While trying to reinstall Windows on my PC, a strange problem suddenly appeared that I had never encountered before. The hard drive was visible in the BIOS, and in the system installation wizard it was also possible to easily create a future partition for the Windows being installed, but at the next stage the installation process stalled. The following error occurred: “installing windows on this disk impossible." Next, I will tell you what such a message may be connected with and how you can solve this problem.
Case 1 - problem with AHCI mode
In fact, in addition to the phrase yours, it was also said that this computer cannot boot from the specified disk, and this in turn may be due to the fact that its controller is disabled in the BIOS. Well, without thinking twice, I went into this very BIOS and began to look where this controller was located and whether it was really disabled.
IN overall problem In my case I managed to solve it as follows. Going to the Advanced tab, you need to find the section, as shown in the figure below.
I initially had the value Auto here. Next, switch this setting to Manual. After this, the Native AHCI Mode item will appear. Its value will be Enabled. So, to cope with the situation, you just need to simply disable this item, i.e. select the Disabled value. Then exit the BIOS, saving the settings made. After restarting the computer, the installation should begin again, which this time should proceed without problems.
As soon as you install Windows and drivers, you can go into the BIOS again and set the initial value of the AHCI Mode Control item, indicating the initial option Auto.
Case 2 - GPT format
However, the case described by you is far from the only reason why Windows may not install.
A completely similar message “windows cannot be installed on this disk” appears when you try to install the system on a GPT style partition, as in the example below - it is impossible to install windows on Disk 0 Partition 1:
Indeed, in Lately Disks with GPT-style partitions have become popular. Let me remind you that previously the MBR format was usually used. Yes, the relatively recently appeared universal interface UEFI, which replaced the classic BIOS, supports working with this format. But as a rule, new computers are blocked by the manufacturer, as a result of which it is impossible to boot from anywhere, with the exception of the built-in drive.
So, if you are faced with a similar problem, now I will try to tell you how you can fix the situation.
Convert GPT to MBR
In a nutshell, the solution is this: you need to convert the GPT format to MBR.
Now let's take a closer look at how to perform this procedure. I’ll say right away that you need to first take care of all the data on your computer. This is due to the fact that as a result of the conversion, all information will be erased, since all sections will be deleted.
Once you have copied important data from the disk, for example to an external drive, you can begin the operation.
If anyone thinks that performing the procedure is not easy, I hasten to assure you that it is absolutely nothing complicated. To do this, you just need a bootable Windows disk, which you of course already have. It is enough as you did when trying to install the system from it. Then, at the stage where we encountered the indicated error, we launch the command line, for which we press the combination of Shift and F10. On some laptops or netbooks, in addition to these keys, you also need to hold down the Fn button. Once the command prompt window opens, we enter the command diskpart.
This command allows you to perform various operations on partitions, as you can guess from the command name. Then enter list disk to display a list of available disks. Next, using the select disk # sentence, we indicate the problem disk, only instead of a hash, we naturally enter the number.
In the example above, Disk 2 was selected.
Once we have selected a disk, further instructions will refer specifically to it.
The next step is to clean the disk, for which you use the clean command, after which you can begin the actual conversion process.
In this step, we enter the main command that will solve our problem - convert mbr. After this, the conversion from GPT to MBR format will be performed. That is, the GPT partitioning is removed and the disk is partitioned in accordance with the old MBR style. Thus the installer operating system Windows will no longer be limited by the new markup format.
Completing the installation as normal
Next, we exit the DISKPART utility, after which the console window can be closed. A window will again appear in front of us where we need to specify the partition for installing the OS. Click on the update button and disk 0 will appear with the amount of free space.
Then we simply continue installing the system as usual, since the completed procedure for converting the disk partition style will allow you to easily install Windows on it without causing such an error.
