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Easiest way how to recreate Windows 8 EFI boot partition?


ruthan

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Hello,
i had problem with upgrading from Windows 8 to Windows 10 on my Toshiba Z20 convertable, because i had installed some Linux and MacOS on it and Microsoft is sniffing around and error code is generic i now upgraded internal storage to something bigger (i copied only Windows 8 partition for try), i just need to create Windows 8 EFI boot partition or somehow change to start Windows EFi instead of Grub which is targeted on now present partition.

  I now that desktop MBs have such prosssibility to select which EFI file would be started in EFI, but Toshiba has no such option, with lastest bios so some default EFI path is started, when i looked at EFI partition, there are lots of folder and i dunno which is default and which Microsoft files i should copy here. With Paragon USB booting Tool i can move files here, i same i guess with some Live USB Linux.

  I though that there would be some easy Windows 8 cd EFI partion repair options, but its not. I tried Paragon Windows boot repair, but its not erase that Grub code and other MBR codes repairs utilities are not for GPT EFI discs. So im looking for other way. Tutorial are usually about just restore accidentally erased EFI partition. 

 

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Thanks, but its too general and lowlevel.

 Its BCDboot working from Windows 8 boot USB?

 Is line bellow what i need?
bcdboot C:\Windows /s S: 
 
 How to discover what partition is system S partititon to replace letter in code?

 Does it create partition, or it has to exist?

Edited by ruthan
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The partition needs to exist AND it needs to be mounted to a drive letter. (Hint: normally EFIBOOT partitions are NOT assigned a drive letter automatically)

If you don't know how to look at your partitions (Hint: Diskpart or Disk Manager) and you don't know how to assign a drive letter to a partition (Hint; Diskpart or Disk Manager) it will be a looong thread :(.

Let alone if you need to create some space on the disk, and create/add a new EFIBOOT partition.

It is of course doable, but if the main objection is "its too general and lowlevel" you won't get very far, in order to do (mildly) advanced things you need (mildly) advanced knowledge, or refrain from doing them or ask for assistance before doing them.

I have no idea :

1) how was (EXACTLY) your "old" disk, OS, etc. setup before
2) how (EXACTLY) you partitoned and formatted the new disk
3) how (EXACTLY) you copied what (EXACTLY) 
4) what (EXACTLY) is on your new disk
5) what (even if not exactly, approximately) is your level of familiarity with the Windows (and/or Linux) OS
6) etc.

Is it so surprising that the advice is "general" (because of the lack of details) and "lowlevel" (since if you need ot repair a boot it is actually "lowlevel")? :unsure:

Anyway, see if an almost complete tutorial helps:

http://woshub.com/how-to-repair-uefi-bootloader-in-windows-8/

If you don't have the EFIBOOT partition, how to create it may depend on whether you have space for it on the disk or if you need to resize another partition, generally the "right " set of instructions are here (as in theory a Windows 8+ installation also has a MSR 128 MB partition/volume:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/configure-uefigpt-based-hard-drive-partitions

https://systemscenter.ru/waik.en/html/79f51a90-a8e9-410d-bd76-af197b865a49.htm

jaclaz

Edited by jaclaz
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Thanks.

I hoped that its quite often problem so exist some start and run boot cd to fix it, like Boot repair cd for Linux, i dont really want to knowledge, my business is elsewhere, im not admin or something as probably you, i just want to make it working.

 If create whole partition is problem, there is not simple 1 command / tool for it, is not better to way just copy something from EFI partition\Microsoft folder to other folder?

 What about Live Windows 10 to go USB and Hasleo EasyUEFI? Im using it when i need to change which EFI file should start, but im not sure if it will run from live USB.

  I trying to avoid partitioning etc from MS boot cds, because there are lots for my strange rules, when i cant do operations which are otherwise valid and also interface - Windows terminal as output sucks. For example i refuse to anything with bcdedit, because on some machines its simply not starting or working.. what for example why im using Paragon or Boot repair cds, which are able to deal with it.

  In reverse thinking, if is something so easy for user, why someone just write to script to fix it for everyone, this is not something too specific with zillions parameters, just check windows partition for target Windows version and ask its right one and copy EFI files to right place and it is needed something more like edit some config write few lines there.

  Im here simply to ask experts if there is simple way, if not well i can stay with Win8 or wait until someone will create something what i want, or at least i will know that is not thing which i could do quickly.

Edited by ruthan
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Ok, tried it hard way.. and as expected, im lost in the woods of command. I copied EFI partition from original disc with all Clover, Grub, MS stuff, im able to find partition, assign it to letter etc.

From this tutorial:
http://woshub.com/how-to-repair-uefi-bootloader-in-windows-8/

Everything si fine until this one:
bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-us /s k: /f ALL
 Here im getting: Failure of copy data..  // no error code, just this message

Question is there are some specific EFI version of Windows 8 install disc?
Toshiba dosent not provide some spefic Windows 8 install CD, so i just used some generic Windows 8 Pro CD
Its ok that i used Rufus for creation of Windows 8 USB boot flashdrive?

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Hmm, i completed tutorial i tried it once more (i between only run chkdsk and checked content of C, created bcd directory in Win 8 root).

But im still getting grub code at the start.

all bootrec options executed, include fixmbx all successful..

error no such partition
Entenring rescue mode.
grub rescue>

So there still some grub code which is started, or entry which need to be rewriten, wasnt rewriten.. Now its low level, i dont really understand where is defined what EFI is starting and how to change it..

Edited by ruthan
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Try again:
bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-us /s k: /UEFI

If you still have the error (and even if you haven't it), run a DIR command:

DIR /S K:\Efi

And/or:

DIR  K:\Efi\Microsoft\Boot

Verify that a file K:\Efi\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgrfw.efi and a file K:\Efi\Microsoft\Boot\BCD actually exist.

If they don't, try checking if bootmgfw.efi and bootmgr.efi exist here:

C:\Windows\Boot\EFI\

If they do run:

mkdir K:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot
xcopy /s C:\Windows\Boot\EFI\*.* K:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot

then try running again:

bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-us /s k: /UEFI

 

If you still have the error and you still boot to the grub rescue prompt, type in it:

root (hd1,gpt1) [ENTER]

chainloader /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi [ENTER]

boot [ENTER]

 

the (hd1,gpt1) in the above means first gpt partition on first disk, if the EFI partition (the one you assigned the drive letter K; ) is not the first one, change accordingly. 

 

What happens?

 

jaclaz

 

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Im no more by that machine for few days.

Thanks,
as i wrote, i was able after second try run this:

bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-us /s k: /f ALL

 
 But \EFI\Microsoft\Boot exist, but there is also EFI\Boot there were 2 efi files, when i deleted i no more get grub error, so i suppose they were from Grub... now im getting insert bootable media error,
i tried to copy EFI\Microsoft\ or EFI\Microsoft\Boot im not sure into EFI\Boot but no change..

My layout:

EFI is first partition, i have there paritions - EFI, System restore or something like that small Windows 8 recovery partition and main WIn8 system partition. 

  So EFI\Boot has higher priority or is somewhere linked to start.. There has to be some linking because with normal desktop MB i can select by HasLeo which EFI entry should boot as primary. 
  I now have Win10 to go USB in EFI mode so i would try HasLeo, i find old free version, no its paid think. I really dont now any other SW which so able to do same thing.. Its like MBR 4 slots.. only few applications where handle that table, but it was needed for some OS to boot. There is lots of unknow about it.. or its quite complex.. that why im searching some tool.  If would knew that Easy recovery for WIndows 8 is able to fix it and would buy it..

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I fixed it with HasLeo UEFI utility run from Win10ToGo-EFI  USB flashdisk.

 There really has to be some table.. i dunno if on EFI partition or in Bios - i guess that probably in BIOS.. where is list of possible EFI entrie.. HasLeo just read it and can edit it.. I saw here my Androidx86, Ubuntu, MacOS(Clover), USB and LAN1 boot entries, but not any Windows entry.. So i clicked on Plus button to add item.. Windows Boot manager entry wasnt available, but even i select in combobox Other /Linux entries i can point to EFI\Microssoft\boot files..  (selected windows efi files.. i dunno why there are 2 of them expect memtest.efi .. for me is working that with mgrF in name, but i did not have reason test second one )add entry.. shift in on first place in table.. rebooted and its working..

  I fill add picture later.

   This GUI way its much cleaner and everything make sense instead of these commands with sometimes awkward errors and.. any info about that table which matters. But yeah you have to Pay for it.. except one time fix in trial and there would be classic licencing hell - licence per machine / licence expiration - new would need to buy new licence etc.. So shame to MS do dont such utility for free and shame to Community to develop something like that for free, its quite essential.

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Well you can still have BOOTICE (free and GUI) or use efibootmgr from any "live" Linux distro.

BootIce can be found also on reboot.pro (but right now it is down) , get it from Softpedia:

https://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Boot-Manager-Disk/Bootice.shtml

What you changed (just so you know) are some data in the UEFI NVRAM, so loosely yes, they are "in BIOS".

jaclaz

 

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Bootice i tried it few times, but i never fixed anything with it.. dont fully understand to it.. so i unless some good tutorial its not alternative for me.

Now i have bootable system, but it my main task is crippled by some UEFI stuff, if seems that Windows 10 upgrade still failing because UEFI is not good enough from Microsoft view, is there any difference how to fix it for already booting system? What Boyans 
Dual-boot Repair tool, its EFI Friendly?

 My upgrade thread is here:

 

Edited by ruthan
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Well, if you booted in UEFI mode, there is a "UEFI" tab in BootIce, if you click on it and then on the button "Edit boot entries" you will open a window looking like:

post-65263-0-99505000-1493427110.jpg

which doesn't seem to me as needing a manual to understand the functioning.

or see around 9:35 of this video:

jaclaz

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I  created EFI parition by this way:

   After that i was able to copy EFI files by standard Windows 8 tutorial. Only problem is that would be nice to specify where is that EFI partition created, for me its created one at the end of disk even at the start was empty space.. So i had to copy it by some partition tool, so now its booting by "MS proper" way..

   I hoped that i will fix that upgrade problem, such partition probably has some MS magic.. i can see it in parition utilities as OEM, not standart FAT32 and its hidden.

Edited by ruthan
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