Windows 10: Custom Install Windows 10, 8 , 7 relating to GPT and MBR

This post is being made in install and upgrade.

If it is better to place in Windows update, recovery, and backup please relocate the thread.


Windows can be CUSTOM installed.

This is not clean install, reset save files, reset remove files or in place upgrade repair.

This is a link for the method:

https://answers.micro soft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install-winpc/how-to-perform-a-custom-installation-of-windows/38adfa8c-32f8-4354-8c53-13b5f2cf7e44

All of the examples below are for the CUSTOM install method (create Win old to save files)


Computers can have BIOS that are UEFI native without CSM, UEFI hybrid with CSM, Legacy, etc.


The drive can be either MBR or GPT format.


An end user can go to the Microsoft website and create a bootable windows iso.

On the Microsoft website there is no information about whether the download will be in MBR or GPT format.

A flash drive will be formatted when creating the iso.

All data on the flash drive will be lost.

The flash drive is likely to be formatted as FAT32 and not NTFS.


When Windows 1607, 1703,1709, 1803 and 1809 were available on the Microsoft website bootable windows 10 iso were created by clicking the applicable button on the Microsoft website.

All of these iso are currently available. They are in the esd format.

There are additional Windows iso that if needed can be created from third party websites in the win format.


Examples to better understand the CUSTOM upgrade method:


Some computers have GPT format and other have MBR format.

One computer has a failed upgrade from 1607.

A second computer has a failed upgrade from 1703.

A third computer has 1703 with a corrupt operating system that was fixed by an in place upgrade repair. Scannow and restorehealth display no integrity violations but there are problems with the registry.

A forth computer has registry problems with Windows 7.

A fifth computer has registry problems with Windows 8.

None of the computers have backed up files.

None of the computers have backed up images.

Files must be saved.

It is ok to lose applications.

There is no external drive to backup files or save a backup image.

All computers had attempted reset save files and all computers failed.


The end user wants to upgrade from 1607 to 1703 and not later versions. They plan to use a saved bootable Windows 10 iso 1703 for the custom install.

And a second end user wants to upgrade from 1703 to 1709 and not later versions. They plan to use a saved bootable Windows 10 iso 1709 for the custom install.

A third end user wants to upgrade from 1709 to 1803 and not later versions. They plan to use a saved bootable Windows 1803 iso for the custom install.

A forth end user wants to fix problems with the registry on Windows 7. They plan to use a Windows 7 iso that was made years ago from the Microsoft website for the custom install.

A fifth end user wants to fix problems with the registry on Windows 8. They plan to use the currently available iso on the Microsoft website for the custom install.

The end users that plan specific upgrades know how to prevent future upgrades by modifying the registry and other settings on the computer. So they have chosen the specific iso build for the upgrade and will use the saved iso from the Microsoft website.


Questions:


1) If you had created Windows 10 iso for each 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709, 1803, 1809, and Windows 7, 8 , and 8.1 which Windows iso are in MBR and which Windows iso are in GPT?


2) Does a bootable Windows 10, 8, or 7 iso in MBR allow installation on both MBR and GPT without any potential conflicts?


3) What potential errors or problems are there when performing CUSTOM installs with the different iso.


4) Will they all work on any drive or are there potential problems with MBR vs GPT incompatibility?


5) Which custom install should copy and paste or install the iso on the desktop, then format the flash drive to fat32, then copy and paste the iso to the flash drive, then use Rufus to convert to GPT?


6) What other pitfalls if any are there when performing CUSTOM installs with Windows 10, 8, and 7?

:)

 

GPT vs MBR for SSD OS Disk ? (win7 install)

Sigh.

BIOS is being replaced with UEFI. Both BIOS and UEFI tell the hardware how to communicate, turn it on, and generally make your system start-up. As such, you could theoretically have a set of hardware that runs Linux, Windows 98, and Windows 8 while still getting UEFI support during the boot-up (assuming you've got a hardware CSM).

So yes, you can go MBR and get the UEFI visual boot-up options. The visual cues will be determined by your motherboard manufacturer. GPT is not a necessity, unless you are using a boot disk larger than 2TB.


In short, because every time it seems there's more information you raise a different question:
Yes, you can have UEFI on a Windows 7 install with MBR partitioning.
No, UEFI does not require GPT partitioning.
You should install windows 7 with the default settings (MBR) for compatibility and ease of install.
Yes, GPT will unlock some new features, but they are unlikely to benefit you.
A search of wikipedia might help with other questions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Interface

 

GPT vs MBR for SSD OS Disk ? (win7 install)

If I have UEFI BIOS, I'm going to use GPT. Only reason why I wouldn't is because the drive is shared between new and old computers (MBR has broader compatibility support). I wrote a guide how to install Windows on GPT here:
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167245

No. Either you install on GPT via EFI boot or you intall MBR via BIOS boot. You can't install Windows and change it later.


Not only does GPT support booting to partitions larger than 2 TB, it also means the computer is booted using EFI which means it has a lot more memory to work with during startup. It should theoretically mean startup is quicker on EFI/GPT than BIOS/MBR.

 

GPT vs MBR for SSD OS Disk ? (win7 install)

So I cannot use all the new bios UI and fancy pre-boot evironiment if i don't use UEFI-boot ? With or without GPT?


I just want to use the UEFI without GPT: so can I UEFI-boot and install win7 with MBR?

Now I actually asked the correct question I wanted. Sorry it took time to figure out.