“Recently, while attempting to install Windows 10 on my HP PC, I was met with the error message Windows Cannot be Installed to This Disk. Please, if you know the solution, let me know.

Although it may come as a surprise, Windows users frequently encounter MBR/GPT compatibility issues. A common example is encountering an error that reads “Windows cannot be installed to this MBR disc” when attempting to update to a newer version of Windows on an MBR disc.

GPT discs are required to instal Windows on an EFI machine. Don’t worry; I’ll show you how to detect the problem and resolve it by changing the disk’s partition style to GPT.

Contents

How to Repair the Master Boot Record After Installing Windows on a Hard Drive.

 

So, there are a few distinct causes for the “Windows cannot be installed on this MBR disc” error message. Two possible solutions exist: either reformat the drive using the GPT partition style, or instal an older operating system.

Method 1: Set Windows to Boot in Legacy Mode.

UEFI boot mode is not supported by the MBR partitioning type; however, you can manually switch to the Legacy option. Changing the boot mode is the solution to the “Windows cannot be installed to this disc” error.

  1. To enter the BIOS, you must first restart your computer and press a specific key (often F2, F8, F10, DEL, ESC, or S).
  2. You can use the arrow keys to get to the “Boot” tab in the BIOS just before Windows loads its configurations.
  3. The Boot Mode setting can now be modified to “Legacy.” After the machine restarts, you can try to reinstall the firmware.

Method 2: Disk Management is Where you’ll Go to Change the Disk’s Partition Style to GPT.

To keep your computer’s UEFI boot mode, you can format the drive using the GPT partition style. Disk Management is a built-in Windows utility that can help you with this. If your computer is giving you the error message “The selected disc is of GPT partition style,” here’s how to fix it:

  1. As a first step, you need only open your computer’s Disk Management utility. Simply head to the Control Panel’s Management section, then click Disk Management to get started. You can alternatively bring up the Run dialogue box and type “diskmgmt.msc” into it.
  2. With Disk Management now open, you may locate the drive that already has an MBR by using the interface. It’s easy to remove the MBR drive’s partition table: just right-click it, pick “Delete Volume,” and then confirm.
  3. With a few mouse clicks, you can get rid of the system’s current MBR disc.
  4. After that, select that drive again, right-click, and hit “Convert to GPT disc.” Once you’ve made your decision, the disc will be changed to the GPT partition style, at which point you can wait.

Method 3: Use the DISKPART Utility to Make the Switch from Master Boot Record to GUID Partition Table.

Altering the disk’s partitioning scheme can also be done with the use of Command Prompt and the Disk Partition command. Disk data will be erased first, and the disk’s partitioning scheme can be modified thereafter. Fix the problem and convert your system to GPT partition style by following these steps:

  1. To get started, click the Start button and log in as an administrator before opening the Command Prompt.
  2. Simply type “DISKPART” into the Command Prompt window to activate the Disk Partition Utility.
  3. The MBR disk’s identifier can be found by entering the “list disc” command to get a list of all the discs and writing it down.
  4. You can now select the disc using the identification and the select command (like select disc 2). Then, type in the “clean” command to have the disc purge itself of all its previous saves.
  5. In any case, that’s it! After the data has been erased from the drive, the “convert gpt” command can be entered to immediately change the disk’s partitioning scheme from MBR to GPT.

FAQs

1. How can I Make the Transition From MBR to GPT?

There are a number of options available for making the transition from MBR to GPT. Disk Management is a popular and straightforward option. You need only launch the programme, then right-click the disc in question, and choose “Convert to GPT Disk” from the context menu that appears.

2. Exactly what is an EFI System Partition, and do I Really Need One?

A storage device’s EFI system partition is a section of space that is automatically created when an OS is loaded; it stores bootloaders, device drivers, and essential Windows files. Although it is possible to delete the EFI system partition, doing so is not recommended since it would prevent the machine from starting up properly.