Installing Windows 10 to new hardware in legacy?

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Gary Seven
Posts: 61
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:17 pm
Location: Tarragona, Spain

Installing Windows 10 to new hardware in legacy?

Post by Gary Seven »

Hello all.
I built a new system a couple of months ago based on Asus Crosshair VII x470 and a AMD Ryzen 7 CPU. With great difficulty I managed to carry over my Win7 install and it sort of works but clearly is unhappy with the new hardware. My Linux installs (each to their own ssd) seem to be very happy.

I currently have my BIOS set-up in "legacy mode." Using my copy of BIBM v1.52 I set up yet another spare SSD to install Windows 10 to. However, even after setting the partition active, when I try to boot the USB installer I am simply not getting it work. Getting some strange error messages that I can't recall at the moment.

Question. Is it possible to install Windows 10 in legacy mode, or is it mandatory to be installed under UEFI (ie, MBR vs GPT) Anyone? Thank you.
G7
Brian K
Posts: 2214
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Installing Windows 10 to new hardware in legacy?

Post by Brian K »

Gary Seven wrote:

> Question. Is it possible to install Windows 10 in legacy mode,

Gary, yes it can be installed in legacy mode. Did you make your Win10 UFD with Rufus? If so did you select the MBR choice?

What is your error message? Are you installing Win10 to the SSD with all other disks disconnected?

https://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=339
CyberSimian
Posts: 137
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2016 12:13 pm

Re: Installing Windows 10 to new hardware in legacy?

Post by CyberSimian »

Gary Seven wrote:
> Is it possible to install Windows 10 in legacy mode, or is it
> mandatory to be installed under UEFI (ie, MBR vs GPT) Anyone?

My Lenovo laptop arrived with Windows 10 installed in UEFI mode. I re-installed it in legacy mode.

If you use the Microsoft tool to create the installation memory stick, it creates an installation image that can install in either UEFI or legacy mode (it contains the files for both). However, that may not be true if you use the Rufus tool to create the installation memory stick (it may create an installation image that can install only one mode).

My Lenovo has a specific BIOS "Boot Menu" that lists the devices that are currently connected and which are bootable. If the USB memory stick contains the installation image created by the Microsoft tool, the USB memory stick is listed twice: once with "EFI" in the name (selecting this results in a UEFI install), and again without "EFI" in the name (selecting this results in a legacy install). Of course, you must have "legacy support" enabled in order to see both. If you have "UEFI only" enabled, you will see only the EFI entry in the list of bootable devices.

Your Asus motherboard may or may not offer equivalent capability.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK
Gary Seven
Posts: 61
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:17 pm
Location: Tarragona, Spain

Re: Installing Windows 10 to new hardware in legacy?

Post by Gary Seven »

Brian K wrote:
> Gary Seven wrote:
>
> > Question. Is it possible to install Windows 10 in legacy mode,
>
> Gary, yes it can be installed in legacy mode. Did you make your Win10 UFD with Rufus?
> If so did you select the MBR choice?

The first time I tried to do this I had used something called "USB Image Maker" in Linux Mint, using a Windows 10 iso I have. Trying to boot from that USB stick produced a strange error (sorry, can't remember what it was) so I gave up. I then booted into Windows 7, downloaded Rufus and built the USB installer with that. Of course I chose MBR and everything necessary to build the iso for legacy.

This time, after booting my "Win10" boot item to make the ssd active, I followed the instructions to reboot the machine in order to now boot from the USB installer. During the reboot I press "del" to enter my bios in order to boot from the USB drive. Of course I have the bios set to "legacy" with both "safe boot" and "fast boot" turned off. Now the USB installer takes over and seems to start the Windows 10 installer, but after choosing country location and keyboard type, the next screen (where you would expect to see where Windows wants to install) presents me with a window warning me of a "missing driver" and of course I have no such "driver" so install fails.
>
> What is your error message? Are you installing Win10 to the SSD with all other disks
I'm a little embarrassed to say I was too lazy to shut down my machine to unplug 5 SATA drives. Also, I've got an NVMe M.2 drive installed but I can disable that in bios if necessary. I will read kb article and try again.
> https://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=339

G7
Gary Seven
Posts: 61
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:17 pm
Location: Tarragona, Spain

Re: Installing Windows 10 to new hardware in legacy?

Post by Gary Seven »

Update: SOLVED

Well ok, the suggestion to RTFKB (read the f-ing kb article) did the trick. ;) Thanks to Brian (and Cybersimian) for responding. Truth is, it's been so long since I've run two Windows systems side-by-side that I plain forgot about the technique of disconnecting all other drives before attempting the install. Also forgot about checking the box "swap" in my boot items menu, which of course makes a HUGE in difference in your success rate. LOL!

Thanks again.
G7
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