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 “Installing Windows on this disk impossible. The selected disk contains an MBR table." This is usually due to a situation where 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 an installation disk or UEFI flash drive, which, in turn, needs HDD 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 - master boot record)– this is a special boot sector located at the very beginning of the hard disk (drive). It contains the OS bootloader, and is used to obtain the data necessary to boot correctly operating system. 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 on your computer new version Windows 8 or 10, then for correct installation of the OS it is recommended to use GPT.
Typically older computers use Legacy Bios and MBR boot, while modern computers prefer to run UEFI and GPT.
Accordingly, if your disk operates 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."
There are several ways to solve the problem where Windows cannot be installed on this disk. I would note the following methods:
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:
Another way to convert a disk from MBR to GPT is to use the functionality command line. 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.
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 perform this operation is shown in the video:
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.
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Friends, hello everyone! Again we have problems installing the operating system. This time the installer produced the following message: installing Windows onthedisk is not possible . The selected disk contains a tableMBR partitions.
We already talked at the end about the new standard for partitioning of PC hard drives, called GPT. So, the above-mentioned MBR is old version the same markup that is used in a standard installation of Windows 7 or XP.
That is why the error “The selected disk contains an MBR partition table” indicates that you are trying to install, for example, the tenth version of the operating system on a computer where the seven (or XP) previously lived peacefully with the old hard drive layout.
This leads to another reason for this problem. In the previous article (link at the beginning) I said that GPT markup is used in conjunction with software UEFI. And as the message in the picture above says, on EFI systems, Windows can only be installed on a GPT disk. Damn, these concepts are making my head spin. ; - )
But it's actually simple. It turns out that if you try to disable booting in UEFI mode, then in theory the error in question should disappear. Let's do just that. For this and in the download type section " Boot Mode " set the value " Legacy Support " .
If the error does not pass, you should also change the value of the line " Boot Priority " on " Legacy First " . Of course, it is clear that each user’s BIOS partitions may differ, because it depends on specific model PC or laptop. But if you understand the general essence, then there should be no problems.
If after these manipulations yours stops loading, you should also disable the mode " Secure Boot " .
And so, after all the above done manipulation, error of the form " Installing Windows onthedisk is not possible. The selected disk contains a tableMBR partitions"should disappear.
But if nothing has changed or you want to convert partitions to a more modern GPT format, then in the next article I will definitely tell you about this. Now ask your questions, if any, and let's watch an interesting video.
You may encounter the message “Windows cannot be installed on this disk” at the stage of selecting an operating system installation partition if not supported download from the selected storage medium. The reason that caused this obstacle is stated in the installer's message.
Reasons There may be several such problems:
About two latest problems Let's talk in more detail.
The appearance at one time of the connection mode for the SATA storage media controller AHCI, which replaced the old IDE, entailed additional requirement to the composition of the Windows distribution kit - the presence of the corresponding drivers. AHCI driver support is announced in OS versions starting with Vista.
But Windows 7 does not always want to be installed on a computer with active mode SATA AHCI controller. There are two ways out here - change of distribution(AHCI drivers can be cut by packagers of pirated assemblies) and AHCI switching to old IDE mode. In the latter case, you need to enter the BIOS, find the section for setting the parameters of the SATA controller (sections may be called “Integrated Peripherals”, “Storage Configuration”, etc.) and change the preset AHCI to IDE. 
Windows will not install if the disk has wrong style sections:
The last case is the most common: everyone who either replaced motherboard for a new one BIOS support UEFI or connected to PC assembly HDDs or SSD with MBR partitioning. There may also be two options for getting out of the situation:
If there is no important data on the hard drive, transformation from MBR to GPT will be carried out automatically Windows installer. To do this, at the stage of choosing the OS installation location, you need to delete all existing partitions. 
And as an installation location indicate whole unoccupied space. 
Need to complete the process Windows reinstallation, return to the old system and install this program. Or boot up with LiveDisk with AOMEI Partition Assistant included, if you already have access to the old Windows impossible. Program developer - AOMEI company - provides possibility of creating an emergency bootable media with your products on board. To create such media, you need to use another product of the company - AOMEI PE Builder. Also, AOMEI Partition Assistant, among other software for system engineers, is included in LiveDisk AdminPE.
To convert disk from MBR to GPT, follow the steps as in the screenshots below.
