Windows 10: Cant install Windows 10 because of GPT partition error message

Carl1201 · Dec 13, 2016

Im trying to reinstall windows 10 on my PC but keep getting GPT partition error message. The system won't allow me install and new partition either or reformat one.

:)

yousaf majeed · Dec 13, 2016

GPT disk and windows 10 please help

Hello,

i have a 1tb HDD with 5 partitions (GPT) and fully loaded with my personal data and now i try to install windows 10 on it but i cant .. because of error "windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style" i am unable
to install windows 7, 8,, 8.1 and 10 ... i am not want to delete all partition from diskpart and and also want to install on GPT partition not on MBR ... is there any way to install windows without data loss... ( i also try with Gparted and successfully install
windows 10 but after that my others partitions lost and shows as unallocated ... please help me .

nilakshsing · Dec 13, 2016

can't install win 10 on both gpt and mbr partition

I have a hp laptop which came preinstalled with windows 8.1

so yesterday I was trying to install windows 10 pro 64 bit but an error occurred which said that windows can't be installed on gpt partition style.

therefore using AOMEI partition assistant I converted gpt to mbr partition style.

then again I tried to install windows 10 but this time it shows an error that windows can't be installed on mbr partition style with motherboard supporting EFI or UEFI. It can only be installed on gpt style.

so again I converted mbr to gpt partition and tried to install windows but still it showed the former error.

so now I ask that what should I do to install windows 10 ???

Steve C · Dec 13, 2016

We need to see your full disk map which is hidden in the above photo. Are you doing a clean install?

NavyLCDR · Dec 13, 2016

It looks like you are booting from a DVD? How did you make the Windows DVD?

Select the custom install option, when you get the list of partitions on the hard drive, press Shift +F10. In the command window that opens run:

diskpart
select disk 0
clean
exit
exit

Click refresh on the list of partitions window. You should get disk 0 with only unallocated space. Select the unallocated space and click next to install Windows to it.

NOTE: The clean command above will erase everything on the disk!

fdegrove · Dec 15, 2016

Hi,
@Carl1201:
You're trying to install Windows onto the MSR partition.
Either follow NavyLCDR instructions or run custom install and delete the existing partitions.
Do no create any new ones Windows will take care of all that.

Cheers, *Wink

Avocado · Apr 4, 2018

The UEFI firmware supports two boot modes: UEFI mode and Legacy BIOS mode.

- UEFI mode uses the GUID Partition Table (GPT) partition style.
- Legacy BIOS mode uses the Master Boot Record (MBR) partition style.

On many computers, you can boot from the Windows 10 USB/DVD installation media either in UEFI mode or in Legacy BIOS mode.

Here is an example of the one-time boot menu.

You receive an error message when you try to install Windows 10

If you receive the error message: "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style", it’s because your computer is booted in Legacy BIOS mode, but your hard drive is not configured for Legacy BIOS mode.

You have two options when you get that error message.

Option 1: Boot from the Windows 10 USB/DVD installation media in UEFI mode, so you can use the GPT partition style. This option lets you keep the existing partition style and lets you use the PC’s UEFI firmware features.

Option 2: Delete all partitions on the hard drive, so you can use the MBR partition style. In other words, you convert GPT disk to MBR disk. This option is not recommended because then you will not be able to use the PC’s UEFI firmware features.

If you receive the error message: "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks", it’s because your computer is booted in UEFI mode, but your hard drive is not configured for UEFI mode.

You have two options when you get that error message.

Option 1: Boot from the Windows 10 USB/DVD installation media in Legacy BIOS mode, so you can use the MBR partition style. This option lets you keep the existing partition style. This option is not recommended because then you will not be able to use the PC’s UEFI firmware features.

Option 2: Delete all partitions on the hard drive, so you can use the GPT partition style. In other words, you convert MBR disk to GPT disk. This option lets you use the PC’s UEFI firmware features.

Installing using the GPT or MBR partition style

If you want to use the GPT partition style, you must boot from the Windows 10 USB/DVD installation media in UEFI mode (marked UEFI in the boot menu). If you want to use the MBR partition style, you must boot from the Windows 10 USB/DVD installation media in Legacy BIOS mode (not marked UEFI in the boot menu).

You do not need to delete all partitions if you want to keep the existing partition style (GPT or MBR), but in that case you need to make sure that Windows Setup boots to the correct firmware mode (UEFI or Legacy BIOS).

The "convert gpt" and "convert mbr" commands are useless, if you want to change the partition style (GPT or MBR). Boot from the Windows 10 USB/DVD installation media either in UEFI mode or in Legacy BIOS mode. After that, on the "Where do you want to install Windows?" screen delete all partitions on the hard drive until it's unallocated. Installing to the unallocated space and letting Windows Setup create the partition style and partitions works with both UEFI mode and Legacy BIOS mode.

