It is no secret that sometimes when installing Windows 7 on modern computers or laptops, at the stage of selecting a partition, the installer gives an error message stating that installation to the selected partition is impossible because it has the GPT style. Many users are quite puzzled by this situation. And the question immediately arises of how to change the style of GPT partitions so that the system is installed as expected. To do this, you can use three options, which will be discussed below in as much detail as possible.
Windows 7 installation does not recognize: what is the reason?
Without going into technical details, it is worth saying that when installing an OS rank higher than seventh on hard drives with a capacity of more than 2 TB and a primary UEFI input/output system, it is not recommended to change partition styles.
And for Windows 7, the installation does not recognize the GPT partition style, since it can only work with the MBR (boot record) style. But here you will have to think about where to install the system. It is not recommended to change GPT with a volume of more than 2 TB, since after the conversion only the space that does not exceed this limit will be recognized, and everything else will remain unused. Therefore, it is better to choose another section.
On the other hand, the problem occurs specifically with UEFI if the computer does not have an outdated BIOS. In this case, regardless of the volume, the system partition can be assigned the GPT style.
How to change the style of GPT partitions using the OS installer?
But how then can you change the style to install Windows 7? In the simplest case, you can use the tools of the system installer itself.
How to change GPT partition style? It's simple. If suddenly a message appears about the impossibility of installation, you must first select the desired partition from the list (usually the zero disk with the first partition) and click the disk settings button at the bottom.
Next, a window will appear with a complete list of partitions contained on the disk. The essence of the issue is to combine them at the first stage. To do this, you simply need to delete all partitions except the one reserved by the system.
After this, unallocated space will appear in the list of partitions. Click the continue installation button, after which the installer will choose which style the partition needs to be converted to, perform all the necessary actions automatically and continue the installation process.
Conversion via command line on a running system
Now let's look at the question of how to change the style of GPT partitions through the command console in an OS of a higher rank than the seventh, if that is what you need to install in the future. Using the command console is the best solution, since even the disk administration system does not always allow such operations to be performed correctly.
So, first we launch the console as an administrator, which uses the DISKPART tool, and first of all we enter the list disk command, after which a list of all available partitions will be displayed on the screen. A GPT partition can be recognized not even by its size, but by the presence of an asterisk on the right opposite the description.
The next step is to clean the partition, which is done by entering the clean command (this is necessary so that the conversion to MBR takes place without errors).
Upon completion of the cleanup operation, you can convert the style of the selected section, which is done through the convert mbr line.
The next step is to create a boot partition and associate it with the system by sequentially entering the command create partition primary and assign (you can also add formatting, but in most cases this is not necessary for subsequent installation of the system).
Upon completion of all processes, exit by entering the exit command. All. Now you can restart your computer or laptop and install the desired operating system from any removable media.
Using third party utilities
Finally, a few words about how to change the style of GPT partitions using third-party disk utilities, of which quite a lot have been developed today.
One of the simplest and most convenient is the Minitool Partition Wizard program, the interface of which almost completely replicates the appearance of the Windows disk administration window, but differs in its tools. Actually, its use is to select the desired partition and call the conversion command through the RMB menu. After this, all that remains is to follow the instructions and agree to the proposals for changes.
Please note that it is not possible to use this program on a loaded system (the OS simply will not allow such conversions to be made). But since the utility itself has its own bootloader, you must first write it to removable media, making it bootable (for example, using UltraISO or Daemon Tools), set the device as the first one to boot, start from it, and only then perform all the above steps.
Which tool should I use?
That's all for the question of how to change the style of GPT partitions. Which of all this should you prefer? For the laziest, of course, the above utility or actions at the system installation stage are suitable. But here it should be taken into account that the conversion in both cases may be carried out somewhat incorrectly due to some features of the Windows installer and the program engine. But the command line is guaranteed to change the style without causing errors. So it is better to give preference to this particular technique, although many may find it more complex and time-consuming to implement.
Until Windows 8 appeared, computers used hard drive partitioning - MBR. Therefore, if instead of the installed 8 you try to install an older version of Windows, it will doesn't recognize new GPT interface. Therefore, a message will simply appear stating that Windows cannot be installed on this disk.
