Windows can not be installed to this disk

При чистой установке Windows на компьютер при выборе раздела диска для установки появляется сообщение, что установка Windows на данный диск невозможна, потому что на нем используется таблица раздетом MBR:

Windows 11 can’t be installed on disk 0 partition 1
The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, the operating system can only be installed on GPT disks.

Невозможно установить Windows в раздел 1 диска 0.
Выбранный диск содержит таблицу разделов MBR. В системах EFI операционная система можно установлена только на GPT-диск.

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Это сообщение указывает на то, что компьютер загружен в UEFI режиме, но на диске, который вы выбрали для установки Windows, создана таблица разделов MBR. На UEFI компьютере (в нативном режиме) установка Windows возможна только на диск с таблицей разделов GPT. Возможные способы продолжить установку Windows в этом случае:

• Если на диске нет важных данных, или он пустой, можно конвертировать таблицу разделов MBR в GPT (все данные на диске будут очищены). Это самый простой и быстрый вариант.
• Если на диске имеются разделы с важными для вас данными, можно конвертировать таблицу разделов MBR в GPT без удаления имеющихся разделов на диске. Для этого потребуется некоторое время.

Еще одним вариантом является переключение в настройках BIOS/UEFI компьютера типа загрузки с EFI на Legacy BIOS (CSM). В этом случае возможна установка Windows на MBR диск. Но на современных компьютерах нет никаких преимуществ от использования устаревшей MBR в качестве таблицы разделов на диске и legacy BIOS режима загрузки. Поэтому лучше всего использовать именно GPT (GUID) таблицу разделов.

Конвертируем таблицу разделов MBR в GPT с очисткой разделов

1. Прямо на экране выбора диска при установке Windows нажмите сочетание клавиш
   Shift+F10
   чтобы открыть командную строку
2. В командной строке выполните:
   diskpart
3. Выведите список дисков компьютера:
   list disk
4. В данном случае отсутствует символ
   *
   в столбце Gpt. Это означает, что на диске используется таблица разделов MBR
   

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5. Выберите диск, на который будет выполняться установка диска. В нашем случае доступен только один диск Disk 0:
   select disk 0
6. Очистите диск (это удалит на нем все разделы и данные!!):
   clean
7. Конвертируйте таблицу разделов в GPT:
   convert gpt
8. Выполните команду list disk и проверьте, что для диска 0 теперь используется таблица разделов gpt (появилась звездочка)
   

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9. Сверните окно командной строки и переключитесь в окно установщика Windows. Нажмите кнопку Refresh, чтобы обновить информацию о дисках. Выберите неразмеченную область на диске 0. После конвертации таблицы разделов в GPT вы можете продолжить установку Windows на диск (кнопка Next стала активной).
   

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Если на диске имеются данные, можно конвертировать таблицу разделов MBR в GPT без удаления существующих разделов.

1. Откройте командную строку на этапе выбора диска, нажав
   Shift+F10
2. В современные дистрибутивы Windows 11 и 10 включена утилита mbr2gpt.exe, которая позволяет конвертировать таблицу разделов, не удаляя имеющиеся разделы.
3. Проверим, что на диске используется таблица разделов MBR и созданы разделы:
   

   diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list part
exit
   

   

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4. Проверим, что возможна конвертация таблицы разделов диска 0 в GPT:
   
mbr2gpt.exe /disk:0 /validate
   
   

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5. Запускаем конвертацию:
   mbr2gpt.exe /convert /disk:0 /allowFullOS
6. После этого можно переключиться в окно установщика и продолжить установку Windows.

Нужно отметить, что утилита mbr2gpt.exe позволяет конвертировать только системные диски, на один из разделов которых установлена Windows. Если диск не является системный, утилита вернет ошибку Disk layout validation failed.

Если вы хотите конвертировать в GPT несистемный диск, придется использовать один из бесплатных инструментов. Например, Minitool Partition Wizard, EaseUS Partition Master или Acronis Disk Director.

Скачайте загрузочный ISO образ с любой из этих утилит и запишите его на USB флешку. Загрузите компьютер с этой флешкой и выполните конвертацию MBR в GPT, выбрав соответствующий пункт в меню (на скриншоте окно Minitool Partition Wizard).

После конвертации диска вы сможете выполнить на него чистую установку Windows.

Are you having problems installing Windows on your target GPT or MBR drive? On this page, we’ll thoroughly discuss this issue in two parts and you can follow to find respective solutions toward different errors. 

Check out and find the easiest solution to resolve your problem, installing Windows on your PC without any issue now.

Note that if you have saved important data on the target disk, back up your data first as some of the following fixes may remove data on your target drive. 

Part 1. Fix «Can’t Install Windows on GPT Disk» Error

Applies to: Fix «Windows Cannot Be Installed on GPT Partition Drive’ or «Can’t Install Windows on GPT» error.

