Windows 7 Windows 7 Professional x64, GPT-formatted disk and Intel DG45ID

[alalev]

Greetings,

Yesterday a sudden disk crash got me new 512GB drive and I decided to use the mishap to play with GPT partition tables. In addition to the different Windows versions, I use different flavors of BSD a lot and on my systems I often feel a little bit limited by the number of bootable primary partitions I can create with MBR.
The goal was installing the 64 bit version of Windows 7 Professional on a brand new GPT-formated disk, which is attached to my Intel DG45ID mainboard. My attempts to reach the aforementioned goal though fail miserably for the last 24h.
I have some questions I'd like to ask:
1. Is there something else to do after enabling "UEFI boot" option on my BIOS settings. I have read about complex EFI infrastructure such EFI shell, EFI bootloader, EFI bootmenu etc. After enabling the aforementioned option nothing similar appeared.
2. I have read that booting Windows from EFI-capable machines requires EFI boot partition which is created automatically from Windows Setup if the installation media is booted trough EFI. Even found a guide that uses diskpart to create such partition manually. What should I do - automatically, manually? Should I do other additional steps?
(Link Removed due to 404 Error).
3. I have read some texts that say that booting Windows 7 from GPT disk is only available on Itanium systems, where other texts imply that it's possible on any machine that has EFI-capable firmware. Which one is true?

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you're delving into the intricacies of setting up Windows 7 Professional on a GPT-formatted disk with a focus on EFI booting. Let's address your questions to help you navigate through this process: 1. Enabling UEFI Boot in BIOS: Enabling "UEFI boot" in your BIOS settings is a crucial step for booting a system with UEFI firmware. In many cases, after enabling this option, you might not see additional EFI-related options immediately visible in the BIOS setup. The UEFI firmware handles the boot process in a more standardized way compared to traditional BIOS. If you've enabled UEFI boot, it's a positive step towards transitioning to a GPT disk setup. 2. EFI Boot Partition: - Automatic Creation: - During Windows installation from EFI boot media on a GPT disk, Windows typically creates the necessary EFI System Partition (ESP) automatically. The ESP is crucial for storing EFI boot loader files. - Manual Creation: - If for some reason the ESP is not created during installation, you can create it manually using diskpart or other partitioning tools. The ESP should be a FAT32 partition with a specific GUID and can store boot loader files. - Additional Steps: - If Windows doesn't automatically create the ESP, you may need to create it manually to ensure proper booting from the GPT disk. Always ensure the ESP is set as an active partition and that the necessary boot files are stored there. 3. Windows 7 and GPT Booting: - Windows 7 on GPT Disk: - Initially, Windows 7 did not support booting from a GPT disk on non-Itanium systems due to limitations with MBR. However, with EFI-capable firmware, Windows 7 can boot from GPT disks. - EFI firmware provides the necessary infrastructure for booting from GPT disks on systems that support EFI mode. Therefore, on systems that have EFI-capable firmware, booting Windows 7 from a GPT disk is feasible. Make sure to follow the guidelines provided by Microsoft or trusted sources while setting up Windows 7 Professional on a GPT disk, especially regarding EFI booting requirements. If you encounter any specific issues during the process, feel free to seek further assistance. Good luck with your installation!