What does the error look like?
Older operating systems work with the MBR. This is a special program code and the necessary information that is needed to start the system. They are located in first marked sector of the hard drive. AND starts MBR after checking the bioses of all PC components. The main function of the MBR is to find the files needed to run Windows.
GPT– a new type of format for placing tables on a hard drive. All because Intel decided give upBIOS and proposed a new interface - EFI, and the new format is part of it.
Installing Windows on a GPT partition
It is better to eliminate all the difficulties associated with installing the system on a HDD with existing GPT partitions using the data recommendations:
- Use 64 bit version of the system.
- UEFI must be in quality boot mode.
Often, the error occurs due to the second point. Namely, its complete ignoring. There is no point in installing a 32-bit system on modern computers. To correct the error, it is advisable to do setting BIOS, or prepare an installation disk with the system so that it supports UEFI.
Setting up BIOS or UEFI
When installing one of the latest versions of Windows, you must check settings UEFI and BIOS. To do this you should clamp Hotkeys.
IN Windows 7 This Esc+F1+F2, depends on who the motherboard manufacturer is. If speak about Windows 8
, then you need to change settings related to system boot (Win+C). 
To enter the settings UEFI in Windows 10 need to:
- Click to the notifications that are in the bottom panel and there we click “ Options”.
- Select “ Updates and Security”.
- Select “ Recovery partitions” - “Special methods of loading and rebooting.”
- After restart system, you need to select advanced and UEFI options.
The BIOS will turn on and you need tune its menu so that the new operating system is automatically installed on GPT disks. To do this change the load interface from CSM to UEFI. 
Next you need change operating mode, select AHCI instead of IDE. The setting is in the section Peripherals or SATA Configuration.
Convert GPT to MBR during installation
If UEFI is missing or cannot be configured, you will have to change styles sections. This is done by means that are already built into the system, or by means of the operating system.
Important terms for those who have an old download interface - there should be nothing on the hard drive, or if there is nothing needed, then it is not necessary to delete it.
To change toMBR required:
- Installing system you will reach the point where you need to select the partition type, you should hold down the hot keys SHIFT+F10.
- Now enter commands like: discpart, then listdisk.
- When will it appear list sections, you should enter select diskX. X is the actual disk with which we perform the conversion.
Now you can delete everything by entering Clean. The last action is to change the style, for this you enter convert mbr.
When the conversion is complete you will need:
- Register final command Exit.
- Close command line window.
- Produce disk partitioning into sections.
- Continue installation of the operating system.
Problems rarely occur, only if the hard drive is damaged.
Nowadays, most laptops and computers are sold with the Windows 8 operating system pre-installed. But not all users like it. Many people uninstall the new operating system and install the familiar Windows 7 instead.
However, during the installation process, the following message appears: “Windows cannot be installed on this drive. The selected disk has a GPT partition style."
The thing is that new computers have hard drives with a GPT partition table, instead of the usual MBR. This is a new standard developed by Intel, which is part of UEFI BIOSa. Unlike the MBR table, which supported drives with a capacity of no more than 2 TB, the GPT partition table supports hard drives with a much larger capacity.
But, despite all the advantages, sometimes you need to install an operating system on a disk with an MBR partition table. Let's look at how you can convert your hard drive from GPT to MBR.
During Windows installation
Delete all partitions
ATTENTION!!! All information stored on the hard drive will be deleted.
During installation of the operating system, in the window where you need to select the partition to install, click on the button "Disk Setup". Then delete everything and create them again. If the volume of your hard drive is less than 2.2 TB, then the new disk will be created with an MBR partition table.
Converting via the command line
This method also involves completely deleting data from all partitions. That is, if you had partitions C:, D:, E:, then the information will be deleted not only from C: on which the system was installed, but also from D: and E:.
In the window where you need to select a partition to install the operating system, press Shift+F10.
A command prompt window will open. We will convert GPT to MBR using a special utility built into Windows. Enter the command diskpart and press “Enter”.
