive, at least essential data!
Hit "Start" (or the Windows symbol on the very left of task bar), then select "Restart" while pressing shift key.
After reboot, select "Troubleshoot => Extended options => input/command prompt".
Type "mbr2gpt /validate" and "Enter"
If result is positive type "mbr2gpt /convert /allowfullos" and hit "Enter"
Now your harddrive is converted to GPT, if you want to run Windows11 you will have to do this anyway.

2. Secure boot is optional unless you want to switch to Windows11
3. No
4. No
5. No idea

Whilst in BIOS you could enable "Security Device" and "TPM or eTPM" if you want to switch to … Windows11

 

[Naki]

RE going to BIOS question:
Yes, there is an easier, simpler way (no need to hold or press any keys) assuming Windows 10 OS is working fine.
Please see here:

Enter BIOS Setup Utility in Windows 8, 10 - Lenovo Support BG

support.lenovo.com

(has a video too )

 

[Mussels]

RE going to BIOS question:
Yes, there is an easier, simpler way (no need to hold or press any keys) assuming Windows 10 OS is working fine.
Please see here:

Enter BIOS Setup Utility in Windows 8, 10 - Lenovo Support BG

support.lenovo.com

(has a video too )

It's hardly faster or easier with all the extra steps and clicks involved to use the reboot to UEFI option

 

[Naki]

On some computers, it is the only way. (As they boot too fast, no way to press anything.)

Also, unlike with pressing Delete or F2 or whatever key, this way you are not time-limited.
I use both ways, sometimes 1 of them is better, sometimes - the other one.

 

[$@j!n0m0t0]

Ok... I made a boo boo...

Tried to do conversion of MBR to GPT, didn't get to work, deleted the partition (from one of the windows interface (looked pretty cool), not command prompt), restarted for some reason and guess what...

Windows won't load up...

I had to do what I feared...

*Fresh install of Windows 10*

There were few dramas in between all this with installation

Now, GPT (tick)... (It didn't allow me to install into my existing hard drive since it was MBR)
This didn't make any sense to me since I was running Win10 on that same hard drive previously. Anyhow...

Luckily I had backed up my precious 94GB worth of stuff... (There's more in the other hard drives)

Now, have to go through the process of reinstalling all my softwares and what not...

Another few hours in front of my computer that my Mrs is just going to "love"...

 

[Deleted member 67555]

Just to putting this out there... You can use as low as a GTX-400 series on a UEFI bios but you cannot use it with secure boot.
They work fine on Windows 10

 

[Mussels]

Ok... I made a boo boo...

Tried to do conversion of MBR to GPT, didn't get to work, deleted the partition (from one of the windows interface (looked pretty cool), not command prompt), restarted for some reason and guess what...

Windows won't load up...

I had to do what I feared...

*Fresh install of Windows 10*

There were few dramas in between all this with installation

Now, GPT (tick)... (It didn't allow me to install into my existing hard drive since it was MBR)
This didn't make any sense to me since I was running Win10 on that same hard drive previously. Anyhow...

Luckily I had backed up my precious 94GB worth of stuff... (There's more in the other hard drives)

Now, have to go through the process of reinstalling all my softwares and what not...

Another few hours in front of my computer that my Mrs is just going to "love"...

Yeah you cant exactly delete your MBR - your master boot record - and expect windows to boot without it

Changing to UEFI always required a clean install.

 

[Naki]

Yeah you cant exactly delete your MBR - your master boot record - and expect windows to boot without it

Changing to UEFI always required a clean install.

This is incorrect, please see here:

Top 4 Way to Convert MBR to GPT without Data Loss in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7

Is it possible to convert MBR to GPT without data loss? This article covers four proven ways to convert the hard disk from MBR to GPT without losing data in Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7.

www.diskpart.com

I have done this successfully at least once, Windows 10 just booted up and worked fine, but now in UEFI mode.
(On an Intel platform -- CPU is Intel® Pentium® Processor G4560, Kaby Lake.)

This is not infallible - it may result in a non-booting Windows OS sometimes, it depends.
So, one should be careful doing it, and do both data/files backups, as well as a system image, just in case.

 

[Mussels]

Thats MBR to GPT, but *not* booting with UEFI nor deleting the contents of the partition

 

[droid-I]

I followed this guide re GPT conversion when I switched from Legacy to UEFI BIOS. Worked Ok. (a GA-970A-DS3P)

How to Convert Legacy BIOS to UEFI in Windows

Microsoft introduced an MBR2GPT tool that lets you convert from Legacy BIOS to UEFI with just two commands. Here is how you can do so.

www.maketecheasier.com

 

[Naki]

Thats MBR to GPT, but *not* booting with UEFI nor deleting the contents of the partition

Correct, no data or partitions deleted this way - everything is kept intact.
IF deletion of partitions is wanted/desired, then steps are of course others.

Do not understand the "not booting" part, sorry?
The change went fine for me -- I confirmed UEFI is working via GPU-Z, as well as MS System Information tool showing UEFI BIOS mode being used.

( EDIT: Subsequently, the 120 GB SSD in that PC died on us (this is my father's HTPC), so I gave him a spare 240 GB SSD to use and we did a new, clean UEFI Windows 10 installation due to this.
So, that MBR to GPT converted Windows OS is now gone. )

 

[AugeK]

Worked fine for me too on an AMD platform.
But check in Bios if boot drive is set correctly and don't forget to switch off CSM.

 

[$@j!n0m0t0]

Do excuse how I described my experience when going through this whole process. I may not be explaining the terminologies or how I went about doing it correctly.
(Also, didn't want any of you to debate on different methodologies )

End goal was met (somehow)...

I guess, this is the finale of this forum? I let you all decide...

Sometimes its hard to get the right info when you just google. It helps when there's communities (like techpowerup) that can guide and assist people like myself.

I do want to thank all of you for helping me out during this journey... Really appreciate all your time and effort...

Till next time...