Problem: Can’t Install Windows on GPT Disk

«I’m trying to install Windows 10 on a new SSD, but the computer keeps giving me this message ‘Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style.’ What does this mean? Do I have to convert the GPT disk to MBR? Or to enable UEFI boot mode in BIOS?«

You won’t be able to install Windows on GPT disk if you are receiving this notice from your PC as listed below:

Error 1. «Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style.»

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Error 2. «Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only installed on GPT disks».

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Those two errors mean that the Windows cannot be installed on GPT drive. Don’t be panic. In the following, we’ll explain why you cannot install Windows to the selected disk and list practical solutions to help you out.

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Why You Fail to Install Windows on GPT Drive

1. You forget to enable UEFI boot option. Or the motherboard supports Legacy BIOS only. (Error 1)

2. If you receive Error 2, you must learn something about UEFI and BIOS. Know the differences and relations between them.

Usually, when you install Windows on UEFI-based PC using Windows Setup, the target disk must be set up to UIEFI mode or BIOS compatibility mode. If your computer is booted in UEFI mode,while your target disk is not configured UEFI mode, you’ll met Error 2. 

4 Fixes to Resolve «Cannot Install Windows on GPT Disk» Error

Here, we’ll provide you with 4 effective methods to fix this error issue and relative errors. Note that the former method is presented, the higher success rate it will be.

Fix 1. Convert GPT Disk to MBR Disk using EaseUS Partition Master [Error 1]

When the computer doesn’t support UEFI, you cannot install the Windows on GPT drive unless you convert the disk from GPT to MBR.

Professional partition manager software — EaseUS Partition Master can organize your hard drive and change the partition style easily. You can easily convert GPT to MBR with the help of this software, making disk available to install Windows again:

Step 1. Install and launch EaseUS Partition Master on your computer, go to the Disk Converter section.

Step 2. Select «Convert GPT to MBR» and click «Next» to continue.

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Step 3. Select the target GPT disk that you want to convert to MBR, and click «Convert» to start the conversion.

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Read Also: Windows 10 Won’t Install on SSD

Fix 2. Enable UEFI Boot Option in BIOS to Fix Windows Cannot Install on GPT Drive Error

If you are faced with Error 1 —  «Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style.», you can boot to UEFI mode if your motherboard supports UEFI. 

Step 1. Reboot the PC and press the key that opens the boot device menu. You can press the Esc, F2, F9, F12, or another key to enter the boot menus.

Step 2. Boot into UEFI mode and locate the boot options menu.

Step 3. Confirm in the Boot Priority List that the USB UEFI OS Boot option is at the top of the list. Save your changes and continue to install Windows.

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Fix 3. Convert MBR to GPT to using EaseUS Partition Master

If you encounter Error 2, you can fix the «The Selected Disk Has an MBR Partition Table» error by converting MBR disk to GPT disk.

On the UEFI system, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks or something similar. That’s because MBR is compatible with BIOS while GPT is compatible with UEFI.

The steps are similar to those of converting GPT to MBR. The difference is that you need to convert to GPT with the help of EaseUS Partition Master:

Step 1. Download and launch EaseUS Partition Master on your computer.

Step 2. Go to Disk Converter, select «MBR => GPT» and click «Next» to continue.

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Step 3. Select the target MBR disk that you tend to convert to GPT, and click «Convert» to start the conversion.

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Fix 4. Convert MBR to GPT using DiskPart 

Aims to resolve Error 2. 

Step 1. Turn off the PC and put in the Windows installation DVD or USB.

Step 2. Boot the PC from the DVD or USB.

Step 3. In Windows Setup, press «Shift + F10» to start Command Prompt.

Step 4. Enter the following command in order:

• diskpart
• list disk
• select disk
• clean
• convert gpt
• exit

Step 5. Close Command Prompt.

After removing «Can’t install Windows on GPT disk» error, you can now continue installing Windows on your PC. You can refer to Install Windows 10 on GPT disk for a detailed tutorial guide. 

Part 2. Fix «Windows Cannot Be Installed the This Disk» Error

Applies to: Fix «Windows Cannot Be Installed to This Disk» Error.

Error: Windows Cannot Be Installed to This Disk

When you are going to install Windows 10/8/7, you might receive different kinds of errors saying Windows cannot be installed to this disk. Here are some common errors that you might receive:

Error 1.  «Windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. The partition contains one or more dynamic volumes that are not supported for installation».

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Error 2. «Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer’s hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure the disk’s controller is enabled in the computer’s BIOS menu.»

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Error 3. «Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The disk may fail soon. If other hard disks are available, install Windows to another location.»

Error 4. «Windows cannot be installed to the hard disk space. Windows must be installed to a partition formatted in NTFS.»