The list disk command will open a list from which you can select the one you need. Please note that if the disk has a GPT partition table, it will have a “*” next to it.
The select disk 0 command will allow you to select the desired disk. Here, instead of “0”, there should be the number of your hard drive, which was determined by the previous command - it can be 0, 1, or 2, depending on how many of them are installed on the computer.
The clean command will completely clear it - remove all partitions and information from them.
The convert mbr command converts hard drive to MBR.
Type exit once to exit the DiskPart console utility, and exit again to close the command prompt.
Now on the hard MBR partition table, you can continue installing the operating system.
Conversion without data loss
If you do not want to lose the information that is on the hard drive, but convert it to MBR as needed, then we will use the Paragon Hard Disk Manager program. You can download it from the official website. The only thing is that this program is paid. Of course, there is a Demo version, but the GPT to MBR converter is not active in it. Therefore, you only need to install the full version.
We launch the program on the computer using a Live CD or bootable USB flash drive. Then select with the mouse the hard one that needs to be converted. Here you can see what partition table is on it.
If such a list does not open for you, find the item in the program window "List of disks and partitions" and click on the small black arrow opposite it.
Right-click on the one you want and select "Convert basic GPT to basic MBR disk".
In the next window, click on the button "Convert".
To apply the changes, click on the green checkmark in the upper left corner.
A confirmation window will pop up, click “Yes”.
After the process is completed, click “Close”.
Now the name in the list will change - "Basic MBR hard drive".
We open the disk through Explorer and see that all the files remain in place.
Conversion on a computer with two hard drives
Let's consider this option. The computer has two hard drives, divided into partitions. Your main OS is on the first, you want to install a new system on the second. In this case, you can convert GPT to MBR using Windows itself, or using Paragon Hard Disk Manager.
With information removed
Let's consider the first option. In this case, information from the selected hard drive will be deleted. To do this we go to "Disk Management": press the Win+R combination and in the “Open” field type diskmgmt.msc, click “OK”.
The window we need will open. I only have one hard drive installed. You will have “Disk 0” and “Disk 1”. Select the one on which you are going to install the new OS. Now right-click on any partition and select “Delete Volume” from the context menu. Repeat this for all others on this hard drive.
Now right-click on the hardest one and select "Convert to MBR disk"(You will have it).
After this, the partition table will be MBR. You can split the disk into the necessary partitions.
With preservation of information
The second option is to use the Paragon Hard Disk Manager program. Run it on your computer in a working operating system. All information will be saved. Then select the hard drive that needs to be converted, the main thing is not the one on which the working OS is installed, and repeat all the steps with the program that were described in the paragraph above.
As you can see, there are various ways to convert a disk with a GPT partition table to MBR. You can convert the disk to MBR when installing the operating system, or use the Paragon Hard Disk Manager program and save all the data.
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Sometimes, when installing any version of the Windows operating system, a notification may appear stating that installation on this drive is impossible because it has a GPT partition style. In this case, you need to know why this happens and how to install the operating system on such a drive.
There are several options for resolving the problem when the operating system cannot be installed on a GPT disk. One of the methods involves installing an operating system on this drive, and the second is designed to convert it to MBR. In this case, it will be possible to decide which one is more suitable.
Which method to use
So, there are two ways to resolve the issue where you are notified that the specified drive has the GPT department style. You need to choose one of them depending on some settings.
If you are using a new PC with UEFI, upon switching to which a graphical interface opens, rather than a simple blue screen, and a 64-bit operating system is installed, then it is advisable to install the operating system on a GPT drive and use the first method.
Perhaps some of the latest versions of Windows have already been installed on it.
If you are using a relatively outdated PC with a BIOS and installing a 32-bit operating system, then it is recommended to use GPT to MBR conversion, i.e. use the second method. It is worth remembering that MBR drives cannot exceed 4 TB, and creating more than 4 departments on them is not so easy.
Installing Windows 10, 7 and 8 on a GPT drive
In most cases, those users who try to install Windows 7 encounter errors when installing an operating system on a GPT-style drive, however, even in the G8, sometimes an error appears that it is impossible to perform this operation with this drive.
