Solved W8 Install Partitions?

Ken429

New Member
Messages
92
I installed W8/8.1 on a system with a Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H MB. When I look at the SSD where Windows is installed I have one partition. I also installed W8/8.1 on an ASRock Z77 OC Formula MB. When I look at the SSD where Windows is installed I have three partitions - 300MB (Recovery Partition), 100MB (EFI System Partition) and 111.27GB (Boot,....Partition). Why did the W8 installer create three partitions on the ASRock system? I think I understand the EFI partition since the ASRock BIOS has a "Load UEFI Defaults" option. The Gigabyte MB does not have this option in the BIOS? Is that because the ASRock MB has truly implemented EFI and uses the EFI System Partition to store boot information?

Why was the Recovery Partition created? I built this system from scratch so there is not any third party involvement. If I reinstall W8 using a new - never used SSD will I get the three partitions? If I format the SSD with one partition prior to Installing W8 what will I get?

I not concerned about the loss of 300MB, I just need a little help understanding why I got different partition configurations on fresh installs of W8 on two different MB's/Systems?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W.8.1 Pro Update 1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    3770K
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z77 OC Formula
    Memory
    GSkill 2400-10
    Graphics Card(s)
    None
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung S27B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    Mushkin Chronos DX-7 240GB, WD Raptor 250Gb, 3 -WD Raptors 500GB
    PSU
    Seasonic X750
    Case
    Corsair 800D
    Cooling
    Swiftech Apogee HD 3X120 Rad
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Sidewinder X4
    Mouse
    Microsoft Exporer 2.0
    Browser
    IE11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes
As I don't have UEFI BIOS, I'd say your assumption is more than likely correct. Could you post some screen shots of you disk management window for both PC's. It make help those who have UEFI BIOS and help explain more clearly and in detail of your issue.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom build
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X 4 965 BE
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-MA790X-DS4
    Memory
    G-Skill 8 GB PC 8500
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD XFX HD Radeon 6790D
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2l Samsung SyncMaster S20B300
    Screen Resolution
    1600 X 900
    Hard Drives
    Seagate Barracuda 320 GB w/OS
    Seagate Barracuda 1 TB data storage
    PSU
    Ultra X4 750 watt fully modular
    Case
    Thermaltake OverSeer RX 1 fulltower
    Cooling
    Cooler Master Hyper212 120mm
    Keyboard
    Logitech G510
    Mouse
    Razor DeathAdder 3.5
There you go.
 

Attachments

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    Capture_EFI.PNG
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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W.8.1 Pro Update 1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    3770K
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z77 OC Formula
    Memory
    GSkill 2400-10
    Graphics Card(s)
    None
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung S27B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    Mushkin Chronos DX-7 240GB, WD Raptor 250Gb, 3 -WD Raptors 500GB
    PSU
    Seasonic X750
    Case
    Corsair 800D
    Cooling
    Swiftech Apogee HD 3X120 Rad
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Sidewinder X4
    Mouse
    Microsoft Exporer 2.0
    Browser
    IE11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo G580
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3230M
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, standard user account
    Other Info
    UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8 product key.
genet,
Ok, I feel better. My boot disk on the UEFI MB looks exactly like yours. I have been running with this for many months so I have played with the boot options. Fairly slick once you realize what is going on. So... W8 install, when it sees a UEFI enabled BIOS, sets up the three partitions on the boot drive? Also, my legacy BIOS systems (Gigabyte and Asus MB's) only have the Windows partition on the boot drive.
 

Attachments

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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W.8.1 Pro Update 1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    3770K
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z77 OC Formula
    Memory
    GSkill 2400-10
    Graphics Card(s)
    None
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung S27B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    Mushkin Chronos DX-7 240GB, WD Raptor 250Gb, 3 -WD Raptors 500GB
    PSU
    Seasonic X750
    Case
    Corsair 800D
    Cooling
    Swiftech Apogee HD 3X120 Rad
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Sidewinder X4
    Mouse
    Microsoft Exporer 2.0
    Browser
    IE11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes
W8 install, when it sees a UEFI enabled BIOS, sets up the three partitions on the boot drive?

No. Only if you select UEFI boot mode (see screenshot below).

Check UEFI settings: UEFI Boot Mode, Legacy BIOS Mode, CSM (Compatibility Support Module) and Secure Boot.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-8-a.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/17058-secure-boot-enable-disable-uefi.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html

12803d1355373594-uefi-unified-extensible-firmware-interface-install-windows-8-uefi_usb_boot_menu.jpg
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo G580
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3230M
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, standard user account
    Other Info
    UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8 product key.
All my non UEFI Windows 8 systems I have a System Reserved partition and the Windows partition. Not sure why your Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H setup doesn't have the System Reserved. Was it pre partitioned? On my UEFI laptop what would be the System Reserved is labeled as Recovery, then I have the EFI partition and then the Windows partition.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
At this point I'm totally confused. The first time I installed W8 on the ASRock system I got the EFI partition. I reinstalled today and I ended up with only two partitions! But...it seems to work - what I did wrong I don't know. I followed the W8 install instructions above - deleted all the partitions on the SSD - then selected "New" and here's what I got? I don't have a clue what I did "right" the first time I installed W8.
 