Why Windows Cannot Be Installed to The Selected Disk

Why you could receive these errors? What are the main reasons? According to the error messages, the main reasons are as follows:

1. Users can only make a fresh install on a dynamic volume only when the volume was converted from a basic disk and was a boot partition or system partition. (Error 1)

2. Hardware protection and SATA Controller mode could bring up Error 2.

3. If you get Error 3, you can take your hard disk failure into account.

4. An incompatible file system of the partition to be installed with Windows. Microsoft rules that Windows must be installed to a partition formatted in NTFS since Windows Vista. (Error 4)

You can now selectively choose one of the solutions to fix Windows cannot be installed to the disk issue on your own PC.

Fix 1. Convert Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk

If you receive Error 1 — «Windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. The partition contains one or more dynamic volumes that are not supported for installation», convert dynamic to basic disk.

EaseUS Partition Master also helps you convert dynamic disk to basic disk easily and quickly.

Here are the detailed steps:

Step 1. Install and open EaseUS Partition Master and go to Disk Converter.

Step 2. Select the disk conversion mode that suits your need:

• Convert Basic to Dynamic: change a Basic disk to Dynamic.
• Convert Dynamic to Basic: change a Dynamic disk to Basic.

Step 3. Select the target disk — Basic or Dynamic, confirm you’ve select the correct disk and click «Convert» to start.

Convert Basic to Dynamic Disk

Convert Dynamic to Basic Disk

Fix 2. Remove HDD Protection and Change SATA Controller Mode (for Error 2)

If you receive this message «Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer’s hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure the disk’s controller is enabled in the computer’s BIOS menu.» — Error 2, you should do two things:

Phrase 1. Remove Hard Disk Protection

Check if your hard disk protection is enabled. If it is, contact the salesperson and remove the protection according to his instructions.

Here is a quick guide that you can follow to remove write protection from hard drive using DiskPart:

Step 1. Start > Run  -> type CMD and press enter.

Step 2. Type diskpart and press enter.

Step 3. Type the following command lines and hit enter each time:

• list volume
• select volume # (# is the number of your HDD.)
• attributes disk clear read-only
• clean

Step 4. Type exit and hit Enter. Close DiskPart to finish the process.

After this, you’ve successfully removed write protection from your hard drive. If you need more practical solutions, refer to How to Remove Write Protection on SSD for help.

Phrase 2. Change SATA Controller Mode

This error may indicate that the BIOS settings of your computer are not properly configured. Make sure you have changed the SATA Controller mode in BIOS. Then, you can try setting BIOS to the factory and go back to the default setting.

Fix 3. Repair Your HDD to Fix «Windows Cannot Be Installed to the Hard Disk Space»

Error 3 — «Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The disk may fail soon.» occurs when there’s something wrong with your HDD. What to do with a dying HDD? How to repair it? You should stop Windows installation and then clone or back up important data immediately. Then, you can start repairing your HDD.

Also read: How to Repair HDD without losing data

Fix 4. Format the Partition to NTFS

This method aims to solve Error 4. When partitions on the target disk are not with the NTFS file system, Windows cannot be installed to the disk.

Changing a volume’s file system is not an easy task for those who are not familiar with computer management and command line. Thus, an easy and safe solution is needed.

Comprehensive partition manager software — EaseUS Partition Master can fully meet this requirement. It enables you to format HDD to NTFS easily.

For this case, you need to create a bootable drive and then format hard drive from USB.

After fixing Windows cannot be installed to this disk or GPT/MBR drive error, you can then continue installing Windows on your target disk in your PC. 

Manual Service for Fixing ‘Can’t Install Windows On GPT’ or ‘Windows Cannot Be Installed’ Error

Alongside following the above-provided solutions, you still have another option, which is to customize a manual service and let EasUS experts resolve this issue for you. You no longer need to worry about taking a wrong step while following the guidelines above. Everything can ben efficiently resolved and Windows can run on your GPT disk successfully.

Conclusion

This page covers 4 fixes to get rid of «Can’t install Windows on GPT disk» error and 4 practical methods to remove «Windows cannot be installed to the drive» error for all levels of Windows users. 

If you are faced with any one of the errors, you can find answers here. If your target disk has unsupported partition styles disallow you installing Windows on it, EaseUS Partition Master helps convert GPT to MBR, Convert MBR to GPT, and even change Dynamic to Basic disk.

This software plays an important role during the fixing process. Why not get it now.

Extended Reading: Cannot Install Windows FAQs

Besides the above issues, if you have further concerns about installing Windows on GPTor MBR disk, check the questions and answer below.

You may get a clue:

1. How do I fix Windows cannot be installed to this disk MBR?

How do you fix ‘Windows cannot be installed to this disk’? The solution is easy to conclude: change MBR to GPT.

