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Question BSOD after switching BIOS from UEFI to Legacy?

Question BSOD after switching BIOS from UEFI to Legacy?

M
MiLk_My_CoW69
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01-30-2021, 08:21 PM
#1
I relied on a partition manager to switch my BIOS from Legacy to UEFI (MBR to GPT) since I believed it would improve performance and was necessary for upgrading to Windows 11. However, this caused problems with shutdowns and sleep mode. I reverted back to Legacy (GPT to MBR) using the same partition manager, but I wasn’t aware that a simple reversal wouldn’t work as before. After restarting, I encountered a BSOD stating "Your PC needs to be repaired" and received error code 0xc000000e, indicating the missing file "\windows\system32\winload.efi".

I was presented with three options: press Enter to retry, press F8 for Startup Settings, or press ESC for UEFI Firmware Settings. I chose to press ESC to access BIOS settings, hoping changing it from "UEFI" to "LEGACY+UEFI" would resolve the issue. Unfortunately, this action made the process significantly more difficult, as I could no longer enter BIOS at all. When I power on my PC now, I’m unable to even reach BIOS settings, regardless of whether I press Enter, F8, or ESC.

I discovered that placing Windows Installation Media on a USB and booting from it might help with setup and repair, but since I can’t access BIOS anymore, booting from the USB isn’t an option either. I’m considering removing my C drive, which contains the OS, and connecting it to a friend’s motherboard using a partition manager to revert to UEFI, then plugging it back in to try. I’m unsure if this approach will succeed or worsen the situation.

If all else fails, I might consider wiping the drive and reinstalling Windows from scratch, as most of my files are stored elsewhere, though I’d prefer not to do that.
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M
MiLk_My_CoW69
01-30-2021, 08:21 PM #1

I relied on a partition manager to switch my BIOS from Legacy to UEFI (MBR to GPT) since I believed it would improve performance and was necessary for upgrading to Windows 11. However, this caused problems with shutdowns and sleep mode. I reverted back to Legacy (GPT to MBR) using the same partition manager, but I wasn’t aware that a simple reversal wouldn’t work as before. After restarting, I encountered a BSOD stating "Your PC needs to be repaired" and received error code 0xc000000e, indicating the missing file "\windows\system32\winload.efi".

I was presented with three options: press Enter to retry, press F8 for Startup Settings, or press ESC for UEFI Firmware Settings. I chose to press ESC to access BIOS settings, hoping changing it from "UEFI" to "LEGACY+UEFI" would resolve the issue. Unfortunately, this action made the process significantly more difficult, as I could no longer enter BIOS at all. When I power on my PC now, I’m unable to even reach BIOS settings, regardless of whether I press Enter, F8, or ESC.

I discovered that placing Windows Installation Media on a USB and booting from it might help with setup and repair, but since I can’t access BIOS anymore, booting from the USB isn’t an option either. I’m considering removing my C drive, which contains the OS, and connecting it to a friend’s motherboard using a partition manager to revert to UEFI, then plugging it back in to try. I’m unsure if this approach will succeed or worsen the situation.

If all else fails, I might consider wiping the drive and reinstalling Windows from scratch, as most of my files are stored elsewhere, though I’d prefer not to do that.

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lands3
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01-31-2021, 02:40 AM
#2
I utilized a partition manager to switch my BIOS from Legacy to UEFI (MBR to GPT). You might have wanted to back up all essential data before reinstalling the operating system after updating the BIOS to UEFI. If you're using a PC, clearing the CMOS should trigger the BIOS splash screen once the POST process completes.
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lands3
01-31-2021, 02:40 AM #2

I utilized a partition manager to switch my BIOS from Legacy to UEFI (MBR to GPT). You might have wanted to back up all essential data before reinstalling the operating system after updating the BIOS to UEFI. If you're using a PC, clearing the CMOS should trigger the BIOS splash screen once the POST process completes.

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