Getting Windows 10 Computer Ready For Windows 11

siliconbeaver · Jun 11, 2022

are you running Win 10?
I was thinking any Win 10 computer could run Win 11. I really didn't pay attention to BIOS/UFEI for those computers in my home. I did upgrade 6-7 computers to Win 11. No any problem (Asus Lenovo HP). most are using DDR3 RAM. some even running DDR2 RAM (Just let you how old they are).

HDL · Jun 12, 2022

bobkn said:
Don't be intimidated. Just find you way to the right page in the settings, disable CSM, and enable Secure Boot. There may be people who understand all of the BIOS settings, but I'm not one such. The ones that are of use to most of us are few in number.

Thank you for that information. It was a great help.

HDL · Jun 12, 2022

siliconbeaver said:
are you running Win 10?
I was thinking any Win 10 computer could run Win 11. I really didn't pay attention to BIOS/UFEI for those computers in my home. I did upgrade 6-7 computers to Win 11. No any problem (Asus Lenovo HP). most are using DDR3 RAM. some even running DDR2 RAM (Just let you how old they are).

Yes I have a couple Win 10 computers and 1 Win 11. On those Win 10 I get a message saying I must Enable both Secure Boot and TMP. I haven't yet looked into TMP yet. Hope it is easier than this Secure Boot has been.

cereberus · Jun 12, 2022

bobkn said:
There may be people who understand all of the BIOS settings, but I'm not one such.

You cannot just disable csm if existing installation is legacy bios. Even for a clean install, you have to convert old drive to gpt.

HDL · Jun 12, 2022

On the Win 10 computer that I am trying to get ready for Windows 11 the motherboard is an AsusTek PRIME Z390-A Motherboard. One thing to get it to be Win 11 ready the PC Health Check said was that I had to enable TMP. I downloaded the manual for this motherboard and the only reference I could find is in the attachment; see note at bottom.

I have no idea if that module is in my computer and no idea what I should do about enabling the TMP. Any suggestions on how to enable that so it is Win 11 capable? I see nothing else in this manual to give me any help.

SIW2 · Jun 12, 2022

You wont need physical module. It is built into your bios. It might need to be enabled, unless it already is enabled by default.

HDL · Jun 12, 2022

SIW2 said:
You wont need physical module. It is built into your bios. It might need to be enabled, unless it already is enabled by default.

Thank you for that. Turns out that was actually the easy part when I was thinking enabling the Secure Boot would be. A technician at ASUS talked me through enabling that TMP. When we got to the Secure Boot he had me check the volumes on the hard drive. My Partition Style is MBR and he said that had to be converted to GPT. I don't know yet how to do that. He would have walked me through it, I guess, but said I should back everything up first. He said if we were to make the change now to enable Secure Boot the computer would not boot to the OS because of the MBR partition. That PC Health Check sure didn't tell me all this. Even following the links it provided seemed easy if one knew what they were doing, which I didn't.

bobkn · Jun 12, 2022

cereberus said:
You cannot just disable csm if existing installation is legacy bios. Even for a clean install, you have to convert old drive to gpt.

Point.

Scott · Jun 12, 2022

HDL said:
My Partition Style is MBR and he said that had to be converted to GPT. I don't know yet how to do that.

MBR2GPT - Windows Deployment

Use MBR2GPT.EXE to convert a disk from the Master Boot Record (MBR) to the GUID Partition Table (GPT) partition style without modifying or deleting data on the disk.

docs.microsoft.com

HDL · Jun 12, 2022

Scott said:
MBR2GPT - Windows Deployment

Use MBR2GPT.EXE to convert a disk from the Master Boot Record (MBR) to the GUID Partition Table (GPT) partition style without modifying or deleting data on the disk.

docs.microsoft.com

Thank you for that link. It will be very helpful. Let me ask this: My windows 10 machine is using the UEFI interface for the BIOS, (I may be stating that wrong.) When in the BIOS it says UEFI BIOS Utility - EZ Mode. Does that have to be switched back to the Legacy BIOS before MBR2GPT.EXE can be run? If so, will that affect the way the TMP was just enabled?

From watching the video, I do not believe the BIOS should be set to Legacy but somewhere I heard that and can't remember where. Second, if it should be set to UEFI than the second part of my question above about TMP, I believe is answered.

bobkn · Jun 12, 2022

EZ mode is easy mode. There's an advanced mode, with a lot more settings. You can select that from EZ mode with the mouse, or just press the F7 hotkey.

