Rufus: UEFI Win 7 USB fails to boot

[rhampong]

Created a Win7 X64 UEFI GPT boot/install USB. FAT 32 option.
I had to disable Secure Boot. When I boot, the files are installed (screen message bar). The Windows logo appears and then distorts. Stays on Starting Windows forever.

My machine is operating on UEFI Win 8 GPT. Rufus run from this machine and boot with the USB was tried on same machine.

[pbatard]

This looks like a Microsoft issue, not a Rufus one.

The UEFI boot process is a very simple one, and all Rufus does for Windows 7 or later UEFI boot is copy a bunch of files unmodified from the ISO to a FAT32 partition, and that's really all there is to it.

Many people have successfully been using Rufus to install Windows 7 x64 in UEFI mode, so it really looks like this is an incompatibility between your specific hardware and the Windows 7 UEFI installation process from Microsoft (that they probably fixed for Windows 8).

For now, I'd suggest you try OPTION TWO from this guide and report whether you are having the same issue. If that's the case, then it will confirm that Rufus has nothing to do with your problem, and you will need to contact Microsoft to find out if they have a solution.

[rhampong]

Thanks . I tried with win 8 iso and no problems.
Ron

[pbatard]

Yes, but as I tried to explain, Windows 8 working properly doesn't mean anything with regards to Windows 7. The UEFI installers from Win7 and Win8 are different. Unless you have no plans to install Windows 7, please try OPTION TWO from the guide I pointed above, with the Windows 7 x64 ISO, and let us know how that goes.

[pbatard]

@rhampong, any update with OPTION TWO?

[rhampong]

I will try it soon. Busy trying stuff with virtualbox also.

Thanks

[rhampong]

I tried it again several times. With RUFUS all I get is a distorted
Starting windows logo screen (attached). With option 2 and diskpart I get a
boot error (attached).

One thing I noticed is that with RUFUS, the EFI/BOOT folder only has
bootx64.efi, while the diskpart (option 2) version has all the original
files and font folder etc. plus the bootX64.efi that I added.

[pbatard]

With RUFUS all I get is a distorted Starting windows logo screen (attached). With option 2 and diskpart I get a
boot error (attached).

You attachments do NOT work because you are actually emailing a robot that converts the text content of the e-mail to a github issue. If you want to provide files, please don't use e-mail but go to https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/issues/254 and add a new entry.

Also, if option two also fails, then it really looks like this is an issue with your specific system, not Rufus.

One thing I noticed is that with RUFUS, the EFI/BOOT folder only has
bootx64.efi, while the diskpart (option 2) version has all the original
files and font folder etc. plus the bootX64.efi that I added.

That's normal. Only /efi/boot/bootx64.efi is needed. Also, many people have been installing Windows 7 x64 in UEFI mode using Rufus, using the same directory structure and files as the ones you have, so if this was an issue with missing or misplaced files, it would have been reported a long time ago.

Again, if option two fails, your problem doesn't seem to have anything to do with Rufus.

But just to be on the safe side, you may want to attach the complete log that Rufus produces when you create your USB flash drive, to see if there's anything of significance in there.

You may also want to try the Windows 7 USB tool.

[rhampong]

Where does Rufus keep its log? I have used the option 2 in the past to create bootable MBR Win 7 installation USB on a different machine, so my ISO files are correct. Is there something missing in my understanding of UEFI?
My Toshiba laptop comes with OEM WIn 8. Quad core A5200 2 GHZ 6 G RAM.
The BIOS has settings to enable/ disable Secure Boot and also to disable UEFI and enable CSM. I set to disable Secure boot and Enable UEFI, directly in BIOS menu.

Thanks. Happy New Year

[rhampong]

[rhampong]

Notice that the error message states that it is looking for \EFI\microsoft\boot\BCD.
However that directory ..\boot was moved up one folder during the preparation of the USB flash and does not exist.

[rhampong]

From the error message (option 2), it just dawned on me that I am not doing something correct. On the USB created with Diskpart, I noticed that I had deleted the \efi\Microsoft\boot folder. I fixed that and now the USB created with Diskpart at least fails the same as the one created with RUFUS.

One thing I noticed is that option 2 using Diskpart to create the boot USB is of type MBR and not GPT like was set up with RUFUS. Does it matter ?

[pbatard]

Hi (and Happy New Year! ;))

Where does Rufus keep its log?

There's a _Log_ button right on the left of the _Start_ button. if you click on it, the log window will open and you'll have the ability to see and save the log.

Thanks for attaching the screenshots.

and now the USB created with Diskpart at least fails the same as the one created with RUFUS.

Which confirms, as I suspected, that your issue has nothing to do with Rufus. Therefore I'm not sure having the log will help much.

Are you sure you are using an official ISO from Microsoft?
Have you checked the Toshiba or Microsoft user forums for reports of the same issue?

Considering that option two uses only Microsoft standard tools, and therefore can not be blamed on something external, I think you may want to contact either Microsoft or Toshiba with the details of your problems, as, from where I stand, it certainly does look like a conflict between Toshiba hardware and Microsoft Windows installer software, so they should be the best placed to help you out. Plus, considering your report that Windows 8 installs just fine, it is very possible that Microsoft might already be aware of this issue and fixed it in the Windows 8 installer.

One thing I noticed is that option 2 using Diskpart to create the boot USB is of type MBR and not GPT like was set up with RUFUS. Does it matter?

It don't think it does, as long as you boot the USB in UEFI mode. The issue with having an MBR drive instead of a GPT one is that you may inadvertently boot it in compatible-BIOS mode rather than UEFI mode, in which case Windows may not be installed in UEFI mode. With GPT, which can never be booted with anything else than UEFI, you can be 100% sure that your installation will be in UEFI-mode, so that's why Rufus will recommend GPT where possible.

[rhampong]

I checked on the internet and seems that there are many people having problems installing Win 7 UEFI and being stuck in the windows startup screen. They have probably done something in the computer's hardware. The manufacturer probably will not help since they don't support downgrading and only release win 8 drivers.

[pbatard]

Since this is not a Rufus related issue, I will close it.

[rhampong]

please close. Thanks

[unlockboot]

I have success with the new version of Rufus https://rufus.akeo.ie

[opssemnik]

I know this is 4 years old, but may happen who is googling this issue (as it is the first link)
Windows 7 bootloader is a legacy one, but it also has UEFI installation files for a uefi installation, you need to enable Legacy support(in bios) and boot on the UEFI(yes, even though you enabled legacy mode) option

[nagor]

@opssemnik i am rising a mug of beer to you! Enabling legacy support did help. Thanks

[Mike-Correa]

@opssemnik thank you so much! I thought i would have to my disc and format in mbr, but thanks to you it worked! You are the only one who actually got the solution for this issue, i couldn't find a solution anywhere else! Thanks for posting it here for us!

[zxdawn]

There's another option: Partition system(MBR) and Target system(BIOS).

[lock[bot]]

This thread has been automatically locked since there has not been any recent activity after it was closed. Please open a new issue if you think you have a related problem or query.