Here are two methods that you can try:

• Method 1. Change MBR to GPT using EaseUS Partition Master (as presented on this page in Fix 3 Part 1)
• Method 2. Run DiskPart to change MBR disk to GPT (as presented on this page in Fix 4 Part 1)

2. Can GPT boot into Windows？

Yes. GPT can be used to boot Windows OS as long as you have a Windows system installed on the disk or you have migrated your computer operating system on the disk.

If you need a guide to migrate OS to GPT, follow this link for help: How to Move Windows 10 to Another Drive (HDD/SSD). 

3. How do I change GPT partition to BIOS?

Mostly, GPT partition supports UEFI boot mode and BIOS compatibility mode. In order to change GPT partition to Legacy BIOS mode, you need to follow the following tips:

1. #1. Check if your computer motherboard supports BIOS boot mode. (Check BIOS)
2. #2. If the motherboard supports BIOS boot, then you need to check if your disk is with the MBR partition style.
3. If not, convert GPT to MBR disk using provided method on this page in Part 1. 
4. #3. Install Windows that support BIOS boot on the disk.
5. #4. Finish Windows installation, enter BIOS and set the computer to boot on the MBR disk which was with GPT partition.
6. #5. Save the changes, and restart PC. 

Table of Contents:

How do you fix Windows cannot be installed on this drive? The message Windows cannot be installed on this drive typically appears during the Windows installation process, indicating that there is an error preventing you from continuing the Windows installation. In addition to the error, there can be another message appearing along with it, providing additional information. And the accompanying error message varies depending on the underlying cause of the issue, and thus it is useful to read the error message to get clues to solutions. The error message can be caused by several reasons, such as, improper file system format, incorrect partition table type, insufficient disk or partition size, bad sectors, wrong BIOS/UEFI settings, etc.

You can follow troubleshooting mentioned below to identity and fix the error. It is important to back up any data you don’t want to lose before making changes to the drive, because some solution involves deleting or formatting data and partitions. It’s always a good idea to keep backups for important data.

Fix 1: Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style.

You may receive the error message »
The selected disk is of the GPT partition style
» when installing Windows OS to a GPT-style disk, see picture below. You will ask why Windows cannot be installed to this GPT disk. Generally, the main cause is motherboard. There are two types of boot modes: BIOS Boot Mode and UEFI Boot Mode. Most Windows versions have UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) boot mode, while some versions since older days of Window XP have BIOS (Basic Input Output System) boot mode. Due to different boot modes, there are two types of partitioning schemes: MBR (Master Boot Record) and GPT (GUID Partition Table). If you want to boot system from a GPT disk, the motherboard should support UEFI; while on BIOS you should use MBR partition table. Thus, if you install Windows on BIOS system, the GPT partition table comes in your way. The installation will be blocked by the error.

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Solution #1: Configure BIOS settings (boot mode)

First of all, you should ensure the Boot Mode in your BIOS is set to Legacy BIOS instead of UEFI. At present, most motherboards support both legacy BIOS boot and UEFI boot. Thus, you need to make sure the proper boot mode is selected in BIOS setting. The picture shows the boot mode is modified to Legacy. Please note that the BIOS menu may look different on your computer, as it varies based on the models of the motherboard on your computer.

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Solution #2: Convert the GPT disk to MBR without losing data

Since Windows cannot be installed on the GPT disk, you can fix the error by converting the GPT disk to MBR format. The converting does not deleting existing partitions and files if you use third-party free partition manager software to finish the task.

DiskGenius is free partition manager software for all Windows users and it is able to convert GPT disk to MBR without risking any data loss. If you prefer a user-friendly alternative to the Command Prompt,
DiskGenius Free Edition
is an excellent choice, as it is easier and safer to use. Additionally, this partition tool enables you to create a WinPE bootable USB disk, allowing you to manage your disks and partitions even if your system fails to boot. Furthermore, DiskGenius can assist you in backing up your data, imaging your system, recovering lost data or partitions, and backing up your partition table, migrating Windows 11/10 to HDDs or SSDs, etc.

Step 1. Download, install and launch DiskGenius from your computer. If your computer cannot boot to system, you can
create a bootable USB disk
to boot computer, and then carry out rest tasks.

Step 2. Select the GPT disk to be converted and click «Disk» menu to choose «Convert to MBR Partition Table«, as below:

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Step 3. Click Save All button from toolbar and click «Yes» from pop-up message box to save changes on partition table.

Tips: If capacity of the GPT disk is larger than 2TB, system can only make use of 2TB after it is converted to MBR.

Solution #3: Clean up the disk and convert to MBR using Command Prompt

It’s important to note that the conversion from GPT to MBR using Command Prompt will result in data loss on the disk, as the process involves deleting all partitions and data on the disk. it’s strongly recommended to back up all important data from the disk to a separate storage device to prevent data loss before trying following steps.

