• ×
    Information
    Windows update impacting certain printer icons and names. Microsoft is working on a solution.
    Click here to learn more
    Information
    Need Windows 11 help?
    Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
    Windows 11 Support Center.
  • post a message
  • ×
    Information
    Windows update impacting certain printer icons and names. Microsoft is working on a solution.
    Click here to learn more
    Information
    Need Windows 11 help?
    Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
    Windows 11 Support Center.
  • post a message
Guidelines
Any failures related to Hotkey UWP service? Click here for tips.
Check out our WINDOWS 11 Support Center info about: OPTIMIZATION, KNOWN ISSUES, FAQs, VIDEOS AND MORE.
HP Recommended
Probook 450 G3
Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)

Hello everyone,

 

Here is my issue. I just got a deal on a brand new HP Probook 450 G3 that came with a 1To HDD and Windows 10 pre-installed. I used the spare money to purchase an Windows 7 Pro x64 license and a Sandisk 256Gb SSD. My intention was to pull the original HDD out and do a clean install of Windows 7 on the SSD.

 

I have gone absolutely bonkers after 72 hours of trying... Sorry in advance if I state the obvious or if I do not use the right wording. I know a little but am definitely not a wiz. So here goes.

 

 

PROBLEM 1: Impossible to Enable Secure Boot and Install Windows 7

 

I unplugged the HDD and swapped it with the SSD.

 

Using Rufus, I created a bootable USB stick formatted as Fat32 and partitioned as GPT since my Bios defaults to UEFI. I stuck the USB device in the computer, went to F10 - BIOS Setup. My BIOS is version N78 Ver. 1.06 12/18/2015 (latest). The USB device is properly recognized as a UEFI device.

 

In BIOS Setup  >>  Advanced  >>  Secure Boot Configuration, I switched to Legacy Support Enable and Secure Boot Disable then Save. In Boot Options, I unchecked Fast Boot. Below, UEFI Boot Order is greyed out and cannot be unchecked. Only the device booting order can be tweaked so I ranked the USB device first. Below, Legacy Boot Order is greyed out and cannot be unchecked. Instead of a device list as with UEFI Boot Order, the following sentence is written: "Enable Legacy Boot, Save Settings & Exit, then Return to Setup".

 

With now everything set up as much as the BIOS allows me to enable Secure Boot, I Exit and Save. The cpu restarts and prompts me to validate a 4-digit code to enable Secure Boot. I do so. The computer restarts and seems to be booting the USB stick but immediately returns the following error message.

 

Secure Boot

Selected boot image did not authentica​te.

 

Out of curiosity, I go back to the BIOS and I realize that the Secure Boot Configuration settings did not save and have all reverted back to Legacy Support Disable and Secure Boot Enable.

I tried to do the same process with clearing the secure boot keys, or after logging in as an admin. Nothing works. I always get the same Secure Boot error message and disabling Secure Boot never saves.

 

 

PROBLEM 2: Impossible to Boot Windows 10 Recovery Disk

 

So after losing hope, I decided to at least get Windows 10 installed on the SSD. Today, I ran the HP recovery disk containing Windows 10 + drivers. The computer will simply refuse to even start booting the DVD. It does recognize the DVD and lists it properly if I go to the boot menu. It just will not boot it and returns the following error message.

 

BootDevice Not Found

Please Install an Operating System on your Hard Drive

Hard Disk - (3F0)

 

So basically, my new laptop only works with the original HDD and Windows 10. Everything else seems hard wired. I cannot even run a recovery disk.

 

Please let me know what I am missing here as I seriously do not know what else I can do.

 

Thanks A LOT in advance.

40 REPLIES 40
HP Recommended

The simplest method is to use a SATA to usb adapter and a  cloning utility. I have an Apricorn adapter and Acorn cloning utility that was delivered with a Crucial SSD I purchased as a migration kit.  Other great cloning utilities are Paragon software's  Migrate OS to SSD. Using this method takes about 30 minutes or therabouts.

 

If you prep the SSD with the Diskpart utility you should be able to use the recovery media to install the operating system. Once the SSD has been cleaned, a partition created, has been formatted ,  and been made active  then there shouldn'd be an issue using it as the primary disk in a notebook.

 

 



I am a volunteer forum member, not an HP employee. If my suggestion solved your issue, don't forget to mark that post as the accepted solution. If my post was helpful or you just want to say thanks, click on the Yes button next to the "was this reply helpful?"



HP Recommended

Hi

 

I am inclined to agree.

 

With the original disk in I would create the recovery media and store safely.

 

If I fitted the SSD I would try to format it using GParted Live, knowing I have a backup HDD and Recovery Media.

 

But having the clone system, using whatever (Macrium Reflect?), seems more certain.

HP Recommended

Hello Provost and thank you for replying.

