if it is CSM you should not set CSM to auto but disabled for this case. In some BIOSes it is called UEFI boot in other it is called CSM. Restart your PC > enter BIOS (each vendor has a different shortcut but mainly it is Del or Esc or F2 or F10 as soon you see the Logo) and Enable UEFI / Secure boot in BIOS. Use Rufus (new 3.0 is great and create a stick with Windor later ISO using UEFI mode The Windows version you are running is 1703 or later, go on with the real procedure which is easy and straight foward. You have checked your graphics card BIOS and eventually standalone RAID / Storage controller (except integrated Intel RST) etc supports UEFI boot Given your Windows boot drive was initialized as MBR you can assume legacy boot or a compatibility mode (CSM) is enabled Anyway, I recommend having a valid backup, and would like to recommend using Acronis True Image as a MVP for this product, but you also can use Macrium or whatever product you trust. for the conversion itself you do not loose any data. Without 3rd party tools you cannot undo this change and you would need to reinstall your Windows in legacy mode to get there. There is no Microsoft tool that can do the other way around. If you have 1703 you can also download 1709 iso or later for the conversion process (and later in-place upgrade)Īdvisory: This conversion is a one-way road for Microsoft. Get / have an official Windows 10 ISO file You do NOT need a new license code for this switch. it is not possible to switch from 32bit to 64bit.
If you end up here being on 32 bit you do not need the conversion but need to completel reinstall Windows with an activated UEFI / secure boot.
Press Windows key + X > System Type = 64 bit
How to check your Windows installation architecture Press Windows key > type winver > press enter Rule of thumb: just because your BIOS is capable of enabling UEFI boot it doesn't mean your GPU is. Contact your GPU vendor if unsure BEFORE converting. some cheaper models of the GeForce 600 series DO NOT support UEFI boot and cannot be flashed.
If it is not checked it might be there is a GPU bios update available (e.g. Doublecheck whether the UEFI checkbox is checked. How to check if your GPU is compatible with UEFI / secure boot:ĭownload and run GPU-Z from the official site. if a greyed-out caption says convert to MBR, you are already done and only need to check if secure boot is enabled, too. Press Windows key + X > click Disk management > right click disk that contains drive C - if there an greyed out caption convert to GPT you are on the right way. How to check if your Drive C is MBR or already using UEFI Press windows key > type msinfo32 > press enter > secure startup is "yes" when secure boot is enabled and active How to check if you use UEFI and secure boot disabled: How to step up from legacy boot to UEFI boot / secure boot:ĭisclaimer: UEFI boot can also be used without secure boot enabled but UEFI boot is mandatory to enable secure boot not vice versa.
Windows 8 is Vista 2.0 - so this was a tricky mess, hence it is out of support anyway. Not compatible with OS older than Windows 8.1 / UEFI boot with Windows 7 is possible without secure boot only. Not compatible with all Linux bootloaders
Only 64-bit Windows OS support (have heard it does work with 32bit Win 10 but would not try). Please make sure to update keep your BIOS updated, this can also address other vulnerabilities like Intel ME (SA00078, SA00086) or Spectre V2 (or later).īitlocker users: Do not update your BIOS firmware without pausing Bitlocker on Drive C. *there are some security flaws in the secure boot implementation.
Mainly higher security*, preventing boot sector viruses or rootkits or kernel / bootloader / driver obfuscation as they are unsigned code (should be). > support partition sizes (bootable) larger than 2 TB, People that never bothered to look into their BIOS, people that upgraded from Windows 7 or 8.x to Windows 10. Microsoft decided to implement this feature, that I proposed in the insider hub ( ). If you have Windows 10 and use a MBR based partition and have an UEFI based secure boot BIOS then you can switch from MBR to GPT without reinstalling. Even Linux has found its way to deal with it having signed bootloaders now, also ATIH Linux recovery does. You should feel encouraged to use secure boot / UEFI boot over legacy boot.