# Solved: Windows 8.1 Install loop and boot issue



## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

Hi

I have two harddrives in my desktop. I used to use one for my Windows 7 boot and one for data.
Now I partitioned my C: drive for windows 7 as well as data, and I formatted my second HDD to install windows 8 on.

I burned my ISO to USB using rufus, no problems there. Once in the setup of windows 8, I used the command prompt to clean my disk and convert it to GPT. (I first tried to install windows 8 on a partition of the same disk win7 runs on, but I'd have to clean the disk to convert it, which would mean I'd lose my win7 boot and files).

The setup continues and all seems to go well. I get to the point where it says "Finalizing setup" and then it says it will reboot in 10 seconds. Now here's where the problem shows up. When it reboots, it restarts the setup all over again, instead of showing the usual "personalizing" phase.

I tried unplugging my USB during the reboot so it wouldn't boot to that, to no effect. I also checked in my UEFI setup what my primary boot device was: "Windows Boot Manager". If I changed it to either of the other two options (SATA's), it booted my Windows 7. It seems as though it doesn't properly display the disk to which I installed windows 8, as it either restarts the setup or boots the other OS.

If I check my disks when in Win 7, it shows the disk to which I installed win 8. It then has all the folders in it you'd expect when you installed an OS on it, such as Windows, Program Files, ...

The only thing I notice that might be strange during the installation process is that, when you check the drivers of the disk I'm installing to, it doesn't display any. In all the tutorials I've read through though, it doesn't say anywhere that you have to provide those yourself.

Any ideas as to what might be the problem?

Thanks in advance


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## twiztedstudiez (Jul 15, 2014)

I can't think of anything off the top of my head, but I've had strange issues installing Windows 7 machines via USB that I used Rufus to mount with. Using another program to mount resolved my issues. It's worth a shot unless you've already tried this.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Mieeeel


Welcome to Tech Support Guy


1. Is Windows 7 - 64 bit and installed to GPT - the reason I ask if it is 64 bit - if it is 32 bit it cannot be on a GPT partitioned disc


2. You did not actually need to convert GPT via command prompt - I take it you used diskpart, as the install of 8.1 on the disc as unallocated space clicking new and then ok would have done that for you with four partitions and then you would have installed to the Primary partition - having Recovery, System, MSR - Microsoft Reserved and Primary


3. If the disk is recognised on the 8.1 setup then you do not need to click for install drivers


4. Although your firmware is clearly UEFI if 7 is installed MBR it is far easier to install 8.1 MBR rather than having one system MBR and one system GPT


5. I suspect the ISO to USB with Rufus OR the partitioning of the disk - drive to which you are installing


6. When you reply we will if you wish go through it step by step


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

Thanks for your reply.

1. No, the windows 7 disk is MBR and 64-bit. It has two partitions, one of which used for data. 

2. I indeed used diskpart. At first I was trying to install windows 8 on the partition I now use for data (same disk as the Win7 partition), but it told me it had to be GPT in order to do so. I believe at the time I did create the partition before that. I supposed that the clean -second- disk had to be GPT as well as that was what the setup told me before, thats why I converted it. 

5. I will re-do the ISO to USB with a different program. Do you suggest using the MS one? I read somewhere that it formatted the disk into NTFS and UEFI systems typically don't see NTFS USB's as bootable.

Should I clean the disk I'm trying to install to and convert it back to MBR, then install from unallocated space as you said (I don't know if that'll change anything)? Perhaps the re-burning of the ISO together with that will fix my problem.


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## twiztedstudiez (Jul 15, 2014)

Mieeeel said:


> Thanks for your reply.
> 
> 5. I will re-do the ISO to USB with a different program. Do you suggest using the MS one? I read somewhere that it formatted the disk into NTFS and UEFI systems typically don't see NTFS USB's as bootable.
> 
> Should I clean the disk I'm trying to install to and convert it back to MBR, then install from unallocated space as you said (I don't know if that'll change anything)? Perhaps the re-burning of the ISO together with that will fix my problem.


Honestly the last time I did it I used one of the random results I got from searching Google. It wasn't Rufus since that was my obvious first choice, but it was one of the first few results that worked.


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

Ok, thank you.

