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I installed Windows 8 on an SSD under legacy with partition MBR. The mobo supports UEFI BIOS. Now I would like to know:

  1. Are there are other kinds of advantages of UEFI apart from having secure boot and fast boot?

  2. It bothers me to reinstall Windows to set UEFI; can I do this without having to reinstall the OS?.

  3. I read also that with GPT, I may have a few problems installing Linux distributions. Is this true?

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    Regarding your last question, per Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GUID_Partition_Table): As of 2010, most current operating systems support GPT. Some, including OS X and Microsoft Windows on x86, only support booting from GPT partitions on systems with EFI firmware, but FreeBSD and most Linux distributions can boot from GPT partitions on systems with either legacy BIOS firmware interface or EFI.
    – fixer1234
    Jan 6, 2015 at 2:00
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    Yes; it's possible to change MBR to GPT without data loss its well documented
    – Ramhound
    Jan 6, 2015 at 2:09
  • @Ramhound i used aomei partition assistant to convert MBR->GPT without losing data. Naturally i went inside bios and i switched to UEFI mode.But why some says that is preferred to do this with a blank disk, so essentially a reinstallation. p.s. (now all works, no problems found).
    – OiRc
    Jan 6, 2015 at 9:57

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I would suggest it is a personal choice, based typically around security.

Speaking as a domestic user, I have never had any serious security problems, since my first use of Windows way back. I ensure that any critical items, such as bank accounts, are secured by other means - certainly not left on an unattended computer. On that premise, I find the UEFI only nuisance value, and my first action when encountered, it is to disable it.

Fast Boot? With modern computers - that would be the majority which have UEFI, , SSD's etc, this is no longer a major consideration. For something which is seldom used (I boot up my main computer once a day) it is not worth a thought. There is also the alternative of a start up from hibernation - just as quick.

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