To install an operating system on a GPT disk, several conditions must be met.
You need to install a 64-bit system, and also boot in EFI mode. In most cases, the error occurs because the second condition is not met, so you need to know how to fix this problem. Sometimes this problem can be resolved by simply changing the BIOS settings. In other cases, you need to create a bootable UEFI drive.
The first step is to visit the computer's BIOS. To do this, you must press the corresponding key after turning on the PC. When information about the manufacturer of the motherboard or laptop appears, you need to press Del if you are using a computer, or F2 on laptops. Keys may vary. As a rule, they are listed on the first screen when you start your PC.
If a working version of Windows 8 is installed on your PC, then logging into UEFI can be much easier. This requires using the Charms panel. In it you need to go to “Change computer settings”, where you select “Update and recovery”. In the next window, go to “Recovery”. After this, you need to go to “Special boot options” and click “Restart now”. Next, you need to click on “Diagnostics”, where you should select “Advanced options”, after which you need to click on “UEFI Firmware”.
In the BIOS you need to activate a couple of rather necessary functions. Instead of CSM, you need to activate UEFI. This should be done in BIOS Features or BIOS Setup. In addition, you need to change the SATA operating mode from IDE to AHCI. Changes can be made in the Peripherals department. In different menus and language variations, these options may have a different location and slightly different names, however, they are not very difficult to find.
After applying all the settings, the PC will be ready to install the operating system on GPT
disk. If the installation is performed from a disk, then in most cases, a notification that it is impossible to install an operating system on this drive will not appear.
If you are using an installation USB drive and the error is displayed again, then you need to re-create a bootable USB flash drive, but with support for UEFI boot. There are several ways to do this. In this case, it is recommended to use the method of creating a UEFI installation flash drive using the command line, which will work in any case.
Experienced users can use another method. If the distribution allows you to use both boot methods, then you can disable startup in the BIOS by deleting bootmgr in the root of the media. In the same way, you can eliminate the efi folder, which will disable startup in UEFI.
Converting GPT to MBR during OS installation
If you need to convert a GPT drive to MBR, the PC uses a regular BIOS, and the seventh version of Windows will be installed, then it is best to do this during the installation of the operating system. It is worth noting that when carrying out such manipulations, all information on the disk will be destroyed.
To convert GPT to MBR, in the operating system installation utility you need to press the combination Shift + F10, which will open the command line. After that, you need to write several commands sequentially into it.
Initially, you need to register diskpart. Then enter the list disk command, after which you need to remember the disk number to be converted. Then you should write select disk N. N in this case is the media number from the previous entry. Then you need to enter the clean command. The next command is called convert mbr.
After this, you need to write create partition primary, followed by active. To format a disk, write the command format fs=ntfs quick. Then all that remains is to write assign, and at the end exit.
If, when carrying out these commands, the user was at the stage of setting up the disks during the installation process, then you need to click on “Update,” which will update the drive configuration. After this, the installation will proceed in standard mode, and the notification that the drive has the GPT style will no longer be displayed.
UEFI, GPT, BIOS and MBR
On PCs released several years ago, a BIOS was installed on the motherboard - software that performed diagnostics and scans of the PC, and then allowed the operating system to start, taking into account the MBR boot record of the hard drive.
UEFI software was designed to replace BIOS and is installed on PCs manufactured today. At the same time, most PC manufacturers use this particular software option.
UEFI software has some advantages. These include improved download speeds and security features. This includes secure startup and the ability to work with hardware-encrypted hard drives and UEFI drivers. In addition, using the GPT partition style makes it much easier to handle large media sizes and an increased number of partitions. Also, on most operating systems, UEFI can be combined with BIOS and MBR.
Today, it is unlikely that users will be able to feel the difference between these two options, much less select one of them. But it is worth noting that after a while only UEFI and GPT will be used, and hard drives will exceed 4 TB.
- Translation
Have you ever wondered how your computer boots? Regardless of the hardware and operating system, all computers use either the traditional BIOS-MBR method or the more modern UEFI-GPT method, implemented in the latest versions of the OS, when booting.
