This post is a how-to on installing 2008 R2 on UEFI systems using GPT disk as this isn't documented anywhere correctly when using MDT 2010 with Update 1. How-to install 2008 R2 on UEFI systems using MBR disk will be posted at the end which will be a copy
and paste of someone else's workaround.
Before following the How-To's below, ensure that both of these KB articles have been followed first!
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/975535/
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/979374
How-To Install 2008 R2 on UEFI systems using GPT disk:
To install Windows Server 2008 R2 with the use of GPT disks on servers which have a UEFI, you must complete the following:
- Within the MDT task sequence, you must disable the step “Format and Partition Disk” under Preinstall>New Computer Only container.
- Within the MDT task sequence, you must configure the operating system to install to DISK 0 PARTITION 2 under the “Install Operating System” step which is located under the Install container.
- Within the UNATTEND.xml file, you must remove the “InstallTo” object completely. This is located under the 1 windowsPE>Microsoft-Windows-Setup_neutral>ImageInstall>OSImage container.
- Within the UNATTEND.xml file, you must configure the “InstallToAvailableParition” property to “TRUE”. This setting is located in the 1 windowsPE>Microsoft-Windows-Setup_neutral>ImageInstall>OSImage
container.
- Next we need to create a text file which will store the parameters required for DISKPART to create our partition structure on DISK 0 for us, you can use the below as a sample to create a single full
logical C:\ drive.
select disk 0
clean
convert gpt
create partition efi size=200
format quick fs=fat32 label="EFI"
create partition msr size=128
create partition primary
format quick fs=ntfs label="SYSTEM"
assign letter=C noerr
- Next we need to include this text file into your Windows PE image; you can use MDT to achieve this.
- Within the MDT task sequence, we need to add a “Run Command Line” step to your task and populate it with the following:
Command Line:
Diskpart /s <x:\filename.txt>
Start in:
x:\Windows\System32
To keep the same flow of deployment steps, you can place this task right above or below the “Format and Partition Disk” task that we disabled earlier.
- Once the above is completed, ensure to update the deployment share and use the newly modified WinPE image to boot up the UEFI enabled servers and then start your Task Sequence and everything should
work correctly now.
How-To Install 2008 R2 on UEFI systems using MBR DISK:
Essentially you need to boot your UEFI system using "Legacy Mode" and there are also reports of Disabling "Legacy Thunk" to get it to work as well in combination.
On our IBM x3650 M2 we completed both steps and we were able to install 2008 R2 on UEFI systems using MBR disks.