You can also set the BIOS so that when you enter the BIOS settings, it wakes up in Advanced mode.

I haven't used the MBR2GPT utility in years. I believe that running it is independent of your BIOS settings. However, whether you'd be able to boot from the converted disk will require the correct BIOS settings.

I strongly recommend imaging the disk (like with Macrium Reflect Free) before attempting anything this major, though. It's good to be able to recover if things go awry.

Scott · Jun 12, 2022

bobkn said:
I strongly recommend imaging the disk (like with Macrium Reflect Free) before attempting anything this major, though. It's good to be able to recover if things go awry.

That. Backup, backup, backup.

As bobkn stated EZ mode is just easy mode. Selecting Advanced Mode (lower right hand corner) or F7 gets you to Advanced Mode.

Under Boot\Secure Boot is where I see the UEFI boot mode. You can't enable UEFI boot until your disk is converted to GPT.

HDL · Jun 12, 2022

Scott said:
That. Backup, backup, backup.

As bobkn stated EZ mode is just easy mode. Selecting Advanced Mode (lower right hand corner) or F7 gets you to Advanced Mode.

Under Boot\Secure Boot is where I see the UEFI boot mode. You can't enable UEFI boot until your disk is converted to GPT.

I am a bit confused again. My BIOS is already UEFI being in the EZ UEFI mode, isn't it? Are you saying I have to put it back to the Legacy BIOS mode before converting it? I really thought that link above about MBR2GPT. Thank you guys for your help.

I just checked and in the UEFI BIOS Utility - EZ Mode, which comes up when I enter the BIOS or whatever I am entering, under Secure Boot it says it is enabled off to the right it shows Other OS but clicking its drop down arrow it shows Windows UEFI Mode. I believe that is what I cannot choose until the MBR is converted. I believe I also have to Disable CSM once I get to that GPT Partition Style in order for Secure Boot to actually be enabled and Win 11 ready.

I have never backed up an entire Drive. Any suggestions for a good backup program? And is backing it up to an external drive OK? I have Nero Backup but haven't figured out how to use it or if it would even do this kind of backup.

siliconbeaver · Jun 12, 2022

Are you installing 21H2 (ISO from Microsoft web)
or newer version? (non-Microsoft web)

For 21H2 install, there is an easy method (A reason I no need to know CSM UEFI TMP, , , too easy. Just run an open source script. you can compile it yourself if you please. but also no need)

HDL said:
Yes I have a couple Win 10 computers and 1 Win 11. On those Win 10 I get a message saying I must Enable both Secure Boot and TMP. I haven't yet looked into TMP yet. Hope it is easier than this Secure Boot has been.

Dru2 · Jun 12, 2022

Delete. Not applicable

Dru2 · Jun 12, 2022

siliconbeaver said:
For 21H2 install, there is an easy method (A reason I no need to know CSM UEFI TMP, , , too easy. Just run an open source script. you can compile it yourself if you please. but also no need)

What are you talking about??? What "source script" ???

Sorry but bad advice, especially without any reference other than it's "too easy. Just run an open source script. you can compile it yourself". What?

siliconbeaver · Jun 12, 2022

I am waiting for HDL's reply if 21H2.

I do help what I can. NOT blame or scold.

bobkn · Jun 12, 2022

HDL said:
I am a bit confused again. My BIOS is already UEFI being in the EZ UEFI mode, isn't it? Are you saying I have to put it back to the Legacy BIOS mode before converting it? I really thought that link above about MBR2GPT. Thank you guys for your help.

I just checked and in the UEFI BIOS Utility - EZ Mode, which comes up when I enter the BIOS or whatever I am entering, under Secure Boot it says it is enabled off to the right it shows Other OS but clicking its drop down arrow it shows Windows UEFI Mode. I believe that is what I cannot choose until the MBR is converted. I believe I also have to Disable CSM once I get to that GPT Partition Style in order for Secure Boot to actually be enabled and Win 11 ready.

I have never backed up an entire Drive. Any suggestions for a good backup program? And is backing it up to an external drive OK? I have Nero Backup but haven't figured out how to use it or if it would even do this kind of backup.

Macrium Reflect Free is one. Macrium Reflect Free

Scroll down to see the link for the Home version. You need to provide an email address, and they'll send you a download link.

