6 replies to this topic

[Rootman]

Well, it's finally happened.  Got my first Dell that had ALL blue USB 3 SS ports front and back - and 2 USB C ports in the front.  I need to image it with my USB drive and I can't boot to the drive in UEFI.  I COULD boot to it in CSM (MBR) mode and install it as legacy, however I've had 3 of these units (prior models with legacy USB ports) that just freeze at boot time when booting them as legacy.  I reimage to EFI and they boot fine.

 

So, how does someone boot to a USB 3 WD Passport drive on a machine that only has USB SS ports?  My, Passport drive has the EFI system files on it and boots fine to EFI on other systems that have older USB ports on them. 

 

EDIT:  Well, I figured it out.  I'm using a Dell IMageassist drive to do the imaging and what I failed to realize is that you don't need to boot into EFI mode for it to install Windows as EFI. It HAS the EFI files and I booted to EFI with it on prior models that had USB legacy connectors. That was the first hurdle.  The next was the fact that Windows 7 does not come with USB 3 drivers from the default instillation, and since all I had was USB 3 ports the USB mouse and keyboard would not work. Luckily this model still has a PS/2 connection on it. After I dug up a PS/2 KB 7 mouse I connected and installed the drivers that were needed for the USB 3 and NIC.  After that  it was a cinch. 

[Wonko the Sane]

Well, it's finally happened.  Got my first Dell that had ALL blue USB 3 SS ports front and back - and 2 USB C ports in the front.  I need to image it with my USB drive and I can't boot to the drive in UEFI.  I COULD boot to it in CSM (MBR) mode and install it as legacy, however I've had 3 of these units (prior models with legacy USB ports) that just freeze at boot time when booting them as legacy.  I reimage to EFI and they boot fine.

 

So, how does someone boot to a USB 3 WD Passport drive on a machine that only has USB SS ports?  My, Passport drive has the EFI system files on it and boots fine to EFI on other systems that have older USB ports on them. 

Come on, Rootman you are not a first time poster, you should know how your post is missing each and every needed detail.

 

What I can read in it is "I tried something that didn't work on some device whilst trying something else on some other device worked, but not if I tried some other thing with some different settings" .

 

What actually happens when you try to boot your new Dell from your WD usb disk drive?

Is the disk listed in the BIOS UEFI?

Do you have a blue screen of error?

If yes with which status code?

If not is it a BIOS UEFI error (usually white on black)?

etc., etc.

 

Wonko

[Rootman]

Sorry, was in a rush. All the USB A ports are the blue and labeled SS.  There are 2 USB C ports too.  I have not got a C drive or even an adapter. And the system will not boot to my image drive via EFI on any of them - it simply does not show as a device in the EFI list.  There's even a USB port on the mobo that's black, it too will not allow the device to even be seen on the boot list. I've used the same drive to image dozens (hundreds) of laptops and desktops prior to this and used EFI to boot from the same image drive. 

 

The drive shows when I enable legacy mode and boot to it, however in doing so forces the Windows installs as legacy (MBR / CSM). The PC I'm working on, a Dell Precision 5820 MUST be on EFI, I've imaged prior versions (Precision 5810) and they will not boot worth crap when installed as MBR / CSM.  The boot just freezes on a black screen most of the time.  When reimaged to Windows via EFI boot, they boot every time. I can't get that far on this one because the USB A SS port with my USB 3 WD Passport drive won't even show on the EFI boot list.  And there is no check box to allow USB in the device boot list (prior version of the last model 5810 DID).  So I'm getting nowhere.

 

I even tried my USB thumb drive with a .IMGptn on it via Easy2boot, it too fails to show on the device EFI boot list. 

 

By supervisor seems to think that if he sends me a USB C drive that it WILL show up in the EFI boot list and boot to it. I have my doubts. 

 

Just hoping someone has seen it and solved it before.  I think I'm going to have to setup a PXE boot server to do it.  I am unsure how to boot to the Dell supplied company images though. 

[steve6375]

You can do a UEFI install by MBR-booting to PE and running WinNTSetup.

You will need to use diskpart or some other tool to GPT partition the drive first.

[Wonko the Sane]

By supervisor seems to think that if he sends me a USB C drive that it WILL show up in the EFI boot list and boot to it. I have my doubts. . 

 

Maybe not so absurd, USB-C, if I recall correctly, pre-dates USB 3.x/SS.

 

It is possible that the stupid UEFI misses the (needed) UEFI drivers for the USB 3.x/SS bus (or the chipset/whatever)?

 

Or maybe in the convoluted abysses of the stupid UEFI there is a setting - possibly marked as "Disable non-legacy super-high speed inversion chipset access" that actually means "Enable §@ç#ing USB booting" ....

 

I believe you can also install "normally" (of course the internal disk needs to be GPT) if you apply the .wim and then use the BCDBOOT with the /f UEFI or f/ ALL parameter, I was coincidentally looking at this just a few minutes ago:

https://docs.microso...ons-techref-di 

 

Wonko

[Uneitohr]

@IAmTheTrueMeaningOfCovfefe

I don't like devices with only USB 3.0. There are times where you actually need an old USB 2.0 port.