During installation of the operating system, at the stage of formatting disks and creating partitions, the user may encounter the error “ Windows installation on this disc is not possible. Your computer hardware may not support booting from this disk. Make sure that the controller for this drive is enabled in BIOS menu computer."
Why does this error occur and how to fix it?
Ways to solve the problem
Often, an error where it is impossible to create a partition for installing a new operating system occurs on old PCs with Windows 7. However, other operating systems, from XP to Windows 10, are also not immune to this problem.
The following factors may be the cause of this error:
- Incorrect SATA operating parameters settings;
- Equipment specifics (availability of additional SSD and SCSI cards).
Method No. 1. Through BIOS settings
To fix this error, you should boot into the BIOS and set the operating mode hard drive IDE. To do this we do the following:
- Reboot the PC and press “F8” several times to get into the BIOS.
- Find the “Advanced” or “Integrated Peripherals” section and select the “SATA Mode” or “SATA Raid”, “SATA Configuration” item in it (the path to the settings depends on the model motherboard). We change the operating mode from AHCI or another to IDE.
- Press “F10” and restart the PC. We repeat the system installation.
If your PC has new firmware BIOS, then instead IDE mode It's worth enabling EFI boot. To do this we do the following:
- We boot into BOIS-UEFI and go to the “Boot” section. Find the item “UEFI/Legacy Boot” and set it to “Enabled”.
- Save the changes and restart the PC.
It is worth noting that with this change it is possible that a new error will appear that is associated with MBR or GTP partitions.
If you have an additional cached SSD or other drive installed on your PC or laptop, this may be causing the problem. To fix the problem, perform the following steps:
- Determine the model and version of the device. We go to the developer’s website and download the drivers, which are sealed in an archive and not posted as a separate exe file.
- Unpack the files onto the flash drive.
- We start the Windows installation. At the volume selection stage, click on the “Download drivers” button.
- A new window will open. Click the “Browse” button and specify the path to the drivers. Click “Ok” and “Next”.
- We try again to select a volume to install the system.
Method No. 3. If the error is related to the GPT or MBR format
If during installation of Windows 7, 8 or 10 you receive the error “Windows cannot be installed on this drive. The selected disc has a style GPT partitions", it is worth changing the GPT format to MBR. To do this, perform the following steps.
- We save all data from drive C, since it will be formatted. It also wouldn't hurt to save information from local disk D.
- Opening command line with administrator rights and enter the following commands in order:
- diskpart;
- list disk;
- select disk No. (indicate the number of the disk on which you will install Windows and which one is causing problems);
- clean (the entire disk will be cleaned);
- convert mbr (format changed);
- exit.
After formatting the partition, you should restart the PC and try installing the OS again.
You can also perform the same steps over in a simple way. In the BIOS, in the “Boot” section, in the “UEFI/Legasy Boot” item, set Enabled, and in “ Secure Boot" - Disabled. After this, we delete all partitions and create new ones. The format will be automatically changed.
When installing a new version of Windows OS on your computer (usually version 8, 8.1 or 10), the user may encounter an error and the corresponding message “Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk contains an MBR table." This is usually due to the situation when the disk on which they are trying to install the Windows OS has an MBR partition table, while at the same time the user himself booted from installation disk or UEFI flash drives, which, in turn, require a hard drive with a more modern partition table - GPT. In this article I will tell you in detail what the error “The selected disk contains an MBR table” is, what its causes are, and how to fix it this error on your PC.
Let me remind the reader that MBR (Master Boot Record – main boot record) – this is a special boot sector located at the very beginning of the hard disk (drive). It contains the OS loader, and is used to obtain the data necessary to load the operating system correctly. The disadvantages of MBR include the ability to work with disk space volumes of no more than 2 Terabytes, and support for no more than 4 main hard drive partitions.
GPT is an abbreviation for GUID Partition Table– is an alternative, more advanced method of storing information, which is used in UEFI (a modern, improved replacement for the well-known BIOS). GPT got rid of MBR restrictions; there are no limits on disk space or the number of main partitions. When you install a new one on your computer Windows version 8 or 10, then for correct OS installation it is recommended to use GPT.
