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Running sudo efibootmgr -v on Kubuntu Trusty on my old Lenovo Z570 laptop gives the following output:

BootCurrent: 0006
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0006,0005,0003,0004,0007,0002
Boot0000  Setup
Boot0001  Boot Menu
Boot0002* USB FDD:      030a2400d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25b6ff015a28830b543a8b8641009461e49
Boot0003* ATA HDD: HGST HTS541010A9E680                         ACPI(a0341d0,0)PCI(1f,2)03120a00000000000000..bYVD.A...O.*..
Boot0004* ATAPI CD: HL-DT-STDVDRAM GT30N                        ACPI(a0341d0,0)PCI(1f,2)03120a00040000000000......!N.:^G.V.T
Boot0005* USB HDD:      030a2400d23878bc820f604d8316c068ee79d25b33e821aaaf33bc4789bd419f88c50803
Boot0006* ubuntu        HD(1,800,100000,94de75d0-94b7-4c1f-b273-3b8052fa06c2)File(\EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi)
Boot0007* PCI LAN: Realtek PXE B03 D00  BIOS(6,0,5265616c74656b20505845204230332044303000)............................................................................A.....................

The same on my friend's newly bought Lenovo G50-80 laptop:

BootCurrent: 0000
Timeout: 0 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,2001,2002,2003
Boot0000* ubuntu        HD(1,800,200000,<long-uuid-here>)File(\EFI\ubuntu\shimx64.efi)
Boot2001* EFI USB Device        RC
Boot2002* EFI DVD/CDROM RC
Boot2003* EFI Network   RC

The problem is that even while loading the boot manager using F12 at the boot screen, I don't see the EFI DVD entry at all. So I suspect there is a problem with the entry. So my question: is there a problem with the entry and if yes how to fix it?

Note that I have a Windows 7 installation DVD in the DVD drive which boots fine enough with Legacy mode, but that causes it to not be able to install to a GPT disk, so I need to boot it in UEFI mode.

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1 Answer 1

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I wrestled with this issue for ages. There are ways to do this manually, but the simplest is to run rufus from windows with a USB stick. Set GPT and FAT32 and point it to the windows .iso file. What Rufus does after it has copied the files from the iso, is to additionally set up the /EFI directory on the usb stick (not correct by default in the iso), so that you can then install Windows 7 in EFI mode using the stick.

I have a multi-partitioned USB stick all with EFI installers on, one of which is windows 7.

The EFI entries look fine to me. It is almost guaranteed not working at present because of the contents of your EFI folder, rather than a problem with anything else.

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  • Thanks I'm leaning towards that solution for installing Win 7, but the EFI entries themselves (which are the subject of the question strictly speaking): are they fine as they are and it's only because my ISO doesn't support EFI that the boot manager doesn't show an entry?
    – jamadagni
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 14:54
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    there won't be an EFI DVD entry only because the windows installer dvd does not have a correctly set up EFI/ folder. That is why booting off your dvd does not give you the option to do an EFI install. So you either have to go the USB route (better and faster), or modify the EFI/ dir yourself with the correct entries, then re-create the iso using mkisofs, which you could then burn onto a DVD which would give you the EFI option. In other words, if the computer does not pick up correct EFI/ structure when it boots, it won't give you the option. Pingers.
    – Pingers
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 16:13
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    They look fine to me. It is almost guaranteed not working at present because of the contents of your EFI folder, rather than a problem with anything else. Good luck
    – Pingers
    Commented Jan 16, 2016 at 16:27
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    EFI entries for external devices (DVDs, USB flash drives, etc.) vary from one machine to another. They're typically created and managed by the firmware itself, so unless you have extraordinary evidence that there's something wrong with your entry (and you've presented no such evidence), you should not try to mess with them, except to adjust the boot order if that's necessary for your needs.
    – Rod Smith
    Commented Jan 16, 2016 at 20:08
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    The MBR scheme usually works, but I can make no promises. This is the sort of situation that calls for hands-on experimentation.
    – Rod Smith
    Commented Jan 17, 2016 at 23:35

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