Step 1. Backup all of your data on the GPT disk you want to convert, as the process will erase all data.

If you can’t afford to clean the disk or do not want to take efforts to back up data, you can convert GPT to MBR following steps in Solution 2 which does not disturb existing data.

Step 2. Run Command Prompt.

Boot computer from the Windows installation disk and click «Repair your computer» when you see following screen.

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You will then be directed to the Advanced Recovery mode and see the Troubleshoot screen. The click Advanced options > Troubleshoot > Command Prompt.

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Step 3. Type diskpart in the command prompt and press Enter.

Step 4. Type in list disk and hit Enter key to view which one is of GPT style. The GPT disk is marked with asterisk in the GPT column. Remember the disk number you need to clean and convert.

Step 5. Type select disk # (# is the disk number and you should replace it with the actual number in your computer) to select disk.

Step 6. Type clean and press Enter.

Notice: this step will completely clean up selected disk, and all partitions and data will be deleted. Please make sure you have a backup before performing this command.

Step 7. Type convert mbr and press Enter, and the disk will be converted to MBR. Then you can execute exit command to exit or continue creating partition on this MBR disk.

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Fix 2: 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.

When you attempt to install Windows in UEFI mode on your computer, you cannot select the disk you want. You may click Show details to view the reason which says »
The selected disk has an MBR partition table
. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks». That means you cannot install UEFI mode on a disk using MBR partition table and it can only install to GPT disks, as image below:

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GPT (GUID Partition Table) was introduced as part of UEFI which is the acronym for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface. Compared to the traditional MBR partitioning scheme, GPT offers a more flexible approach to disk partitioning. Partitions or volumes are contiguous areas on a physical or logical disk, visible to both the system firmware and the installed Windows operating system. The system firmware controls access to partitions before the operating system boots, and once booted, the partitions are managed by the OS.

Many modern computers support the UEFI version of BIOS, which speeds up boot and shutdown speed as well as provides security features. If you want to boot computer in UEFI mode, the disk installs operating system should be of GPT style. Many computers are able to use UEFI and they also provide CSM (compatibility support module) so that legacy version of BIOS can be used in necessary. The GPT drive format allows users to set up drives larger than 4TB and does not impose a limit on the number of partitions.

Solution #1: Change BIOS Boot Settings

The first try to solve the problem should be going through BIOS and changing UEFI boot settings. You can manually switch boot mode to legacy BIOS compatibility instead of UEFI mode.

Step 1. Restart computer and enter BIOS by pressing the specified key prompted by your motherboard manufacturer.

The prompt appears on screen before computer boots into Windows.

Step 2. Go to Boot tab and locate boot order option. Then disable EFI Boot Source and change boot mode to Legacy.

Step 3. Save changes and exit.

Solution 2: Convert MBR disk to GPT using DiskGenius Free

DiskGenius Free Edition is able to convert an MBR disk to GPT without losing data and the process is quite easy to follow:

Step 1. Install and launch DiskGenius Free. You can download this free partition manger software from the download center.

Step 2. Locate and select the MBR disk to be converted to GPT and click «Disk» menu to choose «Convert To GUID Partition Table«.

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Step 3. Click «OK» button on the message box. Then click «Save All» button to make the converting work

When the disk is converted to GPT, you can retry installing Windows again and check if the error is fixed.

Fix 3: Windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. The partition contains one or more dynamic volumes that are not supported for installation.

The «The partition contains one or more dynamic volumes that are not supported for installation» error is likely to appear when you attempt to install Windows on a dynamic disk. Users are allowed to make a fresh Windows installation on a dynamic volume only when the volume was converted from a basic disk and retained an entry in partition table. However, simple volumes (except system or boot volumes before conversion) that have been converted from basic disks do not have an entry in partition table, thus the installation will end up with the following error.

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What is basic disk and dynamic disk? A basic disk is a storage type mostly used in Windows operating system, providing a solution to accommodate an array which changes storage requirement scenarios. A basic disk consists of partitions, such as primary and logical partitions, which can be formatted with a file system to store data. Generally, basic disks use MBR partition style since the disk is used by Microsoft MS-DOS operating system and all versions of Windows. Also, it supports GPT partitions on systems that support it. With basic disks you can create and delete primary, extended and logical partitions as well as format a partition or mark it as active.

On the other hand, a dynamic disk offers additional features not found in basic disks, for example, it is able to create volumes crossing multiple disks and create fault-tolerant volumes. Either MBR or GPT partition table styles can be used by a dynamic disk. Dynamic disks provide greater flexibility for managing volumes by utilizing a database to track information for volumes and other dynamic disks. Additionally, dynamic disk volumes can be created on noncontiguous scope or physical disks, while volumes on a basic disk should be located on a contiguous area on a single physical disk.

