Article ID: kb00297Last Modified: 07-Jan-2025

System Restored Using UEFI or Legacy Boot Modes (codes 2056, 2057)

Situation

A bare metal restore plan finishes with one of the information messages: System restored using UEFI boot mode (code 2056) or System restored using Legacy boot mode (code 2057)

Cause

During bare metal restore one of the following warnings was received:

  • To ensure compatibility of the restored system, change the boot mode in the BIOS to UEFI. Click Yes to change the boot mode now. Click No to change it later.
  • To ensure compatibility of the restored system, change the boot mode in the BIOS to Legacy. Click Yes to change the boot mode now. Click No to change it later.

These warnings indicated that the boot mode of the restored system did not match the boot mode of the restore media. Received information messages inform you what boot mode is used for restored system.

Solutions

Solution 1. Phisical machine

We recommend updating the boot mode in the system BIOS to ensure compatibility and a successful restore. The procedure depends on your environment. To Update boot mode in the System BIOS

  1. Access the System BIOS/UEFI
    • Restart the physical machine.
    • During startup, press the key to access the BIOS/UEFI settings (e.g., F2, Del, F10, or as indicated by your system manufacturer).
    • Enter the BIOS or UEFI firmware interface.
  2. Locate Boot Mode Settings
    • Navigate to the Boot or Advanced Settings section.
    • Look for the option labeled Boot Mode, Boot Firmware, or similar.
  3. Select the Desired Boot Mode
    • UEFI Mode: Required for modern operating systems and features like Secure Boot.
    • Legacy BIOS Mode: Required for older operating systems or environments not compatible with UEFI.
    • Switch to the mode that aligns with your system requirements and restore process.
  4. Save Changes and Exit
    • Save the changes (often by pressing F10) and exit the BIOS/UEFI settings. The system will reboot with the updated boot mode.

Important Notes

  • Data Integrity: Ensure that the disk partitioning scheme matches the selected boot mode:
    • UEFI requires GPT-partitioned disks.
    • BIOS/Legacy requires MBR-partitioned disks.
  • Manufacturer-Specific Instructions: Refer to your hardware documentation or manufacturer’s support site for detailed steps, as BIOS/UEFI interfaces vary between vendors.

Refer to the following Microsoft article for details.

Solution 2. VMware virtual machine

Changing the boot mode of a VMware virtual machine involves modifying the firmware settings in the VM's configuration. VMware supports two boot modes: BIOS (Legacy) and UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). To change the boot mode:

  1. Power off the virtual machine
    • Open VMware Workstation, Player, or vSphere Client.
    • Ensure the virtual machine is completely powered off, not in a suspended state.
  2. Access VM settings
    • Right-click on the virtual machine in the inventory or list.
    • Select Edit Settings or Settings.
  3. Change boot firmware
    • Look for a tab or section labeled Options or VM Options.
    • Locate Boot Options or Firmware settings.
    • Select the desired boot mode:
      • BIOS for legacy firmware.
      • UEFI for modern firmware (required for Secure Boot).
  4. Enable Secure Boot (Optional)
    • If you selected UEFI and want to enable Secure Boot:
      • Select the Enable Secure Boot checkbox in the firmware settings (if supported by the VM).
  5. Save settings
    • Apply or save the changes to the VM configuration.
  6. Verify Boot Mode
    • Power on the virtual machine.
    • Access the firmware settings during boot (e.g., by pressing F2 for BIOS or accessing the UEFI interface).
    • Confirm that the VM is using the selected boot mode.

Notes and Considerations

  • Operating System Compatibility: Ensure the operating system supports the selected boot mode. For example, modern OSes like Windows 10/11 and most Linux distributions support UEFI, but older systems may require BIOS.
  • Disk Partitioning: UEFI typically requires a GPT-partitioned disk, whereas BIOS uses MBR. Switching boot modes might require reconfiguring the virtual disk.
  • Secure Boot: Secure Boot is only available with UEFI and enhances security by allowing only signed OS loaders.
  • Snapshots and Backups: Before changing the boot mode, take a snapshot or backup of the VM to prevent data loss in case of issues.

Hyper-V Virtual Machine

Hyper-V supports two types of firmware for virtual machines:

  • Generation 1 VM: Uses BIOS firmware.
  • Generation 2 VM: Uses UEFI firmware.

The firmware type is determined when you create the virtual machine, and it cannot be changed after the VM is created. If you need to switch from BIOS to UEFI or vice versa, you must create a new virtual machine with the desired generation and migrate the data.

How to set boot firmware in Hyper-V:

  1. Check VM generation
    • Open Hyper-V Manager.
    • Right-click on the virtual machine and select Settings.
    • Look for the Firmware or Security section in the settings:
      • If it exists, the VM is Generation 2 (UEFI).
      • If not, the VM is Generation 1 (BIOS).
  2. Create a New VM for a different firmware, a described below.

Create New Hyper-V Virtual Machine

To change the boot firmware, you must create a new VM with the desired generation.

  1. Export Existing VM Data (Optional): If you want to migrate the current VM's data:
    • Shut down the VM.
    • Export the virtual machine (right-click the VM > Export).
  2. Create a New VM:
    • In Hyper-V Manager, click New > Virtual Machine.
    • Choose the desired generation and follow the wizard to configure the VM.
      • Generation 1: BIOS
      • Generation 2: UEFI
  3. Migrate Data to the New VM:
    • Attach the virtual hard disk (VHD or VHDX) from the old VM to the new one.
    • If the disk partitioning is incompatible (e.g., MBR for UEFI), you may need to convert the disk:
      • Convert MBR to GPT (for UEFI): Use tools like mbr2gpt in Windows or equivalent Linux tools.
  4. Reconfigure Boot Options:
    • Access the VM's settings and ensure the boot order is correct.
    • For Generation 2 VMs, you can enable Secure Boot in the Security tab.

Limitations

  • Changing the boot firmware directly is not supported. You must recreate the VM.
  • Ensure compatibility with the operating system when choosing the firmware type:
    • UEFI (Generation 2) is required for features like Secure Boot and modern OS installations.
    • BIOS (Generation 1) is suitable for older OSes that don't support UEFI.
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