Windows: UEFI o legacy (BIOS)

SYSADMIT

9 Apr 201707:49

Summary

TLDRIn this video, Pol Padrisa from SYSADMIT explains the differences between UEFI and BIOS, highlighting UEFI's advantages like faster boot times, support for 64-bit OS, and more than four primary partitions. He also discusses the dangers of switching between UEFI and BIOS modes, which can lead to data loss and OS boot issues. Padrisa provides methods to determine if a system is using UEFI or BIOS, including checking system information, disk management, and Panther logs, emphasizing the importance of this knowledge for troubleshooting and system maintenance.

Takeaways

💻 UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is meant to replace the older BIOS (Basic Input Output System), offering new functionalities.
🚀 UEFI booting is faster than BIOS, improving overall system performance.
🖥️ UEFI only supports 64-bit operating systems, while BIOS can handle 32-bit systems.
📦 UEFI allows more than four primary partitions per unit, overcoming the limitations of BIOS.
📏 UEFI supports system drives larger than 2TB by using GPT (GUID Partition Table) instead of MBR (Master Boot Record).
🔒 UEFI provides more security by protecting the pre-OS boot process.
⚠️ Switching between UEFI and BIOS requires reinstalling the operating system and causes data loss.
🔍 It's important to know whether your system is using UEFI or BIOS to prevent issues like boot failure or hardware configuration problems.
🛠️ Method 1: You can check if your system uses UEFI or BIOS by running `msinfo32.exe` and looking for the BIOS Mode.
💾 Method 2: In `diskmgmt.msc`, if your system disk has three partitions (EFI system, Microsoft reserved, and NTFS for Windows), it’s UEFI. Fewer partitions mean it’s BIOS.

Q & A

What is UEFI?
-UEFI stands for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, which is designed to replace the older BIOS (Basic Input Output System), adding new functionalities.
What are the benefits that UEFI brings compared to BIOS?
-UEFI offers faster boot times, supports only 64-bit operating systems, allows more than four primary partitions per disk, enables the use of volumes larger than 2TB with GPT (GUID Partition Table) instead of MBR (Master Boot Record), requires a UEFI boot partition, and provides enhanced security by protecting the pre-boot process.
What are the potential dangers of switching from BIOS to UEFI or vice versa?
-Switching between UEFI and BIOS modes may require reinstalling the operating system and can result in data loss on the disk.
Why is it important to know whether a system is running on UEFI or BIOS?
-Knowing whether a system is running on UEFI or BIOS is crucial for troubleshooting issues like boot failures that can occur if the firmware configuration changes from UEFI to BIOS or due to hardware replacements that alter the system's boot mode.
How can you determine if a Windows system is installed in UEFI or BIOS mode?
-There are several methods to determine the boot mode: 1) System Information via msinfo32.exe, 2) Disk Management via diskmgmt.msc, and 3) Checking logs in the Panther directory.
What does the System Information tool (msinfo32.exe) reveal about the BIOS mode?
-The System Information tool shows 'Legacy' if Windows was installed in BIOS mode and 'UEFI' if it was installed in UEFI mode under the 'BIOS Mode' section.
How can the Disk Management tool (diskmgmt.msc) help identify the boot mode?
-Disk Management shows the partition types and formats. If there are three primary partitions with formats FAT32 for EFI System Partition, no format for Microsoft reserved partition, and NTFS for the Windows installation partition, it indicates UEFI mode. One or two primary NTFS partitions suggest BIOS mode.
What information can be found in the Panther directory regarding the installation mode?
-The Panther directory, found at C:\Windows\Panther, contains logs that can be checked to determine if Windows was installed in UEFI or BIOS mode, even when done offline.
What are the implications of changing the boot mode on a system with a default UEFI configuration?
-Changing the boot mode from UEFI to BIOS or vice versa can cause the operating system to fail to boot, necessitating a reinstallation and leading to data loss.
Can you provide an example of why it's important to know the boot mode when replacing a motherboard?
-If a desktop with a default UEFI configuration has its motherboard replaced with one set to Legacy (BIOS) mode, and the firmware configuration is not adjusted, Windows may fail to boot after the replacement.

Outlines

00:00

💻 Introduction to UEFI and BIOS Differences

This paragraph introduces the topic of the video, which is an explanation of UEFI and BIOS by Pol Padrisa of SYSADMIT. Key points include defining UEFI, its benefits over traditional BIOS, the risks of switching between UEFI and BIOS, and the importance of knowing whether a system is running on UEFI or BIOS. It also outlines methods to determine the system's firmware mode. The video discusses UEFI's advantages such as faster boot times, support for 64-bit operating systems only, the ability to have more than four primary partitions, support for hard drives larger than 2TB using GPT instead of MBR, and enhanced security measures. It warns of the consequences of changing firmware settings, such as data loss and system incompatibility, and provides an example of how to configure UEFI or BIOS modes on a DELL PowerEdge server.