I'll check back here for more replies & try it out first thing in the morning (already 2am here)


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

If Windows 7 is installed to an MBR disc, then UEFI must have been configured for legacy boot, as UEFI when not configured legacy boot must boot from a GPT disc and a GPT disc boot manager must itself boot from a FAT partition. 
UEFI without legacy boot can read NTFS but it cannot boot from it

IF you are correct in saying that Windows 7 is installed MBR, then you should make the USB using either Rufus or the windows 7 usb/dvd tool
The latter will only make it to boot in legacy mode for MBR and Rufus as you know will do either, for Rufus MBR you simply format it NTFS

Rufus is a lot quicker than the windows 7 tool - although it is called windows 7 you can also use it for 8, but NOT to install to a GPT with UEFI - in UEFI mode

If you are going down that route of installing 8 to MBR then you will have to convert the drive you are installing to back to MBR

So you will delete all partitions on the disk you are installing to by selecting disk eg
type
*select disk ?* (number) 
and then issue the cmd 
*clean*
and then the cmd
*convert mbr*


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

To save me a lot of typing and because I am signing off and not back until about 1700 uk TIME

Follow this guide, including the sub link - re the USB
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2344-dual-boot-installation-windows-8-windows-7-vista.html

This applies to installing MBR.

Good luck with it


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

I re-did the ISO to USB with Rufus with MBR for UEFI settings, to a FAT32 instead of NTFS, as NTFS didn't show up in boot devices.
During the install process I did what you said and coverted the disk back to mbr after cleaning it.
I then continued the installation on the unallocated space, yet the same problem occured.

My other harddrive was unplugged, and I tried installing with leaving the USB in the port as well as with taking it out during the firs reboot.
In the first case it restarted the installation process, in the second case it said I had to select the proper boot device. Changing Legacy ROM to EFI Compatible ROM in my boot settings didn't change anything either.


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

I now used the windows 8.1 setup from the microsoft website to do the ISO to USB. Problem persisted, but now I seem to get further than before. It gets to boot from the harddrive, but it gives me an error saying there is a problem with winload.exe

File: \$Windows.~BT\Windows.New\WINDOWS\system32\winload.exe
Error code: 0xc000000f"

I'm now running the repair feature on the install media. See if that helps


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

I ran different repair options. Resetting the installation didn't help, and repairing the startup didn't go through. After a minute or so it said it couldn't be repaired and I could either turn off the pc or go back to advanced options, but none of those fixed the issue.

As I said before I did the ISO to USB via the MS program
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media
And then I ran the setup as usual. This time the setup asked me to remove the USB and then reboot the computer. When I did that it once again said that I had to insert the proper boot media;

To that I reinserted the USB and went to the repair options. One of the options was to continue from USB, CD/DVD and a hard disk. I selected the hard disk and then it appeared to get further than before, but I got the error message I stated before.

"Your PC needs to be repaired.

The application or operating system could not be loaded because a required file is missing or contains erors.

File:\Windows\system32\winload.exe
Error code: 0xc000000e

You'll need to use the recovery tool on your installation media. If you don't have...."

But yes, the recovery tool breaks off after a minute or so...

I googled some stuff and a forum said to try the "bootrec /rebuildbcd" command. I did this and the result was:

"Successfully scanned windows installations.
Total identified Windows installations: 0"

This is extremely odd, as I just ran the installation progress on my drive... (Though I never got to actually booting it)
Note that this install was done after I cleaned and coverted the disk back to MBR and installed on the unallocated space.
I had my other hard drive containing my (working) windows 7 unplugged during all this.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

If the error is that mentioned in your post 10, then that is a temporary boot file created in the installation process and it means the install process has been corrupted

If the error is that mentioned in post 11 - note the difference please re the New and the BT - then it means that windows cannot find the boot file - on the boot device

Are you definitely booting from the hard drive to which you have just installed Windows 8

If it is the error in post 11 then boot from the installation media


Insert your Windows install disc and boot from it
Press any key at the "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD" message
Choose *Repair your computer* after you select the language, time and keyboard method
Select your Windows installation drive (usually C:\) and click Next
Select Command Prompt in the System Recovery Options box
Write bootrec /rebuildbcd and press Enter: bootrec /rebuildbcd
Wait for the program to finish
NOTE in the recovery environment command prompt - the drive letters are sometimes changed, as the command prompt letter will be X:\ 
which is a ramdrive created for repair
so what is normally C may be D
you can verify that by changing from X:\Sources>
to C:
and then typing
dir
until you are sure you have the right lettered drive

IF it were me I would disconnect the hard drive with 7 on it so there is no chance of an error involving that installation

If it works we can sort the boot manager out later


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

It is in fact the latter of the error codes (0xc000000e)

My windows 7 hard drive was unplugged during the installation, so that can't be causing the problem. I'll try the command again


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

When I run the dir command in C:, it shows the following 

Perflogs
Program Files
Program Files (x86)
Users
Windows

Which seems pretty normal to me.

