Converting a legacy bios x86_64 system to UEFI

[benmc]

https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Converting_a ... ed_systems

System is easy to revert to legacy BIOS mode if the BIOS will not accept Mageia as an installed UEFI system.
Change back to legacy in the BIOS, rerun the install the same way, just delete the /boot/EFI partition you just created.

Some notes at the end regarding a Mga8 legacy to UEFI conversion run.

[Germ]

I read your tutorial. Very good work. It's should be a help to some folks.

Thank you.

[benmc]

thanks for moving it.

It seems that some BIOS's do not like non-windows UEFI bootloaders

from $ inxi -Fxxxzr
this one does:

Machine:
Type: Laptop System: ASUSTeK product: K54C v: 1.0 serial: <filter>
Mobo: ASUSTeK model: K54C v: 1.0 serial: <filter>
UEFI: American Megatrends v: K54C.207 date: 04/18/2012

and this one doesnt:

Machine:
Type: Laptop System: ASUSTeK product: U31F v: 1.0
serial: <superuser required>
Mobo: ASUSTeK model: U31F v: 1.0 serial: <superuser required>
BIOS: American Megatrends v: U31F.207 date: 02/23/2011

[sturmvogel]

Your first machine has already an UEFI BIOS whereas your second machine is a legacy BIOS machine. So it makes sense that only the first machine accepts an UEFI bootloader…
If your hard-/software combination does not support UEFI, you can‘t install an OS in UEFI mode…

[benmc]

the machine ASUSTeK model: U31F does have a UEFI switch.
when booting a Live installer, it boots in UEFI mode.

unfortunately, when rebooting after installing, it fails with a grub error.
when using the quick launch key to select an operating system, Mageia is not listed

so, yes the inxi reports as not UEFI, as it only boots Mageia in legacy.

[morgano]

when using the quick launch key to select an operating system, Mageia is not listed

IIRC, On my wife's ASUS laptop I had to go into the "BIOS" settings and tell it to accept the Mageia file it find in the EFI partition.
Maybe same need to be done for your machine?

[filip]

Some UEFI implementations are buggy. Especially on BIOS compatibility level. It might help if you turn off that.