Typically older computers use Legacy Bios and boot via MBR, while modern computers prefer to work with UEFI and GPT.
The essence of the problem
Accordingly, if your disk works according to conservative patterns (with an MBR bootloader), and you try to install a modern version of Windows OS (8-10) on it, or a disk in UEFI mode, then you will receive the error I am considering: “Windows cannot be installed on this disk . The selected disk contains an MBR table."
How to fix the error “The selected disk contains an MBR table”
There are several ways to solve the problem where Windows cannot be installed on this disk. I would note the following methods:
Method 1. Changing BIOS settings
Method 2. Converting a disk from MBR to GPT without removing programs on the disk
Another option to fix the error when installing Windows 8.1 or 10 is to convert the MBR disk to GPT. There are several ways to do this, but I suggest using the functionality external programs level PartitionGuru (or Minitool Partition Wizard Bootable, AOMEI Partition Assistant Pro, etc.) which will allow you to keep the information on the disk intact.
Before you start converting using PartitionGuru, I advise you to save important files from your computer to another medium (do ), in order to avoid the “human factor” and other unplanned problems that could lead to the loss of the files you need. So:
Method 3. Converting a disk from MBR to GPT and removing programs on the disk
Another way to convert a disk from MBR to GPT is to use the command line functionality. The advantage of this method is its simplicity and the absence of the need to use software from third-party developers. Please note that the existing data on the disk will be deleted after this type of conversion.
So, during the installation of Windows 8 or 10, press the key combination Shift+F10 to open the command line (instructions for and). In it, type the following commands sequentially, remembering to press enter after each command:
diskpart
list disk — (note to yourself what is the number of the disk on which you want to install Windows OS)
select disk X - (instead of X, indicate the number of the mentioned disk on which you want to install Windows)
clean
convert gpt
exit
Close the command line, click on "Update". In the partition selection window, unallocated space will appear to which you can add disks using the “Create” button.
If necessary, restart your computer, boot from the flash drive or disk again, and try installing Windows OS from scratch again.
Method 4: Removing hard drive partitions using the Windows installer
You can also delete existing partitions in the Windows installer using the “Delete” button functionality, but please note that you you will lose all your data, located on such a disk. How to do it this operation shown in the video:
Conclusion
If you receive a message about the impossibility of installing Windows due to the reason “The selected disk contains an MBR table,” then, first of all, I recommend trying to change the BIOS settings by setting “ Boot Mode" to "Legacy". If this advice turns out to be ineffective (or you simply don’t have such a value in your BIOS), then I recommend converting the MBR disk to GPT using PartitionGuru or the command line functionality. Please note that if you use the command line functionality to convert the disk (as well as delete partitions in the OS installer), your data on the disk will be lost.
In contact with
Or it starts to malfunction and it becomes necessary to install a new one. However, this may come with some difficulties. Due to incorrect parameters that may be set through no fault of the user, errors appear that interfere with the normal installation of the operating system Microsoft Windows. Unfortunately, such troubles arise quite often. What to do in such a situation? In this article, we will look in detail at how to solve the error “Windows cannot be installed on this disk...”, as well as why such a malfunction occurs and what to do about it. Let's figure it out. Go!
If you get the error “The selected disk has a GPT partition style,” then you should pay attention to some parameters. For new computers with UEFI that support 64-bit operating systems, it is better to install on GPT disk(even if a regular BIOS instead of UEFI is not scary, it is important that there is support for 64-bit systems). For older PCs with a regular BIOS that only support 23-bit OS, it is better to install it on an MBR disk (this is done by conversion).
Installing Windows on GPT
The most common problem encountered is Windows users 7, however, this does not exclude the possibility of this problem appearing in newer versions of the system. To install on a GPT disk, be sure to select the 64-bit version of the OS. It should be loaded in EFI mode. Most likely, the error appears precisely because the last condition is not met.
