UEFI Application

[yaudette]

I have a HP Pavilion HPE H8-1221 ROM 2ADA that was running fine under Windows 10, legacy BIOS and an MBR drive. Now that Windows 10 will no longer be supported at the end of 2025, I have looked at the idea of upgrading the operating system to Windows 11. I have been through a procedure using MBR2GPT with success. However, when I was attempting to access the BIOS, I was not able to see a standard UEFI screen like I can see when I use my other PC, Pavilion x360-13, which I have successfully upgraded to Windows 11.

Due to the issue with the BIOS on the H8-1221, I have decided to a clean install of Windows 10 by erasing my drive. Now that my drive is GPT and the UEFI BIOS is active as well as secure boot, I was hoping that accessing the BIOS would lead to a "standard" UEFI screen, which is not the case. I am still getting a menu offering different options with the last one being to launch a UEFI application. When I select this option, I am being offered several options, none of which leading to something final. It looks like I am into some sort of loop, no matter what option I have selected.

Can somebody provide me with an explanation about this UEFI application showing up as part as the BIOS menu? Is this normal? Should I worry about it or plainly ignore it?

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Go into Windows.

Run the Windows system information app.

Check the BIOS mode line and Secure boot state line.

They should state UEFI and On, respectively.

If they are, then you shouldn't need to be concerned with accessing the BIOS any further.

I have found this video to be the easiest and most reliable way to do an in-place update from W10>W11 or from an older version of W11 to the latest version:

How to install Windows 11 24H2 on Unsupported PC (Early Access) 2024 (youtube.com)

Download the W24H2 ISO file and use that (3rd option).   

Download Windows 11 (microsoft.com)

You can download the free 7-Zip file utility from the link below.  The top line is for 64 bit.

7-Zip

You'll have to repeat this procedure each October when Microsoft rolls out the new builds because a PC that does not meet Microsoft's minimum W11 hardware requirements will never automatically get the update to the next build.

Other than that, your PC will continue to get the monthly cumulative and other updates.

That's only a minor inconvenience to have continued OS support beyond October of 2025. 

[yaudette]

Thank you Paul for your quick reply.

As far as the Windows Sys. Info. App. is concerned, the BIOS mode is UEFI and the Secure boot is activated.

The issue I had relates to the UEFI app. showing up as part as the menu when accessing the BIOS/UEFI through the Recovery/Restart functions available from the Windows Parms.

I understand that I should ignore the UEFI app option.

Now that I am back to Windows 10 clean install, I will have to reload everything even though I had saved an image of my system. Unfortunately, the image was created while operating my computer under a standard BIOS mode. I have learned that you cannot re-image your system with such an image due to the fact that the BIOS is now operating under UEFI mode. I should have taken an image of my system shortly after converting my system drive to GPT and turning on the UEFI/Secure boot on. 

Finally, I would like to thank you for your advise regarding new builds of Windows 11. I was not aware of this constraint.

Thanks again Paul

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

While I am not sure what that UEFI app is for, it probably has to do with the UEFI diagnostics tool you can run to check hardware failures.

In any event, you don't need it to run W10 or W11 in UEFI mode.

The reason you can't use the image you made prior to the conversion is that Windows is installed with the MBR partition table and UEFI needs Windows to be installed in GPT.

You cannot boot a GPT system with a non-UEFI BIOS and you cannot enable secure boot with a MBR partition, so never the twain shall meet.

The major thing is that you have Windows installed in UEFI mode with secure boot enabled.

The goal would be to have your PC come as close to meeting Microsoft's minimum system requirements to run W11, which you have done.

The processor and TPM issue, your PC will never be able to overcome.

It's really not a big deal.   

I have an old Dell 580s PC that is running fine on W11 24H2 in Legacy mode because it does not have a UEFI BIOS, does not support Secure boot, does not have a TPM security device, and does not have a W11-supported processor (i5-660).

Zero for four.

If you ever need to clean install W11, the method in the video I posted below, is the easiest and should work 100% of the time since the first video I gave you would only be for in-place upgrades.

You can also use it for in-place upgrades as well, but for me it only worked about 80% of the time.

The first method to do an in-place upgrade worked 100% of the time for me on 12 different PC's that don't support W11.

Windows 11 24H2 Install on Unsupported Hardware with Rufus

The guy in the video checks many of the options given by Rufus to bypass the hardware requirements.

That's around 5:44 into the video.

I just check the first two boxes.

That's up to you.

Enjoy using W11 on your PC.

Cheers,

Paul

[yaudette]

Hi Paul,

thanks again for your new posting.

I have just completed the video that came with your initial reply and frankly, I feel more comfortable using the Regedit approach than the DLL approach. There is also the Rufus approach, which I have tried but again, I prefer the Regedit approach. The main reason as to do with the fact that I am in full control with Regedit while DLL and Rufus might have been contaminated somehow. You never know exactly the content of what you are downloading.

Before proceeding to a clean install of Windows 10, I had Win 11 installed using the Regedit approach and everything went fine. The WIn 10 clean install was performed thinking to resolve the issue with the UEFI app.

Thanks again Paul for your support.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

An.

Glad to have been of assistance.