Windows 7 UEFI install on Aspire E1-571

There's a few posts about this already, covering a variety of W8-shipped models, with completely unsatisfactory replies from Acer staff and forum mods/contributors; I'm honestly not expecting any improvement.

I also want to apologise for sounding brusque or rude, but it's always disappointing when the promising excitement of buying a shiny new laptop evaporates on finding out your new machine's BIOS is even more crippled and locked down than the last.

Win 7 x64 won't install via UEFI on this machine. Trying to install it normally has it hanging on the 'Starting Windows' screen (it does actually get further through the coloured dot animation on the latest BIOS version than it did on the factory-installed version); safe mode install shows it halting after loading disk.sys. It's likely an issue resulting from the Sandy Bridge GPUs, the older OS and the way UEFI handles display drivers. Quite understandable.

So that being said, why is there no option to enable CSM? This is the most featureless BIOS I've ever seen, even accounting for the fact it's a laptop. I don't want to use Legacy BIOS, and given as I'm trying to install 64-bit W7, I shouldn't have to.

Is there any way around this at all?

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Dianos

Is it possible to install for the Windows 7 system the graphic driver from Windows 8 (Uefi)?

Peterhugill

did youn fix this#

Alan-London

Legacy mode *IS* CSM. You can't have both CSM and UEFI.

Win7 should load with UEFI selected (but I can't see why that could possibly be desirable).

Have you disabled secure boot? It may well be that Win7 drivers etc are not signed with acceptable signatures and thus installation is prevented.

I elected to use Legacy mode and side step these and, no doubt, other possible headaches. Honestly, I can see absolutely not advantage to UEFI on a laptop but that is your choice of course.

While I agree that the BIOS may be considered a little sparse on options, it works just fine as is.

In my other 'completely unsatisfactory' Smiley LOL posts regarding upgrading Win8 to Win7, I do give a few extra pointers to the process. My upgrade produced an M5 that runs like a train, has zero problems (and I've tested everything) and runs games at up to 60fps - I'm very pleased.

My only concern, given all the horror stories here, is with hardware reliability and possible support (or lack of it) that I can expect should I ever need it!

vanhviid

@Alan-London;

No reason to use UEFI on a notebook? How about trying to set the partition tables to GPT instead of insecure MBR, and install Windows 7!???

I'd like to see you accomplish that with UEFI disabled!

Microsoft Windows 7 cannot install to a GPT drive (bootable) unless UEFI is enabled. Period!

Why Windows needs UEFI to install to a GPT disk, has never seemed rational - or logical - to me. Install almost any other OS, and it will gladly install to and boot from GPT without UEFI enabled.

This is not meant as a personal stab at you, but I've had it with ACER and their lack of support and solutions. So I might sound a tad insensitive.

You could say it's my own fault for purchasing an ACER product in the first place. <sigh>

I've got an ACER Aspire V3-772G, and it's exactly the same problem as with this notebook, apparently; it's an ACER notebook!!

And yes, I am very disappointed and desillusioned about ACER now.

vanhviid

@Unsurprised;

Amen brother, Amen.

You've spoken my mind.

Sadly!

Alan-London

vanhvid,

Rest assured, I don't see your comments as a 'personal stab'!

I stand by my original view. I still see no reason or benefit on a laptop. I wonder how many people cried out for UEFI and/or GPT before they knew of their existence.

I assume, as you make reference to 'insecure MBR', you believe GPT will afford more protection to your data. Well, perhaps to some degree it will but you would need to go much much further to ensure your data is safe!!! In short your data is far from safe to the point that it isn't.

I don't think I ever stated that you could install to GPT without UEFI (actually you can but it won't be bootable). If you feel you need bootable GPT then use UEFI, install Win7, and you're home and dry.

I for one will resist being shut out of my own machines for as long as possible! I much prefer having control of my partitions rather than system firmware dictating what/who has access!

As far as Acer goes, mine is the best laptop I have owned to date apart from the lamentable screen (I'm used to Apple).

Good luck.

vanhviid

@Alan-London;

No Sir, you never mentioned installing Windows 7 on a bootable GPT drive; I did!

Don't get me wrong; I'm happy for you that you have in your possession the best notebook you've ever had.

Congratulations! (Not meant as sarcasm!)

As I see it, there are a lot of disgruntled Acer customers whom are not satisfied. That's why we complain on the forums and - try to - communicate with Acer Support. I can only speak for myself when I say that I don't need to hear why somebody don't see the reason that I'm not satisfied with stuff the way it is.

I just ask for a solution to my problem; a means to enable/disable CSM in BIOS is one way to do it.

I don't think that's too much to ask!

vanhviid

Sorry! An enable/disable CSM that actually works, is what I meant to say.

padgett

The issue is not so much Acer ignorance as Microsoft does not want people backdating to Windows 7. One issue is that to be able to use Win 7 your device must have active cooling (e.g a fan), only Windows 8 has the Intel thermal control drives for a ventless design.

That the physical reason. The marketting reason is that Microsoft (and Acer) want everyone to move to the cloud - that is where the money is. Windows 8 is the first to fully support cloud.

So none of the three: Acer/Microsoft/Intel have any interest in moving someone from Windows 8 to 7.

That said I have everything here from PC-DOS 1.0 (has no "Delete"). Usually the machines are running Win 7 or 8 though I have an NCR with Windows 3.11 & A Columbia with MS-DOS 5.0.

That said, Windows 8 (and 8.1 is better) are perfectly adequate and I have no preferance really of 8 over 7 (do have 8 tweaked to come up at "desktop".) further they have a major advantage for business/enterprise use called "Windows to Go" which is not fully appreciated though for someone who has a need to maintain two distinct and non-contaminatable contexts it is invaluable.

