UEFI Windows 8

[Ganthos]

I love technology so I don't know how I just discovered this. I installed Windows 8 without ever knowing about EFI mode. Is there any distinct advantages to having it. Also since I already installed my OS. Is there anyway to activate the new Bios mode without losing my computer settings. Like with after format restore with an image?

[GoodBytes]

Windows 8 is the first Windows to fully support UEFI. While Windows 7/Vista only allowed you to boot the OS from one, Windows 8 really takes advantage of it.

I am afraid you can't magically switch from BIOS mode to UEFI. You need to do a full format and re-install Windows. Why? Because the partition structure is different, and needs to format your HDD/SSD to GPT and not not the classic BIOS MBR mode. Also Windows 8 needs to be reconfigured for expecting a computer with UEFI. If you enable UEFI right now, you motherboard will notice that the UEFI is not supported by the OS, and will emulate the BIOS. So at worst, you'll get a slower starting computer, at best, same speed and you won't notice a thing.

So why UEFI?

-> UEFI allows the the motherboard to detect all your hardware simultaneously, and support the ability to get all the information from the hardware, and understand it. While with the BIOS, it had to go hardware by hardware, detect their specs as the BIOS doesn't support the ability to get the info from the hardware, and take as facts.

-> UEFI support direct communication with the supported OS. This allows UEFI to take what it detected, and give all that info to the OS, Windows in your case. Once it receives that info Windows goes: "Ah perfect! Let me load the needed drivers." With the BIOS, such communication doesn't exists. So when your start your computer, the BIOS detects all your hardware, than starts Windows (or whatever OS), then Windows goes: "Well.. I know nothing about your computer.... Let's re do the work of the BIOS all over again!" (pretty much). As sad as it sounds, 'cause that is just purely stupid design, it goes show how aged old the BIOS is.

So the above gives you, assuming that your motherboard actually fully support UEFI, and doesn't use a hybrid EFI system: Faster boot time.

How fast? "Instant boot":

NOTE: In order to enjoy instant boot, you need to have your graphic card set to support GOP. If not. You'll get what you are getting now when you power from cold boot, which is where you wait several seconds and nothing happens, than the BIOS kicks in. This wait time is the GPU booting. GOP allows the GPU to know it's specs and just feed the info to the UEFI.

All the above youTube videos are using Intel integrated graphic solution which support GOP already.

Q: I just got a new GPU, brand new, latest model, does it support GOP?

A: No it does not. If the GPU support GOP, is will NO LONGER be able to boot on a normal BIOS. The only reason why it works on Intel GPU's, is because the CPU knows which mode you are running (UEFI or BIOS), and switches to enable or disable GOP. The dedicate graphic card does not. Perhaps future graphic card will have a jumper or switch to allow you to switch modes... but that is unknown.

Q: So how to get the graphic card GOP ready?

A: You need to contact the graphic card manufacture tech support, and send them your GPU firmware extracted from the card, and they will update it to GOP ready and send it to you back, for you to manually update the firmware. Please note, that depending on the model of your graphic card and the manufacture, even if it's reference design, the manufacture might have not provided with a firmware chip that allows to be upgraded, OR does not have enough space to support GOP.

Other features, is that the UEFI can without an OS, access your hardware with basic built-in drivers. So for example, within UEFI setup screen, you can do a an update. It will connect to the web, and connect to the manufacture website and download and install the latest UEFI, if it support that features.

Also, it support secure boot, which requires a digital signature to allow the system to only be able to boot. This security system blocks rootkit level attacks, which is a malware/virus, which when run, changes the boot system, to make it boot first itself, and then Windows. Like this when you reboot your computer, it can effect your Windows and break it. Or worse. it can set itself to "supervisor" mode with the CPU (that means it tell the CPU that he is a OS, and the CPU will deactivate all security system for it, in order to function as an OS), And now it has complete 100% control of your system, and can prevent any anti-virus or anti-malware to detected that your system was compromised. In order words, you'll NEVER know that your system got compromise, and it can even do stuff like hide processes from Windows... like key loggers, and such, so you can't even do any detective work to see if you are infected. Very scary indeed. Luckily, to my knowledge, this exploit is not widely used, as it's fairly complicated to make, and very time consuming. But it's nice to have such security system. Here is a nice video on it:

Another advantage is to support the ability to boot on HDD with a partition bigger than 2TB.

And finally, it support graphical user interface for it's setup configuration and higher resolution for it to be more enjoyable to use.

Disadvantages

-> Some OEM, locks the Secure boot feature option, AND, hardcode the support signature to a specific OS. So basically, if it comes with Windows 8... you are stuck with Windows 8.. no Windows 9... no Windows 10, no Linux.... you are stuck with that OS. Lenovo is guilty of this, of only supporting Windows 8 or Linux RedHat.

Samsung is worse, not only they hard coded this on their laptop, but their piss poor implementation of UEFI, made it that once you try to put any other OS beside the one that came with your laptop, the laptop turns into a brick, with 0 way to recover.. like you can't even put back Windows 8. It's brick for ever and ever. The UEFI chip is not replaceable. So you have to send it for them to replace the entire board.. and as laptops these days has everything soldered in... it will be almost the price of a new laptop, especially after service cost. Warranty doesn't cover this, as it's "software issue". In other words, don't buy Samsung.

And then Samsung complains why no one buys their way overpriced laptop and tablets (their tablets made of cheap build, but really cheap plastic, sucky specs, cost more than the Surface RT and Pro for both versions...).

[Ganthos]

This is the best thing I have ever recieved as an answere. Now my question is. If I reformat my computer under UEFI would I be able to restore from a Back Up Image that was used on the old bios?

[ha1o2surfer]

You will have to switch your BIOS back to the old BIOS mode to in order to boot up OSes that were not set up under UEFI.

[GoodBytes]

Sorry, for the delay answer, I was not notified about your replay. Glad you like my answer :D

I spellcheck myself, I noticed I did typos and such. And also fixed the links.

ha1o2surfer is correct. Your image backup is a replicate of you system drive... if you put restore your computer from that image, it will be like if you had UEFI turned on, when Windows was installed for BIOS. So you definitely don't want this. A new image will need to be done.

[Ganthos]

So that makes me curious. If I backup drivers and Files and Reinstall then take my windows 8 id I used to on my old it would bring back my apps? Also does p7p55d pro have UEFI? I searched but no avail.