In this article, we will compare GPT and MBR partition structures; GPT stands for GUID Partition Table and MBR stands for Master Boot Record. Let's start by looking at the download process itself.
The following chapters highlight the differences between GPT and MBR partition styles, including instructions on how to convert between the two styles and advice on which one to choose.
Understanding the Boot Process
When you press the power button on your PC, it starts a process that will eventually load the operating system into memory. The first command depends on what the partition structure is on your hard drive.If there are two types of partition structures: MBR and GPT. The partition structure on a disk determines three things:
- Data structure on disk.
- The code that is used during boot if the partition is bootable.
- Where does the section begin and end?
MBR boot process
Let's return to the download process. If your system uses an MBR partition structure, the first execution process will load the BIOS. The Basic Input/Output System includes bootloader firmware. The bootloader firmware contains low-level functions such as keyboard input, video display access, disk I/O, and code to load the initial stage of the bootloader. Before the BIOS can detect the boot device, it performs a sequence of system configuration functions, starting with the following:- Self-test at power-on.
- Detection and initialization of the video card.
- Displays the BIOS start screen.
- Perform a quick memory (RAM) test.
- Plug and play device configuration.
- Boot device definition.
- First stage of the bootloader (446 bytes).
- Disk Partition Table (16 bytes per partition × 4 partitions) - MBR only supports four partitions, more on that below.
- Signature (2 bytes).
A VBR usually contains an Initial Program Loader (IPL), this code initiates the loading process. The program's boot loader includes a second boot loader stage, which then loads the operating system. On Windows NT family systems, such as Windows XP, the boot loader first loads another program called NT Loader (NTLDR), which then loads the operating system.
For operating systems based on the Linux kernel, the GRUB (Grand Unified Bootloader) bootloader is used. The download process is similar to that described above, the only difference is the name of the loaders at the first and second stages.
In GRUB, the first stage of the boot loader is called GRUB Stage 1. It loads the second stage, known as GRUB Stage 2. The second stage load retrieves a list of operating systems on the hard drives and provides the user with a list to select an OS to boot.
GPT boot process
At the same boot stage, the following happens in the GPT partition structure. GPT uses UEFI, which does not have the MBR procedure of storing the first stage of the bootloader in the boot sector and then calling the second stage of the bootloader. UEFI - Unified Extensible Firmware Interface - is a more advanced interface than BIOS. It can analyze the file system and even download files itself.
After turning on your computer, UEFI first performs system configuration functions, just like BIOS. This includes energy management, setting dates and other system management components.
UEFI then reads the GPT - GUID Partition Table. GUID stands for Globally Unique Identifier. GPT is located in the first sectors of the disk, just after sector 0, where the master boot record for the Legacy BIOS is still stored.
GPT defines the partition table on the disk where the EFI boot loader recognizes the EFI system partition. The system partition contains bootloaders for all operating systems installed on other partitions of the hard drive. The bootloader initializes the Windows boot manager, which then boots the operating system.
For Linux kernel operating systems, there is an EFI-enabled version of GRUB that loads a file, such as grub.efi, or an EFI boot loader, which loads its own file, such as elilo.efi.
You may notice that both UEFI-GPT, And BIOS-MBR transfer control to the bootloader, but do not directly load the operating system. However, UEFI does not require you to go through multiple bootloader stages like BIOS. The boot process occurs at a very early stage, depending on your hardware configuration.
Differences between GPT and MBR partition structures
If you've ever tried to install Windows 8 or 10 on a new computer, you've probably seen the question: which partition structure to use, MBR or GPT.If you want to know more or are planning to install a new operating system on your computer, then read on. We've already looked at differences in boot processes that are worth keeping in mind when partitioning a disk or choosing a partition structure.
GPT is a newer and more advanced partition structure, and it has many advantages, which I will list below. MBR has been in use for a long time, it is stable and has maximum compatibility. Although GPT may eventually replace MBR as it offers more advanced features, in some cases only MBR can be used.
Master Boot Record
MBR is a traditional structure for managing disk partitions. Since it is compatible with most systems, it is still widely used. The master boot record is located in the first sector of the hard drive or, more simply, at the very beginning. It contains a partition table - information about the organization of logical partitions on the hard drive.The MBR also contains executable code that scans partitions for the active OS and initiates the OS boot procedure.
An MBR disk allows only four primary partitions. If you need more, you can designate one of the partitions as an extended partition, and you can create more subpartitions or logical drives on it.
The MBR uses 32 bits to record the partition length, expressed in sectors, so that each partition is limited to a maximum size of 2 TB.
Advantages
- Compatible with most systems.
- Allows only four partitions, with the ability to create additional subpartitions on one of the main partitions.
- Limits the partition size to two terabytes.
- Partition information is stored in only one place - the master boot record. If it is damaged, the entire disk becomes unreadable.
GUID Partition Table (GPT)
GPT is a newer standard for defining the partition structure of a disk. Globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) are used to define the structure.This is part of the UEFI standard, meaning a UEFI-based system can only be installed on a drive that uses GPT, such as the Windows 8 Secure Boot feature.
GPT allows for an unlimited number of partitions, although some operating systems may limit the number to 128 partitions. There is also virtually no limit on partition size in GPT.
Advantages
- Allows an unlimited number of sections. The limit is set by the operating system; for example, Windows allows no more than 128 partitions.
- Does not limit partition size. It depends on the operating system. The maximum partition size limit is greater than the capacity of any disk available today. For drives with 512-byte sectors, a maximum supported size of 9.4 ZB (one zettabyte is equal to 1,073,741,824 terabytes)
- GPT stores a copy of the partition and boot data and can recover the data if the main GPT header becomes corrupted.
- GPT stores cyclic redundancy checksum (CRC) values to verify the integrity of its data (used to verify the integrity of GPT header data). If corrupted, GPT can notice the problem and attempt to recover the corrupted data from another location on the disk.
- May not be compatible with older systems.
GPT vs MBR
- GPT allows an unlimited number of primary partitions, while MBR allows only four primary partitions and the rest are secondary.
- GPT allows you to create partitions of any size, while MBR has a limit of 2 TB.
- GPT stores a copy of the partition data, allowing it to be restored if the main GPT header becomes corrupted; MBR stores only one copy of partition data in the first sector of the hard disk, which can lead to the loss of all information if partition information is damaged.
- GPT stores checksum values to verify that data is not corrupted and can perform necessary recovery from other areas of the disk if corruption occurs; The MBR has no way of knowing if data is corrupted; you can only find out if the computer refuses to boot or the partition disappears.
Operating system compatibility
The first sector (sector 0) on a GPT disk contains an MBR protection record, which records that the disk has one partition that spans the entire media. In case of using older tools that only read MBR disks, you will see one large partition the size of the entire disk. The protective record is made to prevent the old tool from mistaking the disk as empty and overwriting the GPT data with a new master boot record.MBR protects GPT data from being overwritten.
Apple MacBooks" and use GPT by default, so it is not possible to install Mac OS X on an MBR system. Even though Mac OS X can run on an MBR disk, it is not possible to install on it. I tried this, but without success.
Most Linux kernel operating systems are GPT compatible. When installing Linux OS on the disk, GRUB 2 will be installed as the bootloader.
For Windows operating systems, booting from GPT is only possible on UEFI computers running 64-bit versions of Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10 and related server versions. If you bought a laptop with a 64-bit version of Windows 8, then there is a high probability that it has GPT.
Windows 7 and earlier systems typically install on MBR disks, but you can still convert partitions to GPT, as discussed below.
All versions of Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10 can read and use data from GPT partitions - but they cannot boot from such non-UEFI drives.
So GPT or MBR?
You can feel comfortable with both MBR and GPT. But considering the advantages of GPT mentioned earlier and the fact that modern computers are gradually switching to this technology, you may prefer GPT. If the goal is to support older hardware or need to use a traditional BIOS, then you are stuck with MBR.Check the hard drive partition type
On each Windows hard drive, you can check the partition type using Disk Management. To launch Disk Management, do the following:Press the Windows + R hotkey combination to open a window for launching programs.