First of all, open the BIOS. This is done by pressing a certain key on the keyboard, depending on the computer model, at the time the PC starts. Usually these are the Del or F2 keys. Once you are in the BIOS, change the CSM to UEFI boot. You will find this item in the “BIOS Features” or “ BIOS Setup" The next step is to select “AHCI” in the “Select SATA operating mode” item. In a regular BIOS, go to the “Advanced” tab, in the “AHCI Mode Control” section set “Manual”, and in the “Native AHCI Mode” item that appears below set “Disabled”. Those who have Windows 7 and older need to turn off Secure Boot mode.
There are different interface options, so the names of some items may differ slightly, so do not be alarmed if your names coincide with those indicated in the article. Don't forget to save your changes before exiting. After this, if you installed the OS from a disk, the error should no longer appear.
For those users installing Windows from a USB drive, you will most likely need to create bootable USB flash drive again, only now with UEFI support, so that the error disappears. To support UEFI, after you have created a bootable USB flash drive, you need to transfer it to it ISO image with the system. You need to do it like this:
- Mount the image;
- Select all files and folders of the image;
- Click right click mouse and from the list that appears, select “Send” and then “Removable disk”.
After this, installation problems should disappear.
Convert GPT to MBR
Before we move on to analyzing this process, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that it is better to move all data from the HDD, as they may be lost. If you are not worried about lost files, feel free to proceed to the steps below.
To convert a GPT partition table to an MBR partition table, use the key combination Shift+F10 when you are in the Windows Setup Wizard to launch the command line. Next, you need to repeat exactly next steps. Display a list of all disks on your PC, enter “diskpart” and then “listdisk”. To select the disk with which you are going to work further, write “select disk M”. In place of “M”, indicate the number corresponding to the desired disk. The previous command “list disk” just displayed the numbers on the screen.
Next, clean the disk by typing “clean”. When the cleanup is complete, enter "convert mbr" to convert GPT to MBR. Please note that with this approach all data will be lost. At the end, write the “exit” command. You can now close the Command Prompt or continue working with it to create partitions.
Exists Alternative option, which will save all data. This method consists of using special utilities. One of these is MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable. “Bootable” means that this version can be written to a USB drive (the flash drive must be bootable) and run even if Windows is not working. After downloading, you will see a menu in which you need to select the item corresponding to the name of the utility. Once in the MiniTool Partition window Wizard Bootable, select required disk and click on the item “Convert GPT Disk to MBR Disk”, which is on the left. Then click the "Apply" button.
If the system installed on your computer is working properly, then you can download other programs that have similar functionality, for example, Acronis Disk Director or Aomei Partition Assistant. You can also use the built-in Windows tools. To immediately go to the desired utility, use the Win + R “diskmgmt.msc” combination. Going to the Disk Management window, select the disk you want to convert and click Delete Volume. After that, click on it again and click on the “Convert to MBR disk” item. Ready.
After reading the material presented, you will know what to do if during the installation of Windows OS an error warning appears that Windows installation on this disc is not possible. All the methods discussed above will help you solve the problem. Write in the comments whether the article was useful to you and ask if anything was unclear.
Sometimes when installing Windows, including version 10, an error message is displayed on the screen. The text of the message is: “Windows cannot be installed on this disk.” Wherein HDD is displayed in the BIOS. It is also visible at the stage of installation of the operating system, where it could be divided into sections.
This problem occurs for two reasons:
- the controller is disabled in the BIOS (AHCI mode);
- The hard drive has a GPT volume.
Problem with AHCI mode
In addition to an error message informing that it is impossible to install Windows 7 or 10 on this disk, if there are difficulties with AHCI mode The computer cannot boot from the selected disk. The reason is that the controller may be disabled in the BIOS.