When I run the rebuildbcd command, I get the "Total identified Windows installations: 0"

In the recovery environment it does have an option to "Continue to windows 8.1", which then reboots my pc and restarts the installation setup.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Can we go back a step please - was the Windows 8.1 ISO downloaded as a purchase from Microsoft to the Windows 7 installation


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

The windows 8.1 ISO was downloaded with the program I linked in a previous post, installed with a key I got from an Action Pack
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

The initial ISO (when I started the thread) was also downloaded straight from microsoft after requesting the key.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

OK I have to go offline now until late tonight

Have you followed the advice in the link I sent on post 8 where I said to save me a lot of typing
Legacy mode needs to be enabled and the convert MBR before you start the installation

If you have Windows 7 installed in legacy mode then windows 8.1 must be installed in legacy mode

You cannot boot a drive that is MBR if the firmware mode is NOT Legacy

Can you install from a DVD made on 7 with the ISO and ensure you burn it at a SLOW speed

If you are going to try that use this
BurnCDCC
https://www.terabyteunlimited.com/downloads-free-software.htm


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

Yes I used that same guide before I started this thread as well. I use the UEFI boot mode of my USB (there's the USB option as well), and I followed all the steps in the guide (which is basically following the setup until you get to the disks part).

I'm going to try a final reinstall. PCI ROM Priority is set to Legacy ROM. I'll clean the disk again and convert it to MBR, and continue the installation. It probably still won't work, so I'll pick up a blank DVD in the morning and use the program you linked.

I'll post back with the results


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

As expected the reinstall didn't work and it again asked for the proper boot device.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Establish if present state is with Windows 7 installed is UEFI or Legacy
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/29504-bios-mode-see-if-windows-boot-uefi-legacy-mode.html

If it is legacy then the install of 8.1 must be in that mode
If it is UEFI the install of 8.1 must be in that mode

When you issued the bootrec cmd I take it you did not issue that on X Drive

send me this please from Windows 7
http://static.techguy.org/download/SysInfo.exe

copy and paste the results in the white box to your post


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

In setupact.log: Callback_BootEnvironmentDetect: Detected boot environment: BIOS

(The thing here is though, I've only NOT installed with Legacy enabled in my boot options when I was specifically trying to see if that was the problem, most of the install attempts so far were done with legacy enabled)

I issued the bootrec cmd on C:

Result of the .exe:

Tech Support Guy System Info Utility version 1.0.0.2
OS Version: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate N, Service Pack 1, 64 bit
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2500K CPU @ 3.30GHz, Intel64 Family 6 Model 42 Stepping 7
Processor Count: 4
RAM: 16366 Mb
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560, 1024 Mb
Hard Drives: C: Total - 792801 MB, Free - 440625 MB; F: Total - 953339 MB, Free - 945274 MB; G: Total - 637893 MB, Free - 369780 MB;
Motherboard: ASRock, P67 Extreme4 Gen3
Antivirus: Microsoft Security Essentials, Updated and Enabled

In Hard Drives: C is the currently running Win7 (changes to the win8 install disk when I unplug the Win7 disk), G is a partition on that disk for data, and finally the F drive is where I've been trying to install win8.1 on.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

send me please a screenshot of disk management that is control panel
admin tools#
computer management
disk management on left pane
please send screenshot so I can see upper and lower windows - as mine


screenshot with image on screen press prt scrn key
open paint
click paste
if necessary click select and drag mouse around part of image
then click copy
then open new and click paste
then save as and change file type to jpeg
default bitmap is too large
on reply click go advanced and manage attachments


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

I had to reduce the quality quite a bit in order to get it in the attachment, but there you go.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

send it please as I asked as an attached screenshot - on your post like mine
jpeg - bitmap too large


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

There we go


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Please see your motherboard manual page 59 and turn on no execute memory protection
ftp://europe.asrock.com/manual/P67%20Extreme4.pdf