Solution #1: Convert the dynamic disk to basic disk in Disk Management

Step 1. Back up all volumes and data on the dynamic disk to be converted to basic, as this converting method removes all partitions and data on the disk.

If you don’t want to spends too much effort on data backup and transferring, you can try Solution 3 which can do the converion without deleting data.

Step 2. Open Disk Management. Right-click the Start menu (the Windows icon) and click «Disk Management».

Step 3. Delete all volumes on the disk. Right-click each volume on the disk you want to change to basic disk and select Delete Volume.

The disk will be converted to basic automatically after all volumes are deleted from the disk. If the converting does not happen, then move to step 4.

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Step 4. Right-click the disk and select Convert to Basic Disk. Once the disk is converted to basic disk, you can create partitions on the disk.

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Solution #2: Change a dynamic disk to basic disk using command line

Warning: If you want to keep your files on the disk, back up files or copy data to another disk before starting following steps.

Step 1. Open Command Prompt. If there in not operating system on your computer, you can use a Windows installation CD or bootable disk to boot computer and open CMD.

After the computer boots from the installation disc, choose «Repair your computer» and then access «Troubleshoot» to locate «Command Prompt».

Step 2. Delete all volumes on the dynamic disk by typing following commands with pressing Enter after each command.

  diskpart

  list disk

  select disk # (# is the number of the dynamic disk)

  detail disk

  select volume 0

  delete volume

To delete other volumes, you can continue typing «select volume 1» -> «delete volume» one more time.

Step 3.  After all volumes are deleted, type convert basic and the disk will be converted into a basic disk.

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Solution #3: Convert a dynamic disk to basic disk without data loss

Both methods above require you delete all volumes and data before converting, thus you should make sure there are not important data or you’ve created a full backup beforehand. Here is an alternative solution which is able to complete the conversion without losing data. DiskGenius is a professional dynamic disk converter, it is able to convert the dynamic disk to basic without deleting volumes within several seconds. Let’s see the entire converting process.

Step 1. Run DiskGenius and you can see the dynamic disk on the main interface.

Step 2. Locate and right-click on the dynamic disk and select Convert to Basic Disk option, as below:

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Step 3. Click OK button from the pop-up message box to make the changing work.

Fix 4: Windows cannot be installed to this disk. Windows must be installed to a partition formatted as NTFS

Due to compatibility problems on file system, most versions of Windows operating system can be installed to partitions formatted to NTFS, and only few versions can be installed to a FAT partition. If the volume is formatted to an improper file system, you’ll receive error «Windows must be installed to a partition formatted as NTFS». Since the target partition has a file system issue, we can fix this error easily by changing its files system to NTFS.

Solution #1: Convert FAT file system to NTFS using Convert.exe

Converting the file system has the potential to result in data loss, and it is recommended to back up important data on the drive you are going to convert.

Step 1. Launch Command Prompt. Click Start button and enter cmd in searching box and press Enter.

Step 2. In the Command Prompt, type the following command convert G: /fs:ntfs and press Enter.

G is the drive letter of the partition that you want to change file system. You can open Windows Explorer to view the drive letter. Make sure the drive letter is correctly entered here. If it asks to enter the volume name, type in the name and press Enter.

Step 3. Convert.exe attempts to convert file system into NTFS and the process won’t take too long. After the conversion is complete, you might be prompted to restart your computer.

Solution #2: Format the partition into NTFS

Step 1. Copy the folder where DiskGenius installs to your bootable disk and then use the disk to boot computer.

Besides, you can create a bootable disk with DiskGenius: Click «Tools» menu and choose «Create WinPE Bootable USB Drive of DiskGenius» option.

Step 2. Launch DiskGenius, select the system partition you want to format to NTFS, and click «Format» button.

Step 3. Set the file system as NTFS and click Format button.

As to options like Cluster Size, Volume Label, Surface Scan, etc., you can follow the default value set by the partition manager.

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Step 4. Click Yes from the message box which prompts all files on this partition will be lost after formatting.

Fix 5: Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer’s hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure the disk’s controller is enabled in the computer’s BIOS menu

You may receive the warning message «This computer’s hardware may not support booting to his disk. Ensure the disk’s controller is enabled in the computer’s BIOS menu» when you try to install Windows. If you click Next to continue and you will receive another error «Windows cannot find a system volume that meets requirements for installation».

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This error may indicate that BIOS settings of your computer are not properly configured, thus you can try setting BIOS to factory and go back to default settings. Plus, please ensure that your computer’s firmware (BIOS/UEFI) is up to date. Manufacturers often release updates that can improve compatibility and fix bugs.

Also, this issue is caused by improperly configured hard disk mode; in that case, you need to change AHCI to Compatibility in BIOS. If there is not Compatibility option, you can select IDE. Additionally, if your system uses RAID, ensure that the RAID configuration is set up correctly in the BIOS/UEFI settings.