Attachments

  • Capture_W8_Reinstall.PNG
    Capture_W8_Reinstall.PNG
    18.3 KB · Views: 81

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W.8.1 Pro Update 1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    3770K
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z77 OC Formula
    Memory
    GSkill 2400-10
    Graphics Card(s)
    None
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung S27B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    Mushkin Chronos DX-7 240GB, WD Raptor 250Gb, 3 -WD Raptors 500GB
    PSU
    Seasonic X750
    Case
    Corsair 800D
    Cooling
    Swiftech Apogee HD 3X120 Rad
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Sidewinder X4
    Mouse
    Microsoft Exporer 2.0
    Browser
    IE11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes
edit:

Here is info about Legacy BIOS Boot Mode (installing using the MBR partition style) and UEFI Boot Mode (installing using the GPT partition style): LINK
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo G580
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3230M
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, standard user account
    Other Info
    UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8 product key.
Did you boot the Windows 8/8.1 in UEFI mode?

Windows 8 Downgrade-006 SB for posting.PNG

In Drive Options.

Windows 8 Downgrade-008 SB-1.PNG

Windows 8 Downgrade-007 SB.PNG
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
I thought I booted the W8 install disk in UEFI mode. Now that I got a running W8.1 system using the Legacy BIOS mode on a system with a BIOS that supports UEFI mode what functionality have I lost? Everything seems to work and appears more straight forward in Legacy BIOS mode.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W.8.1 Pro Update 1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    3770K
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z77 OC Formula
    Memory
    GSkill 2400-10
    Graphics Card(s)
    None
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung S27B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    Mushkin Chronos DX-7 240GB, WD Raptor 250Gb, 3 -WD Raptors 500GB
    PSU
    Seasonic X750
    Case
    Corsair 800D
    Cooling
    Swiftech Apogee HD 3X120 Rad
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Sidewinder X4
    Mouse
    Microsoft Exporer 2.0
    Browser
    IE11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes
I thought I booted the W8 install disk in UEFI mode. Now that I got a running W8.1 system using the Legacy BIOS mode on a system with a BIOS that supports UEFI mode what functionality have I lost?

GPT (GUID Partition Table)

Compared with MBR disk, a GPT disk can support larger than 2 TB volumes where MBR cannot.

Windows and GPT FAQ

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-8-a.html

Secure Boot

Secure Boot only work in UEFI boot mode, when you enable Secure Boot in your PC's UEFI settings.

Secure Boot protect users from rootkits and other low-level malware attacks by blocking unauthorized (non-signed) executables and drivers from being loaded during the boot process.

Protecting the pre-OS environment with UEFI - Building Windows 8 - Site Home - MSDN Blogs

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/17058-secure-boot-enable-disable-uefi.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/20208-secure-boot-confirm-enabled-disabled-windows-8-a.html
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo G580
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3230M
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, standard user account
    Other Info
    UEFI firmware (BIOS) embedded Windows 8 product key.
Just a follow up on my UEFI saga. It was my ignorance that was causing the problem. I needed to "Hit any key" to boot the W8 setup disk in UEFI mode - don't need to do that in "MBR mode". I must have done the "Hit any key routine" and got it right the first time I installed W8 many months ago!

The reason I went back to square one and figured out what I was doing wrong was the MBR installation started giving me the Explorer.exe Error 1000 where the W8 desktop paints correctly at boot up and then goes Blue Screen for several seconds and then repaints. This is the second time I have run into this problem on two different W8.1 machines! In both cases, a fresh reinstall makes the problem go away?! I started a separate thread on that issue several days ago but it pretty much went unresolved a far as the root cause.


Anyway, thanks for all the help and information on the UEFI stuff. I think I'm a little smarter now.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W.8.1 Pro Update 1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    3770K
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z77 OC Formula
    Memory
    GSkill 2400-10
    Graphics Card(s)
    None
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung S27B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    Mushkin Chronos DX-7 240GB, WD Raptor 250Gb, 3 -WD Raptors 500GB
    PSU
    Seasonic X750
    Case
    Corsair 800D
    Cooling
    Swiftech Apogee HD 3X120 Rad
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Sidewinder X4
    Mouse
    Microsoft Exporer 2.0
    Browser
    IE11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes
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