After converting the section style again launch Windows installation.
If the question is the opposite - for example, the motherboard do not support BIOS UEFI, but the assembly of components included an HDD or SSD with GPT partitioning, nothing left other than convert it in the MBR. This can be done in the same ways as described above for the reverse process:
To convert a disk from GPT to MBR, follow the same steps as in previous section article, with the only difference that this time we launch, accordingly, the reverse operation. 
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 a 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).
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” section. 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. For UEFI support, 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:
After this, installation problems should disappear.
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 the following steps exactly. 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 Wizard Bootable window, select the desired disk and click on the “Convert GPT Disk to MBR Disk” item, which is located 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 it is impossible to install Windows on this disk. 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.
Progress in creation personal computers and server systems, achieved over the past 20 years, is evident. However, the rudiments of dead platforms still determine many technological aspects of rapidly developing computing technology.
One of these rudiments is the BIOS - a microprogram in assembly language, executed in a special processor operating mode, recorded on a microcircuit, component motherboard
Time passes and the rudiments die off. So the BIOS is being replaced, long-awaitedly, by UEFI technology, which is replacing the Master Boot Record (MBR - Master Boot Record) with GPT.
GPT (abbreviation for GUID Partition Table) – format for storing partition records hard drive.
Unlike MBR, GPT does not contain executable code and does not transfer control of the computer to the operating system bootloader.
These functions are performed by UEFI. GPT contains the following information:
GPT has a number of significant advantages over MBR.
Among them:
For compatibility reasons, if the selected disk has a GPT partition style, block zero contains an MBR with a special partition type value set. This is necessary for the hard drive to work on computers with BIOS.
It is clear that such a hard drive cannot be bootable, however, if the installed operating system supports disks with the GPT layout style, then information from them can be read.
To install Windows on a computer with a GPT hard disk layout style, the following conditions must be met:
The first condition is dictated by Microsoft policy: only 64-bit versions of Windows operating systems allow the use of UEFI and GPT.
Photo: Microsoft Windows 8 64-bit operating system
The second condition follows from the fact that GPT is one of the UEFI standards and is not supported by regular BIOS.
To install the operating system you need installation disk or flash drive. There are several ways to create a bootable USB flash drive:
As specialized programs you can use:
Important! A UEFI-compatible flash drive must be formatted with the FAT32 file system, therefore, the maximum amount of data placed on it cannot exceed 4 GB.
If the operating system distribution is larger than 4 GB, it is recommended to format the flash drive in file system NTFS.
To configure the UEFI BIOS, you need to do the following:
Figure 2. Saving changes and rebooting
Option Secure Boot allows execution only by those boot programs, which are signed with digital keys known to UEFI. This option is usually located in the Security menu; to disable it, you need to set it to Disabled.
Photo: transferring UEFI to BIOS compatibility mode
To determine the loading order, press the button "Boot Menu" and in the dialog box that opens, select a flash drive or DVD drive.
Attention! If BIOS compatibility mode has not been enabled, the DVD drive must operate in UEFI compatibility mode!
In some cases, saving changes is not required; the operating system installation process will begin immediately after the boot order is determined.
Please note: the Windows 7 operating system does not recognize the quality boot disk flash drive operating according to the USB 3.0 standard. The flash drive must be installed in a USB 1.0 or USB 2.0 connector. These connectors are usually black in color, unlike USB 3.0 connectors, which are blue in color.
The process of installing an operating system on a disk with a GPT layout style is no different for Windows 7 and Windows 8 systems and includes the following sequence of user actions:
Photo: installing Windows on an unpartitioned disk
Please note: deleting pre-existing partitions cannot occur without data loss, so all information on the deleted partitions will be destroyed! Before deleting hard drive partitions, create backups important information.
If the operating system installation program gives you the error “Windows cannot be installed on this disk.”
Photo: Selected disk has GPT partition style
The selected disk has a GPT partition style", there are two possible reasons:
If the computer does not have UEFI, then you need to repartition the hard drive to MBR style. The simplest way is to use console command diskpart.
Photo: MBR style hard drive initialization
Please note that changing the disk partition style may destroy all data on it, so you should make backup copies of the information before changing the disk partition style.
When installing Windows on a disk with a GPT partition style, you need to pay attention to the following:
