What is needed to switch a laptop from Legacy to UEFI boot?


CharlieDog

CharlieDog

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Windows 11 Home Version 23H2
I looked through the tutorials, and I thought there was one on what is needed-software-sorry if I missed it. I have an older Lenovo Thinkpad that in the end will probably not be able to run Windows 11, but I guess I would like to try to switch it from Legacy to UEFI. When I've tried to do it in the past, the screen goes straight into the BIOS at startup and will not go any further. TIA
 
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Windows 10 home Version 21H1 with all updates

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home Version 23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell OptiPlex 5060
    CPU
    Core i7-8700
    Memory
    32 GB DDR4-2666
    Graphics Card(s)
    Zotac GeForce GTX 750 ti
    Hard Drives
    Silicon Power UD90 M.2 NVMe 1TB
    Mouse
    Several Logitech mice
    Internet Speed
    1 GB/S
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Home Version 22H2 Build 222621.963
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Laptop14-cf1020od
    CPU
    i3-8145U
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2666
    Hard Drives
    WD Blue 250 GB M.2 SATA SSD

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Pro 26100.2605
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Alienware Aurora R16
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 14900F (24 -Core, 68 MB Total Cache)
    Motherboard
    Dell Alienware
    Memory
    32GB DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    RTX 4080 Super
    Sound Card
    Intel but not working
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Corsair
    Screen Resolution
    2560 X 1440
    Hard Drives
    1-2TB Samsung 990 Pro PCIe NVMe M2 SSD
    1-4TB Samsung 990 Pro PCIe NVMe M2 SSD
    PSU
    1000 Watt Platinum Dell
    Case
    Alieware
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    1000Gb's Down-20 Up
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    Very Quiet And Fast
    CyberPower UPS CP1500PFCLCD
  • Operating System
    Optimum 11 24H2 Build 26100.2454
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    IBuypower
    CPU
    Intel Core i3 1315u
    Motherboard
    ASRock
    Memory
    32GB DDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    PNY RTX 4017
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 2419HGCF
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    Kingston 2TB SNV2S20006 PCIe 4.0 M.2.2280
    SAMSUNG 980 PRO SSD 2TB, PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280
    PSU
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    Case
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    Mouse
    IBP
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    IBP
    Internet Speed
    1GB
    Browser
    Firefox 133.0
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    Noisy but fast
CharlieDog said:
I have an older Lenovo Thinkpad that in the end will probably not be able to run Windows 11, but I guess I would like to try to switch it from Legacy to UEFI. When I've tried to do it in the past, the screen goes straight into the BIOS at startup and will not go any further
Click to expand...
If it has an Intel processor that's 7th generation or older then it's not supported for Window 11. Likewise, if it has TPM 1.2 it's not supported either, TPM 2.0 is required. The PC Health Check app can tell you if it's able to run W11.

www.elevenforum.com

See if PC meets Requirements for Windows 11 with PC Health Check app

This tutorial will show you how to use the PC Health Check app to see if your current PC meets the requirements to run Windows 11. Windows 11 has all the power and security of Windows 10 with a redesigned and refreshed look. It also comes with new tools, sounds, and apps. Every detail has been...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com

You cannot just switch the boot mode of the bios from Legacy to UEFI, you also need to convert the formatting of your hard drive from MBR to GPT and create an EFI partition otherwise it cannot boot. To do this conversion without data loss is not a trivial task. It can be done, but if your Thinkpad isn't able to run W11 it's probably not worth the bother.

www.tenforums.com

Convert Windows 10 from Legacy BIOS to UEFI without Data Loss

How to Convert Windows 10 from Legacy BIOS to UEFI without Data Loss
www.tenforums.com www.tenforums.com

Edit: If you are talking about the Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB in your specs, then from what I can make out it may meet the minimum W11 requirements. The only thing I'm not sure of is the TPM.
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, and 24H2 on 3rd October through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, Canary, and Release Preview builds as a native boot .vhdx.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package. In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media. Also running Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, Canary, and Release Preview builds as a native boot .vhdx.
Thanks for the replies. It sounds like it might be worth doing even if the laptop doesn't update to Windows 11-as long as the computer is capable of handling it.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home Version 23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell OptiPlex 5060
    CPU
    Core i7-8700
    Memory
    32 GB DDR4-2666
    Graphics Card(s)
    Zotac GeForce GTX 750 ti
    Hard Drives
    Silicon Power UD90 M.2 NVMe 1TB
    Mouse
    Several Logitech mice
    Internet Speed
    1 GB/S
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Home Version 22H2 Build 222621.963
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Laptop14-cf1020od
    CPU
    i3-8145U
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2666
    Hard Drives
    WD Blue 250 GB M.2 SATA SSD
CharlieDog said:
It sounds like it might be worth doing even if the laptop doesn't update to Windows 11-as long as the computer is capable of handling it.
Click to expand...
As long as it has a UEFI bios then it's capable. Once booted into Windows there seems to be no difference in performance, whether it has a Legacy/MBR or a UEFI/GPT install.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, and 24H2 on 3rd October through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, Canary, and Release Preview builds as a native boot .vhdx.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package. In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media. Also running Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, Canary, and Release Preview builds as a native boot .vhdx.
Thanks for the replies, but the laptop I'm referencing is a ThinkPad W540 with a Core i7-4800MQ CPU, a backup/traveling machine, not my daily driver. The IdeaPad 330-17IKB passes the requirements for W11. I did see an article claiming (Microsoft?) UEFI will boot quicker than Legacy, so I was going to see if I could try it.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home Version 23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell OptiPlex 5060
    CPU
    Core i7-8700
    Memory
    32 GB DDR4-2666
    Graphics Card(s)
    Zotac GeForce GTX 750 ti
    Hard Drives
    Silicon Power UD90 M.2 NVMe 1TB
    Mouse
    Several Logitech mice
    Internet Speed
    1 GB/S
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Home Version 22H2 Build 222621.963
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Laptop14-cf1020od
    CPU
    i3-8145U
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2666
    Hard Drives
    WD Blue 250 GB M.2 SATA SSD
CharlieDog said:
I did see an article claiming (Microsoft?) UEFI will boot quicker than Legacy, so I was going to see if I could try it.
Click to expand...
UEFI may shave a couple of second off the boot times, according to this test....
unix.stackexchange.com

How much speed difference for a tweaked bios versus uefi boot?

EFI can be faster, but that's not certain. The biggest speed difference is in hardware initialization early in the process. On my systems, this is a fraction of the total boot time, so a reduct...
unix.stackexchange.com unix.stackexchange.com

Once booted to Windows there should be no measurable difference, as far as I can see.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, and 24H2 on 3rd October through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, Canary, and Release Preview builds as a native boot .vhdx.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package. In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media. Also running Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, Canary, and Release Preview builds as a native boot .vhdx.
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