Fix 6: Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The disk may fail soon. If other hard disks are available, install Windows in another location

There might be something wrong with the hard drive if you get the error «Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The disk may fail soon. If other hard disks are available, install Windows in another location.» You should be cautious if the hard drive is damaged, as data on that disk may get lost, which is similar to the system warning
Windows detected a hard disk problem
, you should have a check for hard drive health condition.

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Step 1. Check hard drive or SSD health via accessing S.M.A.R.T. data.

Select the hard disk that may fail soon and click Disk menu to choose View S.M.A.R.T. Information. If the health status is NOT Good, then backup data and verify bad sectors following Step 2.

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Step 2. Check bad sectors for the hard drive in questions.

Still in DiskGenius, select the disk you want to check bad sectors, click «Disk» and choose «Verify Or Repair Bad Sectors«. Then click Start Verify button to start scanning sectors for selected area.

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If the hard disk contains bad sectors, you can try repairing it with DiskGenius. However, it is crucial to backup all files before proceeding the repairing, as the process of repairing bad sectors can result in data loss. It is important to note that certain bad sectors caused by physical damages may be irreparable. In that situation, you can manually create a hidden partition on that area to isolate bad sectors. Moreover, it is recommended to install Windows operating system on a health hard drive or SSD that does not have bad sectors.

Fix 7: Windows is unable to install to the selected location. Error: 0x80300001

While installing Windows 7, you might run into an error saying «Windows is unable to install to the selected location. Error: 0x80300001». This error typically occurs when you are asked to exchange hard drives in order to install required drivers on the system and the system disk hasn’t been put back. It can also be caused by other reasons, so you may have to try more than one solution to solve it.

Solution #1: Reconnect Windows installation disk

Step 1. Boot computer using a Windows installation CD or USB disk to access the setup wizard. Go to the step which requires selecting a partition and click «Load Driver». When you see the error message, ignore it.

Step 2. Reinsert the installation disk and click Refresh link and then Advanced Drive Options to create a new partition with any size. If Windows prompts it has to carry out some operations, click «OK». Then you can see a new system partition and a new primary partition.

Step 3. Select the new primary partition and click «Next» button. Then the setup should continue without any errors.

Solution #2: Change boot order

It’s possible that this error occurs when the disk is not set as the boot disk provided that you are not using RAID. In that circumstance, you can get rid of the problem by changing boot order in BIOS.

Step 1. Enter BIOS Setup Utility. Turn on or restart your computer and watch message appearing on screen. A specific key such as Del or F2 will be promoted on the screen to enter BIOS. Press that key.

Step 2. Select the «Boot» tab. All BIOS utilities look different, but boot option is definitely included. Locate and select it.

Step 3. Set the hard drive where you want to install system as the boot device. Any attached storage devices like external hard drives, USB flash drives, floppy drives, etc. are listed here too, and you can change their order manually. Save changes and exit.

Fix 8: Windows cannot be installed to Disk 0 Partition 1

People who try to install Windows using internal SAS controllers for hard drives will encounter the message «Windows cannot be installed to disk # partition #». Usually this issue occurs due to SAS driver issues or corrupted $MFT. The Microsoft Windows partition manager is out of touch with drivers after changes were made on partitions. Here is an approach to troubleshoot the problem.

Step 1. When the Windows installation process asks where you want to install Windows, load the SAS driver from a USB key. If the disk is larger than 2TB and needs to be converted to GPT, you can follow steps in previous solutions to do the conversion.

Step 2. View and check all possible partitions available for system installing. If the disk does not show up, have a check whether the drive is correctly installed.

Step 3. Delete partitions until there is only unallocated Space on the disk. Click «New» and you can see recommended partition size. Continue «OK» and you can see 3 partitions: system partition, MSR partition and large partition.

For this step, you can also use DiskGenius to
repartition the hard disk
and choose GUID partition table, which is easier and intuitive.

Step 4. Select the big partition and click «Refresh». Then click «Next» to start the installation.

Conclusion

This guide addresses 8 scenarios that the «Windows cannot be installed to this disk» error appears during the Windows setup process. If the selected disk is of improper partition table style corresponding to BIOS settings, Windows installation will be blocked by errors. This article provides step by step solutions to each situation. If you have better solutions, please feel free to contact us or share with other readers. It is important to note that certain approaches mentioned in this article, such as disk formatting and partition deletion, may result in data loss. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that all files and partitions are backed up prior to executing these steps. The free partition manager DiskGenius provides proper and effective functions to help fix this error occurring in different cases, and it is a qualified partition and disk management tool as well as data recovery program for both beginners and professional users.