 

Excuse me in advance if I am mistaken here, but I have nothing to migrate or clone in my case.

 

My laptop is brand new. I am starting with a blank SSD, a Win7 USB Boot Device, and a Win10 Recovery Disk. The problem here is that (1) Secure Boot will not come unlocked and comes in the way of installing Win7 and (2) the Win10 recovery DVD will not boot no matter what I do.

 

My preferred solution is to go the Win7 way. Using Win10 will be if all else fails.

HP Recommended

Hi

 

Well OK: 

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/186875-uefi-unified-extensible-firmware-interface-install-windo...

 

Note
You will need to satisfy the following requirements in order to proceed:
  • A Windows 7 compatible system
  • A Windows 7 x64-bit installation media. 32-bit is not supported.
  • A UEFI v2.0+ compliant PC. Check your chipset manufacturer/firmware documentation.
  • A blank, partition-free, hard disk for installation.
warning   Warning
  • Disabling UEFI will make the system unbootable as there is no MBR on the disks.
  • You CANNOT make a sector-by-sector copy of GPT disks. The Disk and Partition GUIDs will no longer be unique. This must never happen. You can make a sector-by-sector copy of the contents of ESP or basic data partitions.

Disabling secure boot for windows 7 seems impossible, well I concur.  ATM I cant find anything to instruct you on howto bypass this.

 

The manual doesn't help either.

 

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04892011

 

HP Recommended

You described a failure of the recovery disk to boot.  You did not state that the original hard disk had nothing in it.

 

I suggested two methods of resolving this depending on which way you wanted to go in terms of operating systems. 

 

If you want the SSD to be recognized by the BIOS you will need to either prep it as described in the video or clone a preinstalled OS to it.

 

 



I am a volunteer forum member, not an HP employee. If my suggestion solved your issue, don't forget to mark that post as the accepted solution. If my post was helpful or you just want to say thanks, click on the Yes button next to the "was this reply helpful?"



HP Recommended

The original HDD was pulled out from day one. I know it works though because I ran an initial setup of Win10 with it to check if my hardware was failing but everything went smoothly even though I used it for a grand total of 5 minutes.

 

The new SSD which I plugged in has indeed nothing in it. It i straight out of its box.

 

Both the bootable USB and the new SSD are properly recognized by the UEFI Bios already. It is what happens next that locks me up.

 

The bootable USB will not boot since Secure Boot cannot be disabled.

I am getting the "Secure Boot - Boot image did not authenticate" error message.

 

The Win10 recovery disk will not boot.

I am getting the "BootDevice not Found" error message.

 

 

HP Recommended

Hi

 

This is for W8, W8.1 & W10, and perhaps your W10 offers the same?  I used OpenSuse on mine so I boot OpenSuse, Debian or W10.

 

 

How to Disable Secure Boot

You can control Secure Boot from your UEFI Firmware Settings screen. To access this screen, you’ll need to access the boot options menu in Windows 8. To do this, open the Settings charm — press Windows Key + I to open it — click the Power button, then press and hold the Shift key as you click Restart.

restart-from-settings-charm

Your computer will restart into the advanced boot options screen. Select the Troubleshoot option, select Advanced options, and then select UEFI Settings. (You may not see the UEFI Settings option on a few Windows 8 PCs, even if they come with UEFI — consult your manufacturer’s documentation for information on getting to its UEFI settings screen in this case.)

access-uefi-firmware-settings

You’ll be taken to the UEFI Settings screen, where you can choose to disable Secure Boot or add your own key.

surface-pro-2-uefi

Boot From Removable Media

You can boot from removable media by accessing the boot options menu in the same way — hold Shift while you click the Restart option. Insert your boot device of choice, select Use a device, and select the device you want to boot from.

HP Recommended

Ok so after contacting HP Support, the Rep concluded that there is an issue with the BIOS (not disabling Secure Boot). He went on to tell me that I am not supposed to install a new SSD or OS on the brand new laptop, and that basically, I should leave it as is. 

So since their Techs are only supposed to fix the hardware (and not the software), I was offered the possibility of returning an otherwise perfectly functional laptop. It is nice from them but also a terrible waste.

Kinda bummed out really. If every laptop comes locked up like that going forward, it is sure going to be a game changer.

Thank you everyone for your help anyway.

HP Recommended

Having the same issue trying to install a blank SSD.  I mounted the SSD via usb (setup partitions) and deployed an the image I captured from the HD that was originally installed and the laptop still will not recognize the HD.  I have a support ticket submitted and I will post an update when I hear back from HP.

† The opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of the authors, not of HP. By using this site, you accept the <a href="https://www8.hp.com/us/en/terms-of-use.html" class="udrlinesmall">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="/t5/custom/page/page-id/hp.rulespage" class="udrlinesmall"> Rules of Participation</a>.