Choose the drive you wish to image (C: ), and the external drive as where the image will be saved. It takes about 10 minutes to do an image of my C: (about 100GB image size) onto an internal SATA drive. It'll take longer with an external USB drive.

Dru2 · Jun 12, 2022

Post #55 was deleted as I needed to research a statement the post was based on. So here we go....

HDL said:
I found no way to set the Secure Boot mode to On. Any suggestions where the On or Enable for Secure Boot would be found or possibly another search other than Secure Boot?

HDL said:
A technician at ASUS talked me through enabling that TMP. When we got to the Secure Boot he had me check the volumes on the hard drive. My Partition Style is MBR and he said that had to be converted to GPT.

The reason you cannot enable Secure Boot is because you can't disable CSM (Compatibility Support Module). The reason you can't disable CSM is because you are in effect running in "legacy mode" by using a MBR partition. While it's true you can run a MBR partition in a "UEFI" BIOS, it also requires CSM be on. To the BIOS... why disable CSM if you need legacy mode?

Switch From Legacy MBR Disk to GPT Disk With Windows 10 - Windows drivers

Provides guidance to enable a seamless upgrade and enable the user to leverage new and improved security features of Windows 10.

docs.microsoft.com

Note configurations 1, 3 & 4

This is why the tech person suggested you move from MBR to GPT....

HDL said:
A technician at ASUS talked me through enabling that TMP. When we got to the Secure Boot he had me check the volumes on the hard drive. My Partition Style is MBR and he said that had to be converted to GPT.

The bottom line is if you want to enable Secure Boot, you'll need to disable CSM. To disable CSM, you'll have to have GPT partitions.

HDL said:
When I questioned him again, again telling him I had an OFF status for the Secure Boot and wanted to turn it on he came back with this sequence:
Go back to BOOT > Launch CSM > select [Disabled]
Press F10 to save and exit then reset.

Does the above instructions make any sense to anyone here and would you try it?

In answering the question.... yes, what the tech told is about right. I say about right (not clear on "exit and then reset") as I'm only going by what you posted.

That said, be aware not all BIOS are the same, or have the same layout. Also be aware that some of the BIOS advice given here may NOT apply to your particular BIOS, even if one has the same board. Example the BIOS shown in my owner's manual is not the current BIOS I have for my board as Gigabyte completely changed the layout with a BIOS update a few updates back.

As to this...

HDL said:
Just curious, could the reason that the Secure Boot is of be because I asked for and had this computer set up to run like my Windows 10 computers? Start11 is a;so installed on it because I wanted everything to be the same or as close to the same as possible to my Win 10 machines.

First, I want to say you initially left a lot of info out in your first post that would have been helpful from the beginning... you had the PC built a specific way. You're running MBR partitions.

That said, if you "asked" your PC person to set your system up like a previous one, it's very possible they left Secure-Boot alone (off). Also, "if" they used the drives from your previous system, and they were MBR then, well as noted, Secure Boot wasn't possible. Again, why the left Secure Boot off. If they built the machine for you as you say, why not ask them to reconfigure it to allow Secure Boot, instead of calling Asus?

To be honest, and based on your skill level shown here, if possible, just ask those who built the PC to reconfigure for Secure Boot. What you want requires some advanced skills get Secure Boot enabled. If you've already got Windows 11 installed and there are no issues, why do you need Secure Boot? And are you up for doing what it takes to get there?

If you do decide to tackle it, I'd HIGHLY recommend you backup before doing anything.... even if you decide to let someone else do it.

Rant for others.... this is why it is incumbent to ask a lot of questions when trying to troubleshoot certain issue and why we should insist on the info we ask for before proceeding. Here it would have been extremely helpful upfront to know that the PC is question had a MBR partition instead of GPT. And that the OP had someone build this to has wishes with based on a Windows 10 build. It's also equally important an OP provides as detailed info as possible, and to provide any required info asked for.

My two cents.

HDL · Jun 13, 2022

siliconbeaver said:
Are you installing 21H2 (ISO from Microsoft web)
or newer version? (non-Microsoft web)

For 21H2 install, there is an easy method (A reason I no need to know CSM UEFI TMP, , , too easy. Just run an open source script. you can compile it yourself if you please. but also no need)

No I already have Win 10 21H2 installed. I am trying to make that machine compliable with Win 11. I am not following what the rest of your post is about, sorry. Thanks for the reply though.