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Question

Stuck at Bootmenu/Appmenu

by Dec 23, 2015 1:53AM PST

I have a Gigabyte q2440 laptop with windows 8 installed. I was able to successfully install windows 7 by deleteing all partitions and create new partition and covert it from GPT to NTFS format.After successful installation of Windows on the primary partition i noticed that I am not able to go to Windows 7 boot option until a bootable usb drive is inserted. If i insert a bootable usb drive and do not press any key I am able to go ahead and login into windows 7. I tried to change BIOS options from Windows 8 defaults to Legacy degaults , also tried to change the boot order but no success.Without a bootable usb drive ,as soon as the laptop starts I see Gigabyte logo with F2,F9 and F12 options and after 2 seconds Windows Boot manager menu pops with two tabs(1. Boot menu with no entries and blank and 2. App menu with Setup option which takes to BIOS).
I have tried to use EAsyBCD to restore MBR but no success.I have again tried to install Windows 8 but still same issue.
No updates for BIOS available.
Please suggest possible solutions.

Discussion is locked

16 Posts
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Answer
Re: stuck
by Forum moderator Dec 23, 2015 2:19AM PST

I'd go back to factory conditions via the recovery disks you made (or can order) and then go forward to Windows 10 in stead of backward to Windows 7.

Kees

Post was last edited on December 23, 2015 2:27 AM PST

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Don't have Recovery dics
by KOCHI SHA Dec 23, 2015 5:57PM PST

Hi ,

I do not have the recovery discs and do not want to buy one.I am looking for some other workaround /fix for this issue.

Thanks !

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Answer
If you want to play
by Dec 23, 2015 7:51AM PST

Grab a copy of dban and put it on external media.
Boot dban and let it run.
This will wipe the hdd clean.
Do not partition the hdd.
Now try to install w7.

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Will try it !
by KOCHI SHA Dec 23, 2015 5:58PM PST

thank for the suggestion, i will try this method and will come back with the update.

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1 partition showing as [????}
by KOCHI SHA Dec 23, 2015 7:44PM PST

After running dban , I can see 3 drives( 1. drive having status unidentified[????] , 2. drive 465 GB(Out of 500GB), 3. Flash disk(Pen drive).

I am unable to use any option on option 1. However I am wiping 465 GB drive and will then try to install windows 7 as you suggested.

Will get back.

thanks

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GPT, NTFS
by James Denison Dec 23, 2015 8:08PM PST
" and create new partition and covert it from GPT to NTFS format."

This is not correct. GPT is a partitioning scheme, same as MBR.

NTFS is a formatting method for volumes and partitions, it's competitors would be FAT32, exfat, HFS+, ext* and other formats.

For instance, NTFS can exist in both MBR and GPT partitioned drives.

"After successful installation of Windows on the primary partition i noticed that I am not able to go to Windows 7 boot option until a bootable usb drive is inserted."

That's correct because it's a second and older windows operating system in the computer. The proper way is to add windows 7 now to the windows 8 bootloader and then you can access either one from that. Typically that's done by installing the older one first, and then it's added to the bootloader when the newer windows is installed on the other drive.

You have an UEFI motherboard. Leave Secure Boot off in it, not for use with dual boot systems. Set for UEFI, not MBR or Legacy/CSM. You should then be able to boot Windows 8 again. Work then on having the Windows 7 disc added to the W8 bootloader.
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a bit more explanation !
by KOCHI SHA Dec 23, 2015 8:32PM PST

Thanks for the revert. i have a few observations and queries.
What i understood is below:
GPT partitioning scheme(Windows Cool - could be formatted to NTFS
MBR paritioning scheme(Legacy OS) - could be formatted to NTFS.

Now , when I again resintalled windows 8 on a complete new parition and formatted it with NTFS but still I was not able to go to boot menu. Do you mean MBR did not changed to GPT perfectly, or is there some issue still related to MBR>GPT converstion.

