Question New to UEFI - questions re Win10 clean install.

[Jeff H]

I'm getting ready to gut my current system, and build a new one. Components are: Ryzen 5 3600, ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4, 16GB Crucial Ballistix DDR4-3200 (2 x 8GB), RX560 4GB (not a gamer, so current gen vid card not a priority, particularly at this time), WD Blue SN550 1TB NVMe SSD, Antec 650w p.s., Win10 Pro 64 bit. This is my first new build in nearly 10 years, and UEFI is still fuzzy to me, even after watching numerous YouTube videos, and reading quite a few web articles.

Here's my questions. One, with UEFI active, will Win 10 install (via MCT, on USB3 thumb drive) default to GPT on the SSD, or do I need to go to diskpart at the activation screen (Shift + F10), and set the SSD for GPT? Two, am I better off doing the clean install with Rufus, and will that automatically set the SSD to GPT? Three, one of the reasons I purchased this motherboard, is the inclusion of the Nahimic audio enhancement to the ALC1200 audio codec. I've read forums posts on more than a couple manufacturer's websites that Nahimic drivers are problematic. Am I better off not even installing the Nahimic software? Is my better option going with the PCIe Sound Blaster Audigy FX sound card I currently have?

As I said, I'm not a gamer. I do enjoy listening to music via PC, with a Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speaker set up. My understanding is that the current Realtek driver pkg. doesn't even include an equalizer when packaged with the Nahimic software. Brilliant!

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you might have.

Jeff

 

[Iron Woode]

I think win10 should install just fine to which ever drive you choose during the setup phase.

My HTPC uses the Asrock B450 Fatal1ty Gaming ITX/ac MB with the 1220 realtek codec with SB Cinema 5 enhancement. Win10 installed just fine. The sound drove me crazy at first but then I learned to tweak it and now it's very good. I have hardware decoding of all the Dolby types. I use a Logitech z640 speaker setup for 5.1.

Be aware that the realtek control panel is now a free download from MS Store. My drivers from Asrock installed the panel for me and it's found under Apps.

Rufus just puts the ISO of windows on the flash drive. The rest is up to you.

 

[damian101]

The Windows ISO can boot in both UEFI and Legacy BIOS mode. My guess would be that Windows installs in whatever mode you started the ISO in. To make sure the ISO starts in UEFI mode you can just set boot mode to UEFI only in your motherboard's firmware settings.

 

[zir_blazer]

Windows will try to install in the mode you booted it. If you had CSM enabled, it is possible that it booted in BIOS mode. If you had it disabled, it would do so exclusively in UEFI mode.
A major problem is that some ISO writting programs, usually Rufus, does NOT use the capabilities of some ISOs to be able to boot in either mode, they force you to pick one cause they tinker with the Boot Loader. If you use a program that writes the ISO raw to an USB Flash Drive, it will be more universal.

Note that during installation, BIOS mode forces you to format the disk in MBR and UEFI in GPT. If the disk is already partitioned, Windows may complain than the Partition Table type doesn't match the boot mode. You will have to delete the partitions so that UEFI mode Windows install creates a GPT.

 

[Jeff H]

Guys, thanks for your responses. Sounds like the simplest route to go is ensure BIOS is set to UEFI, and use the Media-Creation-Tool-ISO USB to install Windows 10.

 

[Jeff H]

Turns out it was a lot of worrying over nothing. I did a clean Win10 Pro install on new system (see above), using USB 3 thumb drive, and latest Media Creation Tool file. I can say I've never seen Windows load so fast. UEFI and GPT all present.

Over that past couple years I've upgraded three systems (two desktops, one laptop) to SATA III SSD (all Micron MX500), and the results are phenomanal! However, this NVMe drive (WD SN550 1TB) takes SSD performance to a new level. New system is stable w/ XMP 2, with the latest BIOS update from ASRock.

 

[benjemin3]

try to install legacy if you dont want trouble i tried uefi even tough i am legacy user so only uefi users can guide you better but for me try legacy