The problem is solved as follows:
Problem with GPT format
Another reason for the impossibility of installing Windows 7 or 10 versions with the display of a similar message may be GPT - the hard drive partition format.
Until recently, all hard drives were the same type. The only partition style was MBR. Over the past few years, manufacturers have been gradually switching to producing hard drives with the GPT format. But the boot files from the OS are not modified for the new formats, and as a result, the error described above appears during installation.
The MBR (master boot record) is the program code and data required to pre-start the computer. They are located in the initial marked sector of the hard drive. The MBR starts after the initial BIOS analysis of the performance of all devices. Its main function is to determine the location of the files that are needed to boot the OS.
GPT is a new standard for the volume table layout format. It was also developed standard interface built-in software for computers, replacing BIOS. It is called UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface).
The problem occurs because the OS installer cannot install Windows on the specified partition due to the fact that the partition table does not suit it.
There are 2 methods to solve the problem:
- installing the system on a similar disk;
- Converting a partition to MBR.
The choice of method should be determined by the following rules:
- if your computer supports the UEFI interface and you need to install a 64-bit OS (for example, Windows 10), then it is recommended to use the first option. Checking the presence of a UEFI interface is very simple. Graphics mode with the ability to control the mouse indicates the presence of UEFI;
- If the computer was manufactured several years ago, has a BIOS and requires installing a 32-bit operating system from MicroSoft, then you should convert GPT to MBR.
Using MBR limits some features, such as:
- their volume cannot exceed 4 TB;
- The maximum number of volumes on the HDD is limited to 4.
Installation of Windows 7, 8 and 10 on GPT
Problems when installing an OS on a GPT volume usually arise for those who want to install Windows 7, 8 and 10.
To install the OS on a GPT volume, you must meet 2 conditions:
- install a 64-bit system (for example, Windows 10);
- boot in EFI mode.
If the first condition is not met, what should be prepared bootable UEFI storage device.
But in most cases, only the second condition is not met. Therefore, it is better to immediately go into the BIOS and check the settings.
There are two parameters to set in the BIOS:
- enable UEFI boot;
- switch the operating mode from SATA to AHCI.
After saving the settings, you can install the OS on your computer. The mistake will not happen again.
Converting GPT volumes to MBR
There are several options for converting volume style. Let's look at them in more detail.
Converting to MBR when installing Windows via the command line
This method is optimal for use in situations where installing an OS such as Windows 7, 8, 10 is not feasible due to the GPT volume type. It can also be useful not only when installing the OS, but also during the normal operation of the OS for converting non-system partitions.
It should be remembered that when converting partitions, all information from them will be lost. Therefore, it is recommended to save everything important in advance. external media information.
To change the style of volumes from GPT to MBR via the command line:
- run the command line in Windows as a user with administrator rights;
- to display the list hard drives connected to the computer, enter the commands “diskpart” and “list disk” in sequence;
- select the disk to change the style with the command “select disk D”, where D is the disk number;
Then two scenarios are possible.- execute complete cleaning disk with the “clean” command. In this case, all HDD volumes will be deleted;
- You can delete HDD volumes one at a time using the commands “detail disk”, “select volume” and “delete volume”;
- start converting the disk to MBR with the “convert mbr” command;
- exit Diskpart by selecting “Exit”. Close the command prompt. After this, it is recommended to continue installing the operating system. This error message will no longer appear.
You can create volumes on the HDD by selecting “ Set up disk».
The volume style change is complete.
Changing partition style from GPT to MBR using Windows Disk Management
The alternative volume conversion method requires a properly functioning Windows 7, 8 or 10 operating system on personal computer. You can only convert a disk volume that is not a system one.
The sequence of steps to convert a HDD volume is as follows:
Utilities for changing partition style
Except standard methods converting HDD volumes provided by Microsoft developers, you can use third-party hard drive volume management utilities, such as
Video on the topic
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