Install Windows 11 Elitebook 830 G5

[MSMacedo]

Hi People!
I want to install Windows 11 on my Elitebook 830 G5. It's running Windows 10, and it's an Intel i5 with 16Gb RAM and 256Gb SSD.
Using the PC Health Check, the diagnostic is the PC only lacks the "Secure Boot" to allow Windows 11 installation.
I went to the Advance tab in the BIOS and:

• in Boot Options ==> Untick "Legacy Boot Order"
• in Secure Boot Configuration ==> selected "Legacy Support Disable & Secure Boot Enable"

Then, it doesn't boot and shows a message:

BootDevice Not Found

Please install an operating system on your hard disk.

Hard Disk - (3F0)

(see it below)

Reverting the changes in the BIOS, the PC starts normally in Windows 10.

-Is there anything else to change in BIOS, besides what I did?

-If I install a new SSD, and enable secure boot, will Windows 11 install?

-Is there a way to install Windows 11 in the existing SSD without deleting everything?

Any tip will be highly appreciated!

Thank you!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

In order to enable secure boot, windows must be installed in UEFI mode.

UEFI mode uses a different partition format called GPT and legacy mode uses the older MBR partition table.

Somehow you have W10 installed in legacy mode.

You cannot boot a MBR partition drive in UEFI mode with secure boot enabled, which is why you got the no boot device found error.

You can try using the info from this YouTube video to change the partition format to GPT without having to reinstall Windows but make sure you have backed up your files onto a portable hard drive first.

How to Convert MBR to GPT for Free on Windows 10 without Losing Data (Easy Method) (youtube.com)

The author tells you how to change the BIOS settings to UEFI mode, but you already know how to do that--j

• in Boot Options ==> Untick "Legacy Boot Order"
• in Secure Boot Configuration ==> selected "Legacy Support Disable & Secure Boot Enable"

If that doesn't work you can clean install W11 in UEFI mode by booting from the UEFI USB flash drive, not the legacy one.

[MSMacedo]

Hey Paul,

Thanks for the reply. Seems like a pretty simple solution. I'll try it.

I guess changing to GPT will not affect Windows activation, right?

The same applies if I decide to replace the SSD?

Thank you,

Marcello.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome, Marcello.

Changing the partition table should have no effect on the Windows activation status.

If you ever replace the drive, you would install Windows in UEFI mode, and that would not affect activation either.

The only hardware change that affects activation is replacing the motherboard, and if you replace the motherboard with one that has the Windows product key in the BIOS like the current motherboard, you reactivate Windows using the product key in the new motherboard.

Cheers,

Paul

[MSMacedo]

Hi Paul and all,

I successfully changed my SSD to GPT using the MBR2GPT tool, following the video indicated by Paul (Thank you, again!).
At the end of the MBR2GPT process, I got a "MBR2GPT Failed to Update ReAgent.xml" message.

I searched for a solution, and tried many, but always got an error from the "reagentc /enable"

So I finally gave up trying to fix it and took my chances booting the system with the new GPT partition, changing BIOS setting accordingly.

The system booted up, with everything working fine, except for the ReAgent still broken.

Then I went to the Windows Update to check whether or not the PC was good to go to Windows 11, and there it is was still showing "Not compatible". I tried the PC Health Check and there it was showing as "Compatible", i.e., a mismatch between the two Microsoft applications. I searched for a solution, and it was indicated to download the Windows 11 installer from Microsoft site, and proceed with the installation.
I did so, and 30min later I had the PC updated to Windows 11.
During the Windows 11 installation process, it created a new partition and solved the ReAgent issue.

At the end, the only annoyance left is that I have 4 partitions:

1. The main C: drive
2. The new 5Gb partition created by Windows 11 installer, fixing the ReAgent ==> It should be the new Windows 11 Recovery
3. An old 1Gb partition that I believe was the previous Windows Recovery
4. An old 500Mb partition from HP, that I don't know what is it for. Has some old firware and drivers files (back from 2021).

I wish I could delete/merge the last 2 partitions with the main C: drive, but I leave it for when I have to format the system for a brand-new clean install.

Thanks for the support!