Type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter.
Windows will scan your hard drives and show them shortly. To check the partition type of any hard drive, right-click on the disk plate at the bottom of the interface. You need to click on “Disk 0”, “Disk 1” and so on, and not on partitions.
In the context menu that appears, select “Properties”. A window with the properties of the selected disk will open.
Go to the Volumes tab and look at the Partition Style value.
If you prefer the command line, you can choose another option. Its advantage is that it is slightly faster, since it immediately displays drives and partition styles.
- Press the Windows key, type cmd.exe, hold Ctrl and Shift, press Enter.
- Confirm the UAC message about increasing system privileges.
- Type diskpart and press Enter.
- Type list disk and press Enter again.
All drives are listed. The Gpt column indicates the partition style for each disk. If you see an asterisk in the column, then it is GPT; if it is not there, it is MBR.
Convert between MBR and GPT during Windows installation
There are two common error messages that may appear when installing Windows on a hard drive:- Error #1: “Windows cannot be installed on this drive. The selected disk does not have a GPT partition style."
- Error #2: “Windows cannot be installed on this drive. The selected disk has a GPT partition style."
As you already know, MBR and GPT are two completely different hard disk partition structures. MBR is the traditional partition structure, while GPT is the newer one.
Error #1 occurs when you try to install Windows on a UEFI computer and the hard drive partition is not configured for UEFI mode or Legacy BIOS compatibility. Microsoft TechNet offers two options to resolve the issue.
- Reboot the computer in Legacy BIOS compatibility mode. This option will keep the current section style.
- Reformat the disk for UEFI using the GPT partition style. This option will allow you to use UEFI firmware features. You can do the reformatting yourself by following the instructions below. Always back up your data before formatting.
Instructions for converting a hard drive from MBR to GPT
Using Windows Setup
- Select the unallocated space and click Next. Windows will detect that the computer is booted in UEFI mode and will automatically reformat the drive using the GPT partition style. The installation process will begin immediately after this.
- Turn off your computer and insert a bootable Windows drive (USB or DVD).
- Boot from it in UEFI mode.
- Clean the disk: clean .
- Conversion to GPT is done with the convert gpt command.
Instructions for converting a hard drive from GPT to MBR
Sometimes it is necessary to convert a disk to an MBR partition structure. For example, if you receive the following error message during Windows installation:"Windows cannot be installed on this drive. The selected disk has a GPT partition style"
Booting from GPT is only supported on 64-bit versions of Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10 and corresponding server versions on UEFI systems. This error message means that your computer does not support UEFI, and therefore you can only use a BIOS that works with the MBR partition structure.
Microsoft TechNet offers two options to resolve the issue.
- Reboot the computer in BIOS compatibility mode. This option will keep the current section style.
- Reformat the disk using the MBR partition style. Always back up your data before formatting. Although there are third-party utilities that can convert disks to GPT while preserving the data, it is still safer to make a backup copy in case the utility fails to complete the conversion.
Using Windows Setup
- Turn off your computer and insert a bootable Windows drive (USB or DVD).
- Boot from it in UEFI mode.
- Select "Other" (Custom) in the installation type.
- A screen will appear asking “Where do you want to install Windows?” Select all partitions on the disk and click Delete.
- After successful removal, the disk will be a single area of unallocated space.
- Select the unallocated space and click Next. Windows will detect that the computer is booted in BIOS mode and will automatically reformat the drive using the MBR partition style. The installation process will begin immediately after this.
- Turn off your computer and insert a bootable Windows drive (USB or DVD).
- Boot from it in BIOS mode.
- From the Windows installation, press Shift+F10 to open the console. After each next command, press Enter.
- Run the diskpart tool with the diskpart command.
- To select the disk to convert, type list disk .
- Specify the disk number to convert: select disk # .
- Clean the disk: clean .
- Conversion to GPT is done with the convert mbr command.
- Type exit to exit diskpart.
- Close the console and return to the Windows installation.
- When choosing an installation type, select "Other". The disk will be a single area of unallocated space.
- Select the unallocated space and click Next. Windows will begin installation.