On a GPT disk, Windows Setup will create a Recovery partition, an EFI system partition, a Microsoft Reserved partition (won't show in Disk Management) and a primary Windows partition. On an MBR disk, Windows Setup will create a System Reserved partition and a primary Windows partition.

Source: Microsoft

Windows Setup: Installing using the GPT or MBR partition style

Many PCs now include the ability to use the UEFI version of BIOS, which can speed up boot and shutdown times and can provide additional security advantages. To boot your PC in UEFI mode, you'll need to use a drive formatted using the GPT drive format.

Many PCs are ready to use UEFI, but include a compatibility support module (CSM) that is set up to use the legacy version of BIOS. This version of BIOS was developed in the 1970s and provides compatibility to a variety of older equipment and network configurations, and requires a drive that uses the MBR drive format.

However, the basic MBR drive format does not support drives over 4TB. It's also difficult to set up more than four partitions. The GPT drive format lets you set up drives that are larger than 4 terabytes (TB), and lets you easily set up as many partitions as you need.

Boot to UEFI mode or Legacy BIOS mode

Boot into UEFI mode or legacy BIOS-compatibility mode when installing Windows from your USB, DVD, or network location.

If you install Windows using the wrong mode, you won’t be able to use the features of that firmware mode without reformatting the drive.

Select the firmware mode during bootup.

1. Boot the PC. As the firmware starts to run, press the key that opens the boot device menu. For example, press the Esc, F2, F8, F9, F12, or other key to enter the firmware or boot menus.

2. On the boot device menu, select the command that identifies both the firmware mode and the device. For example, select UEFI USB Drive or Network - BIOS.

Note You might see separate commands for the same device. For example, you might see UEFI USB Drive and BIOS USB Drive. Each command uses the same device and media, but boots the PC in a different firmware mode.
Click to expand...

How to check that you are using either UEFI mode or Legacy BIOS mode

If the entire hard drive not show as unallocated space, then delete all partitions on the hard drive until it's unallocated. Select a partition and click on the "Delete" option for each partition.

After that, select the "New" and "Apply" buttons.

How to check that your Windows 10 USB flash drive works with UEFI mode

If your Windows 10 USB flash drive is formatted as FAT32 file system, then it should be bootable in UEFI mode.

When you boot from the USB flash drive, UEFI mode starts the boot process either from the "\efi\boot\bootx64.efi" file or from the "\efi\boot\bootia32.efi" file. There are only a few computer systems that have the 32-bit UEFI firmware and in that case you must use a 32-bit version of the Windows 10 USB flash drive.

How to create a bootable USB flash drive to install Windows 10

USB Flash Drive - Create to Install Windows 10

OPTION ONE: Use Media Creation Tool to create Bootable Windows 10 USB for Legacy BIOS and UEFI

Note: Media Creation Tool creates a USB flash drive that works with both UEFI mode and Legacy BIOS mode.

OPTION TWO: Use "Rufus" to create Bootable Window 10 USB for Legacy BIOS and UEFI

Note: Rufus is unable to create a USB flash drive that can be booted in both UEFI mode and Legacy BIOS mode.

How to create a bootable USB flash drive from the Windows 10 ISO image file, that works with both UEFI mode and Legacy BIOS mode

- Connect your USB flash drive.
- Open a command prompt as administrator and type (or copy and paste) the following commands.

diskpart
list disk (make note of the USB flash drive disk number)
select disk # (where # is the USB flash drive disk number)
clean
create partition primary
format quick fs=fat32
active
exit

- Right-click the Windows 10 ISO image file and choose "Mount". If you don’t see mount command from the context menu, go to "Open with" > "Windows Explorer" instead.
- Copy the files and folders from the mounted Windows 10 ISO image file to the USB flash drive.

How to create a bootable USB flash drive from the Windows 10 ISO image file, that only works with UEFI mode

UEFI mode do not require a partition to be set as active.

- Connect your USB flash drive.
- Format the USB flash drive to FAT32 file system (see screenshot below). The default "Allocation unit size" setting is automatically detected, so do not change the setting.
- Right-click the Windows 10 ISO image file and choose "Mount". If you don’t see mount command from the context menu, go to "Open with" > "Windows Explorer" instead.
- Copy the files and folders from the mounted Windows 10 ISO image file to the USB flash drive.

Windows support for large-capacity disks as non-booting data volumes

Look at post #5 in this thread: I want to convert drive 4 to gpt

How to fix the Windows 10 bootloader

Look at post #24 in this thread: How do I restore w10 bootloader? dual boot with ubuntu on separate hdd