Windows 10: Hard Drive needs to be GPT and MBR at the same time.

Recently I tried to install Linux ubuntu alongside with windows 10 but I failed . it had an error related to it’s boot and missing files. Then I gave up and tried to uninstall ubuntu ( it’s remaining corrupted files ) and use my windows 10 as usual but it didn’t work. My pc didn’t recognize any bootable drive. Now im trying to reinstall windows. I deleted the old windows partition and recreated it. For first time when I tried to install windows again I got this error “ Windows cannot be installed to this disk. the selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI system, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks ” error.

I converted my hard drive to GPT and tried again and strangely I got “ windows cannot be installed to this disk. the selected disk is of the GPT partition style “. After this I converted my HDD 3-4 times back and forward between GPT and MBR and every time I get the error that says I need to be the other kind of HDD to continue .

:)

 

Mechanical Hard Drive A:\

Proceed with the steps I gave you to test the hard drive to know for sure it's condition.

If it passes wipe it and try formatting as suggested. If it fails initializing as MBR then try GPT (for data).

 

clone MBR HD to bootable GPT partition?

Hi,

1. You cannot convert mbr to gpt without data loss. otherwise, you can follow directions here:

FROM WINDOWS RECOVERY CONSOLE:

To change a master boot record disk into a GUID partition table disk using a command line

• 
  Back up or move the data on the basic master boot record (MBR) disk you want to convert into a GUID partition table (GPT) disk.
  
• 
  Open an elevated command prompt (right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as Administrator) and type diskpart. If the disk does not contain any partitions or volumes, skip to step 6.
  
• 
  At the DISKPART prompt, type list disk. Make note of the disk number you want to convert.
  
• 
  At the DISKPART prompt, type select disk <disknumber>.
  
• 
  At the DISKPART prompt, type clean.
  

2. I'd suggest converting your vista drive to a virtual machine, load that up on your windows 10 system and use a program like virtualbox to run it.

 

Convert GPT to MBR

if you cant do it using Disk Manager, Try DISKPART in command prompt.

otherwise you will need to find a 3rd party format/paritition program, google around for one.



the only way to go from GPT to MBR is to remove all volumes / parititions from the drive.





EDIT, im farily certain that only XP PRO can read GPT drives, HOME edition cant.
Vista premium and Win 7 can both read GPT drives i think.... i know for sure that the ultimate editions can.