I do not think it is the problem but it should be ON - enabled when installing windows 8

Page 54 ensure SATA mode is AHCI for the drive you are installing to

Also check please that the sata port mode for the drive you are installing to is set enhanced- that is page 65

Page 71 please set boot options to ensure one of them is the windows 8 installation

I have read the manual I have to say that it is by no means easy to follow. When that motherboard was first introduced UEFI was of course more or less unknown, although it was actually introduced in 2007, being originally desgined by Intel back in the late 90`s

Despite searching the manual I am unable to find how ON YOUR MOTHERBOARD one changes from UEFI to Legacy mode - or on some systems CSM - compatibility support module

Unless I have missed it in the manual the only reference I can see to legacy is usb mode

I suggest you leave the Windows 7 hard drive disconnected as mentioned
have everything else disconnected as before except monitor mouse and keyboard - including any usb hubs if you have them
depending on ram installed - take out sticks to boot with minimum
Set up in UEFI the three items I have mentioned
Use the originally made RUFUS UEFI booting flash pen
when it boots then make that drive you are installing to unallocated space by deleting all partitions
convert it GPT

and try once more.

If that fails, connect the Windows 7 drive - boot to that - and then we will run a program to see what installations and boot configurations it finds


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

Thanks a lot for this info. I'll try it in the morning.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

I am signing off again I am having seen your screenshot more or less convinced that Windows 7 is installed MBR
There is NO EFI on the disk management 7 installation
It appears Windows 8 is installed on UEFI as there is the 100mb System Partition
EFI partition

I feel as certain as I can be that herein lies the problem
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/hh825112.aspx

I have installed 8 a few times
This computer is a triple boot XP, 7 and 8.1
I have never had the problem you are experiencing

Could you please examine that link I have sent on this and the sub links
I have never gone so far as needing to even consider the paragraph titled
"You can remove the UEFI or BIOS boot files from either Windows PE or Windows Setup"


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

I set all the things you mentioned in my UEFI environment, but the problem still persists.
I read through what you linked me and tried to start the install media by deleting the efi folder on my USB.

The problem then is, when I try to boot from my USB, it also says "insert boot media in selected boot device", which would mean that it's trying to boot the setup in UEFI mode, from my USB.


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

Ok I fixed the problem.

I went through the rest of my UEFI and noticed a setting in the environment where I set the SATA to AHCI. There was a setting for Marvell SATA 3.0 Bootable (or smth close to it) and it was set to NO. 

I'm pretty sure this is where the problem lied in the first place. When I tried to install after setting what you adviced me to, the installation notified me that the disk was not bootable and I had to check my BIOS settings, that's how I found it. 

I'm going to finish the installation (I'm not in the personalize phase) and then replug my win 7, see if it still boots after changing the UEFI settings.

If it does, I'll leave it all this way, if it doesn't I'll just reset my UEFI to standard and only turn the Bootable option on.

Thanks a ton for helping me all the way through this problem!


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

The only issue I now seem to be having is that when I select my windows 7 hard drive in UEFI, it still boots Windows 8.


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## Mieeeel (Jul 15, 2014)

Found the solution to that as well.

My PC, when booting, showed the booting of my win8 disk BEFORE I could enter UEFI. Whatever I did in UEFI, it booted me to windows 8.

To switch between the operating systems I now have to put the mode on IDE and the Marvell SATA Bootable option OFF for windows 7, the mode on AHCI and the Marvell SATA Bootable option ON for windows 8.

Going to write this down for future reference


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Well some progress - and WELL DONE ON FINDING THAT
As you have windows 7 installed in MBR then as I said before Windows 8 must be installed MBR
therefore looking again at your manual you need to boot from the flash pen made with the Windows 7 download usb/dvd tool or a dvd made in windows 7 and the drive converted mbr

You should have in UEFI two boot options for the DVD or indeed the USB a UEFI boot option and the same boot eg the USB or the DVD but not UEFI

Then if you install Windows 8 again with 7 drive in, Windows 8 should configure the boot loader for booting from the Windows 8 drive but offering the option then of selecting windows 8 or windows 7

Have to admit - never thought that the drive you were installing to was not a boot option until last night, when as you will see I mentioned it



> Page 71 please set boot options to ensure one of them is the windows 8 installation


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