I am able to login into Windows 8 or Windows 7(which i had previously)ONLY if i insert ANY bootable flashdrive. If I do NOT insert a flash drive in the laptop then I get stuck at "Windows Boot manager : with boot menu/app menu tabs) There is no OS information in the the boot menu(its empty) and only "setup option" in app menu which takes me to BIOS.
A few queries below:
Is this problem related to wrong partitioning by me (either GPT / MBR) ?
Is this problem isolated to BIOS or is there a chance that its ONLY BIOS related?
How I am able to login into either Wiindows 7 (earlier) and windows 8 (now) with a bootable flash drive inserted?
Presently ,I am trying Bob's method to wipe the HDD but not sure if it works.

Kindly correct me if am missing something. I am able to tell my problem correctly but there is something which is not evident to fix the problem right now(either wrong partitioning or BIOS related).

Thannks !

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MBR & GPT
by James Denison Dec 25, 2015 4:29PM PST
"
Now , when I again resintalled windows 8 on a complete new parition and formatted it with NTFS but still I was not able to go to boot menu. Do you mean MBR did not changed to GPT perfectly, or is there some issue still related to MBR>GPT converstion."

They have confused people by cramming the old and the new together. An UEFI motherboard should have prevented you, or "protected" the "protective MBR" that is also on GPT drives. Non UEFI motherboards will allow the "Protective MBR" to be corrupted by any new MBR placed there. Unfortunately this means some drives can boot on older BIOS as MBR, but still have GPT above that, still on the drive. However the corrupted MBR on a GPT disc (the GPT sits above the MBR) means the MBR system that boots on older BIOS motherboards will refuse to on the UEFI motherboard unless it's run in Legacy/CSM mode, AND Secure Boot is not active.

You are just going to have to play around in the UEFI settings between Legacy and UEFI, between GPT and MBR and find what works for you. Each maker seems to have their own way of accessing and changing the UEFI from the new graphical BIOS on them.
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Around 20 GB unidentified.
by KOCHI SHA Dec 23, 2015 8:51PM PST

The size of the partition should reflect at least around 480 GB(as its a 500 GB HDD).However it's reflecting as 460GB , so around 20 GB is not getting identified /recognized by either Windows 7 / Windows 8. May be the problem is something related to it though not sure.

Don't know what to do next. Now I am again reinstalling windows 7 as suggested by Bob but doubt if it will work.

Sad

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that's correct about 463 GB on a 500 GB drive
by James Denison Dec 23, 2015 9:51PM PST

Drives are measured in decimal, but computer gigabytes is measured in a base 2 which means.

drive
1000x1000x1000x500= 500,000,000,000

but computer measured is

(((500,000,000,000 /1024) /1024) /1024) = 465.661287308 GB

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I miscalculated in a hurry !
by KOCHI SHA Dec 23, 2015 10:03PM PST

Yeah, I miscalculated the size in a hurry.

The problem remains where it is Sad

Now I am trying to run Active partition recovery ,not sure if it will work too. Happy

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Still same issue !
by KOCHI SHA Dec 23, 2015 8:39PM PST

I completed the wiping but still same issue. I am still stuck at Boot menu(no option)/app menu(Setup) which takes me to BIOS Sad

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After all this.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Dec 24, 2015 8:42AM PST

My nod is to recovery media. I've seen folk dig in heels over this but I've recovered from mini-disasters in 30 minutes or less with the recovery media.

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BIOS flashing giving error to proceed further !
by KOCHI SHA Dec 28, 2015 1:03AM PST

1. Can i download recovery media image from the company(Gigabyte) website ? If NOT, then is it possible to download a generic image of the media from some other site?

I tried flashing BIOS from Windows and DOS but getting below error.
2.BIOS flashing is giving me error (ERROR 233 - Only secured capsule is allowed on a SecureFlash ...)

BIOS flashing might solve my problem because the Boot menu is empty currently .However, strange this is that if a bootable flash drive is inserted then I can always log in into the Windows 7 without any issues. The problem is with the Appmenu/Boot menu pop up.

I can not purchase the recovery media.

Now Please suggest possible options left.

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I can not purchase the recovery media.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Dec 28, 2015 7:34AM PST

As to the download, ask them if they have such. I'm not a Gigabyte rep so I can't answer. Be sure to ask those that you need to ask.

Maybe it's time to go with Linux?

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what Bob said
by James Denison Dec 24, 2015 10:33AM PST
Back to Windows 7 forum

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