Bottom line: yes you can go from Windows 8 to Windows 7 provided you have active cooling. It is not trivial nor will the script kiddies that populate HELP desks be able to assist.

All that said, a factory image (say from MSDN) of Windows 7 should support UEFI (which I like) directly, you should not need to go to "Legacy" mode in the BIOS which recognised an old Master Boot Record and not the GPT UEFI needs. CSM (Compatibility Support Module) is just a requirement in the UEFI spec to be able to support older (Legacy) partition tables also. Be aware that this is either/or and not both

The nice thing about UEFI is that it makes life difficult for root kits. The diffulgedy is that most aftermarket disk drives are formatted to the older MBR design and not GPT. To use one of these I must be formatted by something capable of GPT/FAT32 oe EXFAT. I *think* GPT/NTFS will work but have not tried that.

Otherwise you have to turn off UEFI (I would not, have spent waaay too mush tome recovering disks from root kits)) which for Acer requires both disabling secure boot AND erasing the certificate store in the BIOS. If you do then a GPT drive or boot inage drive will not be recognised. As I said, not trivial.

vanhviid

@padgett;

Yes, I've been complaining about this since the "Immaculate Conception" of Windows 8! :-)

Pretty insightful with the whole passive cooling on Windows 8 in contrast to Windows 7. This - however - is not the problem "we" need solved. You mention that Windows 7 should install without CSM enabled in UEFI; Unfortunately that's not the case because of the Sandy Bridge architecture of the E1-571 and (my own notebook) the V3-772G. Unless you know something I don't? But you are right about your claim that it should not be necessary.

Regarding "factory images"; I've downloaded images off of MSDN - SP1 as well as pre-SP1 and I even purchased a sprinkling new Windows 7 - again - on a printed DVD (with SP1 flavour). None of the recorded images worked, and neither did the printed DVD.

You write about Windows 8 being a good OS. I beg to differ. Your opinion is of course as valid as anyone else's, but as I see it; Windows 8 came pre-defunct. Everything I could have imagined to be wrong was wrong - plus a load of other stuff I could never have foreseen. Windows 8 is the Windows Vista of yesteryear.

Windows 8 is buggy and counterproductive, and should never have reached the sales shelves.

That being said, I still purchased a notebook with Windows 8 on it. I needed the i7 quad core for my music recording needs on a portable computer, and the specs on my computer - Aspire V3-772G - suits that well.

This doesn't mean I neither can - nor will - just move all my stuff and apps (my DAW) to Windows 8 because either Acer or M$ try to dictate it. Anyway...

Microsoft are shooting themselves in their collective - proverbial - foot on this one. A lot of developers won't take much more from Redmond.... And a lot don't. Changing the driver base every other year instead of doing a gradual transition like Apple. Not an Apple fan mind you, but their USB3.0 and wireless networking is lightyears ahead of M$ in terms of dependability and speed.

So back to the topic of this post; we need the CSM enable/disable in BIOS, so we can circumvent the problems with Windows Install freezing shortly after boot, making it uninstallable with UEFI enabled. Which in so many words is unacceptable.

I hear you on all the other problems you mention. For now, however, I would be semi-content with a CSM enable/disable feature, so I can enable UEFI and install to a GPT disk! :-)

Since I've noticed you are pretty tech-savvy yourself, I hereby invite you to correct me - and give me pointers if I have somehow made an oversight somewhere in my statements.

The only solution I can see so far is if Acer releases a new BIOS.

reipince

I'm having the same "Starting Windows" freeze problem on my Acer Aspire V5.

No option to enable CSM on the BIOS. Why??!!?????? Makes me extremely sad.

Has anyone found any workaround? Is the best alternative to essentially (a) backup your Win8 installation (how?), (b) switch to Legacy BIOS, (c) install Win7 by first wiping out all GPT partitions and reverting to MBR, (d) attempt to reinstall Win8?? Would that even work?

Any help greatly appreciated.

nanobytes

Bought the Aspire R7 because of the new design. The Windows OS on it looked like a program menu for television channels, that´s not suited for desktop/notebook. It´s for some handicapped person who has to steer with his toes. Wonder why Acer recommends it??

And if you check the new task manager there´s something called app history. Obviously it´s timing what programs the user uses. And what´s the use of that? Seriously that can only be statistics used for marketings analysis and is of no use to the PC user. No - don´t want that. And because of the new channel menu when you try to shutdown a stuck program with control-alt-del -> task manager then it´s got problems setting focus... etc.

And they haven´t got a clue about the wanting regarding @padgett "The marketing reason is that Microsoft (and Acer) want everyone to move to the cloud". Remember the first mail program windows had. Think it was called outlook express. And it was only usable on the machine it was setup & configured on. Yahoo email was much easier. And later Microsoft bought hotmail, since their own product wasn´t working so well. Sure mails were in "the clouds" on a public harddrive. But that was communication and not programs...

Anyway all of this - about the newest windows operating system - doesn´t matter, just had to tell all that bla bla like everyone else. The important thing is, that the customers are always right. And Acer doesn´t loose any reputation by supporting users who want to try Windows 7 64 bit in UEFI mode. You can wonder why users want to do such a thing, like when people play cards and after that they are finish they start all over again. It may be stupid but it passes time.

The Aspire R7´s got the same stuck when loading Windows 7 setup in UEFI mode (loading disk.sys). And it doesn´t help setting BIOS -> SATA to IDE instead of AHCI. Or trying to add some disk drivers into the setup files.

But maybe it´s possible to do a multiboot from UEFI mode. Because fx it boots fine Parted Magic and other products from UEFI mode. And maybe if it´s already booted it can boot an ISO ???

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