05:05

🔍 Methods to Determine UEFI or BIOS Installation

This paragraph elaborates on the methods to ascertain whether Windows is installed in UEFI or BIOS mode. It describes three methods: using the system information tool 'msinfo32.exe' to check the 'BIOS mode' in the system summary; examining the disk partitions through 'diskmgmt.msc' to identify the presence of an EFI system partition and a Microsoft reserved partition as indicators of UEFI installation; and checking the 'Panther' directory logs located at 'C:\Windows\Panther' for evidence of the installation mode. The paragraph also notes that these methods can be used offline to determine the firmware mode of a system, which is crucial for troubleshooting boot issues and ensuring system compatibility.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡UEFI

UEFI, which stands for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, is a modern firmware interface standard designed to replace the older BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). It introduces a number of enhancements, such as faster boot times, support for 64-bit operating systems, and the ability to handle drives larger than 2TB. In the video, UEFI is presented as the default firmware interface on many contemporary computers and servers, and it's highlighted as a critical factor to consider when installing or troubleshooting operating systems.

💡BIOS

BIOS, or Basic Input/Output System, is a firmware that is built into the motherboard of a computer and is the first software to run when a computer is powered on. It initializes and tests the computer's hardware components and loads the bootloader or an operating system from the boot device. The video discusses the transition from BIOS to UEFI and the potential issues that can arise, such as incompatibility with certain operating systems or configurations.

💡Legacy Mode

Legacy Mode, as mentioned in the script, refers to the older BIOS configuration that is used for backward compatibility with older systems and software. The video explains the risks of switching from UEFI to Legacy mode or vice versa, including the potential need to reinstall the operating system and the loss of all data on the disk.

💡GPT

GPT, or GUID Partition Table, is a standard for the layout of the partition table on a physical hard disk. It is used in UEFI systems and allows for more partitions and larger disk sizes compared to the older MBR (Master Boot Record) standard. The video emphasizes that with UEFI, the system can utilize GPT, which is necessary for installations on drives larger than 2TB.

💡MBR

MBR, or Master Boot Record, is a partitioning scheme that was widely used in BIOS systems. It has limitations, such as a maximum of four primary partitions and a maximum addressable disk size of 2TB. The video contrasts MBR with GPT, indicating that MBR is used in systems with BIOS, while GPT is used in UEFI systems.

💡EFI System Partition

The EFI System Partition (ESP) is a partition on a data storage device that is used by computers adhering to the UEFI standard. It is typically formatted with the FAT32 file system and contains bootloaders and other files necessary to boot the operating system. The video mentions that the presence of an EFI System Partition is an indicator that the system is using UEFI.

💡Secure Boot

Secure Boot is a security standard developed by members of the PC industry to help make sure that your PC boots using only software that is trusted by the PC manufacturer. The video script indicates that UEFI brings more security to the system, including the protection of the pre-boot process, which is a feature of Secure Boot.

💡msinfo32.exe

msinfo32.exe is a Microsoft Windows utility that provides a detailed view of the software environment and hardware configuration for a computer system. The video script describes using msinfo32.exe to determine whether the system is running in UEFI or BIOS mode by checking the 'BIOS Mode' in the 'System Summary' section.

💡diskmgmt.msc

diskmgmt.msc is a Microsoft Management Console snap-in that allows for the management of disk drives and volumes in Windows. The video script explains that by examining the partitions and their formats through diskmgmt.msc, one can determine if the system is using UEFI or BIOS, as UEFI installations will have specific partitions like the EFI System Partition.

💡Panther

The Panther directory, located at C:\Windows\Panther, contains logs that can be used to determine the boot mode of Windows installations, whether UEFI or BIOS. The video script suggests checking this directory for logs that indicate the boot configuration used during the installation of Windows, which can be helpful for troubleshooting and verification.

Highlights

Introduction to UEFI and BIOS by Pol Padrisa of SYSADMIT.

Explanation of what UEFI is and its purpose to replace the old BIOS system.

Advantages of UEFI over BIOS, including faster boot times and support for 64-bit operating systems.

The risks involved in switching from BIOS to UEFI, such as data loss and OS reinstallation.

The importance of knowing whether your system is running on UEFI or BIOS.

How to determine if your system is using UEFI or BIOS through system information.

The use of disk management tools to identify the system's boot mode.

The role of the Panther directory logs in determining the boot mode of Windows installations.

UEFI's ability to support more than four primary partitions per disk.

The necessity of a UEFI boot partition for UEFI mode.

Enhanced security features in UEFI that protect the pre-boot process.

Practical examples of issues that can arise from changing firmware settings from UEFI to BIOS.

The impact of motherboard replacement on the boot mode and Windows startup.

How to check the boot mode of Windows using the msinfo32.exe tool.

Using disk management to determine if Windows is installed in UEFI or BIOS mode.

The Panther directory as a method to check the boot mode even in offline systems.

The significance of boot mode awareness for troubleshooting and system maintenance.