ASUS X55A Windows Install + UEFI Confusion

Can someone elaborate on this UEFI thing as I am totally confused.
There is an option in the BIOS that says: Delete Boot Option, but there is nothing to delete. There is also no Add Boot Option.
Also there are supposed to be other options such as Launch CSM or Secure Boot Control, but they are missing too.
There is no UEFI option too. There was one with BIOS version 302, but I updated to latest BIOS 417 and it was gone.

My attempts to install Windows 7 fail miserably and I don't know why. The weird thing is that if I disable USB via I/O Interface Security then Windows 7 loads after a fresh installation, but if they are enabled it gives me a BSOD with 0x000007E error. Tried to install Windows 8 and at one point it was working, but then I installed a bunch of drivers and it started giving me a fancier BSOD. I think the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver was to blame?

So what is this UEFI thing and how do I use it to install Windows 7 or 8 properly? What options do I disable/enable in BIOS and at what point?

Thank you.

 

UEFI is an updated framework that will eventually replace the BIOS all together.

A quick search of your system specs tells me it comes native with Windows 7 ( Notebooks & Ultrabooks - X55A - ASUS)

You shouldn't need the UEFI if you're going to use Windows 7, but UEFI is enabled by default. Windows uses two different kinds of partitioning for each of UEFI and Legacy BIOS, and it will get mad if you have Windows installed with UEFI and change to legacy permanently, and Vice-Versa.

Add/Delete Boot Option is used for multiple boot options. If you don't have multiple boot options already setup, then there won't be any boot options to delete. My best recommendation is to set the Launch CSM option to Enabled. That will allow legacy support and should get rid of the BSOD for Windows 7...but don't quote me on it.

Also, disable the Secure Boot Control in the security tab.

 

From my original post:

Also there are supposed to be other options such as Launch CSM or Secure Boot Control, but they are missing too.

Also I copy my post from another forum:


The laptop has only one hard disk (500GB).
Right at the beginning I updated the BIOS to the latest 417 version.
I've read that options like UEFI Control, Secure Boot and CMS should be available in the BIOS, yet I don't have them. There is an option "Remove Boot Option" with nothing to remove in the list. There is no "Add Boot Option" and I think there should be one.
Also there is no Intel Rapid Storage and/or Intel Smart Response in the BIOS. The only options that I think are somehow related are Launch PXE OpROM and Delete Boot Option (Empty List).

I have no problems booting and installing Windows 7 x64 or Windows 8.1 x64 from a USB drive. The problems appear after successful installation.

Windows 7: Not sure at what point exactly I get the first BSOD, but disabling USB hardware in the BIOS under Security/IO Interface Security/USB Interface Security/Lock gets rid of the BSOD and Windows works from there on. Basically disabling external USB Ports, CMOS Camera and Card Reader fixes the problem, but I need this.

Windows 8 - After the very first Windows Update (16 Updates) and the restart after installing them I start to get the fancier Windows 8 BSOD every time. Then after 2 failed boots it gives me the Repair option, which is basically a System Restore I think and it works again, because it removes the 16 Updates. If I install them again = boom same BSOD.

I think the HDD is formatted with MBR with both Windows 7 and 8.1
I see no traces of UEFI anywhere - not sure how to check though, but I think if it was UEFI then I wouldn't be able to boot from the USB stick to install Windows, right?

A few photos from BIOS:









Just did the Restore on the latest Windows 8.1 installation and it worked, albeit it is loading the OS quite slowly. The 16 updates are gone and I can install them again, which I am 100% sure will lead to the BSOD again. Windows 8.1 is working normally now and I can restart the laptop without BSOD, but can't update it



These are the updates:



And these are the HDD partitions:

 

Ok, I'm starting to understand things more. The CSM and Secureboot options will not be available in your BIOS screen. Those only show up if Windows 8 came preinstalled.
See, there are two types of framework. Legacy BIOS & UEFI. Windows 8 requires UEFI to run. Windows 7 and earlier does not. The CSM Launch option is meant to enable Legacy BIOS support in a UEFI framework so Windows 7 can be installed on a machine meant to run Windows 8. Launch PXE OpROM is the option to boot from a network server. This is not something you want to enable.

Intel Rapid Storage Technology and Smart Response Technology are not going to be in the BIOS. They are drivers for your motherboard you install in Windows which manages the HDDs/SSDs. In the great scheme of things, you will want to install your Intel RST/SRT driver package once Windows finishes booting up for the first time after installation.

The question you need to answer is which version of Windows do you want to run: 7 or 8?

In Windows 7, it would help to get a screen shot of the BSOD as well.

In Windows 8, which update version are you on?

For the Windows 7 issue, it sounds like a driver/software issue. If you are able to boot, install, and get Windows to load up once after installation, then it has issues each time afterwards, I wonder if you're installing a driver (or drivers) from Windows Update...cause you do not want to install any drivers from Windows update. Windows Update should only be used to update Windows, IE, Office, etc. Never accept a hardware driver update from Microsoft.

 

Great Success - I managed to install all updates + a few drivers and so far the Laptop seems OK even after a few restarts. Nothing is lagging and Windows Experience Index looks OK:



This time though I only installed drivers which are either missing or too old in this order:
Chipset driver
USB 3.0 Drivers
ATKP Package
SmartGesture (touchpad)
Card Reader

Windows 7 installed the latest Graphics, Ethernet and WiFi drivers. No drivers missing in Device Manager.

I think skipping the Intel Management Engine Interface and Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver might be the reason I am not seeing any BSODs. Maybe...

I still have no idea why I was getting BSOD before and I hope I don't get any more.

 

Good to hear. :thumbsup:

Intel RST/SRT could very well have been causing the BSODs. But generally, if you install RST/SRT (and are supposed to install it), then it shouldn't give you any problems. I reiterate my previous admonishment: DO NOT LET WINDOWS UPDATE INSTALL ANY DRIVERS!!! Use only the ASUS drivers or the OEM (Intel, AMD, other brands, etc.) drivers. Drivers from Microsoft are notorious for causing BSODs.