Even though you rarely need to reinstall Windows these days, if you ever do, there are some speed bumps on the road to getting Windows installed. One such error is the “Windows Could Not Be Installed to This Disk” message, but we have some potential fixes to get you past this particular issue.

Also, you may see an additional line in the error message, specifically either “The selected disk is of the GPT partition style” or “The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks”. We’ll explain more about what these messages means below. 

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UEFI, BIOS, MBT and GPT Conflicts

This error results from a conflict between the type of firmware your computer uses and the partition table standard the hard drive in question has been formatted with.

Older computers use a BIOS (Basic Input Output System) firmware type, which is compatible with the MBR (Master Boot Record) standard for managing partition tables.

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Newer computers use the UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) firmware type, which can work with both MBR and GPT (GUID Partition Table) drives. However, in the case of MBR drives used with UEFI, the partition must be smaller than 2TB in size. If possible, use GPT-formatted drives with UEFI type computers.

For a more complete explanation of MBT and GPT formatting, check out MBR vs GPT: Which Format Is Better for an SSD Drive? However, now that you know this common cause of the error, let’s look at the options available to resolve the problem.

Switch Between UEFi and Legacy BIOS Modes

While most modern computers use the UEFI firmware type, many still offer a “legacy BIOS” or “legacy boot” mode to resolve compatibility issues.

Your issue may actually be due to the incorrect mode being toggled on. If your drive is formatted using the more modern GPT standard and you boot up in legacy boot mode, Windows won’t work with that drive. That’s when you’ll get the “The selected disk is of the GPT partition style”. This means you either need to convert the disk to MBR format or change the boot settings in your BIOS to UEFI. 

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If you’re getting the other message “The selected disk has an MBR partition table”, you need to do the opposite. It means you either need to convert the drive to GPT format or boot your BIOS into legacy mode.  

Legacy boot modes aren’t intended as a permanent solution, so if you need to use it in order to access a disk, it’s best to backup data on the MBR partition you want to install Windows to and then convert it to GPT.

How you toggle legacy boot modes on or off depends on your specific computer. You need to access the firmware menu at boot time, which is usually done by pressing a designated key. Look for that information on your motherboard or in your computer’s manual.

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Once in the UEFI menu, look for an option to enable legacy BIOS/boot mode and change it to the desired settings. Some computers even have a third mode that supports UEFI and Legacy. So if you see that, pick that option. 

Reformatting a Drive With Another Partition Style

Converting a GPT drive to MBR or vice versa will delete all data and partitions from that drive. However, if you want to run your computer in UEFI mode then you need a system drive that uses GPT. We recommend everyone use UEFI if possible since it is much more secure and has several advantages over MBR.

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However, if you’re getting this error, it’s probably because your computer only supports legacy BIOS and your drive is formatted with GPT. In this case, you can solve this problem by converting the drive to MBR. Go ahead and have a look at How to Convert a Disk from GPT to MBR. 

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Again, this is only recommended for systems that do not have UEFI. On UEFI systems you should use the GPT format for your Windows disk.

Getting a Fresh Start During Windows Installation

There’s a robust disk management application built directly into the Windows 10 installation software. During installation you’ll be given the option of deleting all the partitions on the disk and formatting it. Windows will format the drive using the correct settings it needs in order to work.

If you have data on the drive that hasn’t been backed up elsewhere, this is a bad idea. If you aren’t worried about data on the current disk, then this is by far the easiest way to resolve the problem while installing Windows.

If you’re not sure how to reinstall Windows, just read our in-depth guide that goes through three methods to install Windows. In the Windows installation process, when you get to the “Where do you want to install Windows?” dialog, just follow the steps below. 

1. Select each partition in turn, then select Delete until no partitions are left.

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1. Select Next and Windows will format the empty space correctly and create the appropriate partitions.

From there the installation can proceed as normal.

Using Third-Party Software To Change Partition Style Without Formatting

There are third-party applications which offer the possibility of converting your partition style without losing any data. This is possible, although what such applications actually do is erase and replace each bit of data on the disk as it reformats the media. 

However, if the process is interrupted for any reason you’re likely to end up with a disk that needs reformatting anyway. It’s always a good idea to backup your disk (or at least crucial data) before doing such a conversion. 

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Additionally, you’ll need to do this conversion while running the operating system from a different disk than the one you want to convert, for obvious reasons. That means booting from a live boot disk or using an external disk enclosure with a different computer to get the job done.

Feel free to check out our list of the best free hard drive formatting and partitioning utilities for Windows. Some of these tools will allow you to convert your hard drive partition format without a full reformat. 

Getting Windows Installed

Overall, if you get this error message, it’s going to make things a little complicated. This isn’t the easiest error to fix, so take your time and post comments if you have questions. We’re usually pretty good about getting back to people. 

Hopefully you can follow this guide and install Windows to your disk without any issues. Remember, backup your data before you do anything to be safe.