Windows cannot be installed on this disk. MBR to GPT

Hi,

I'm trying to install the Windows 8.1 Enterprise evaluation on my iMac. I used Boot Camp to create a bootable USB and a partition to install windows on. Now I'm in the setup software on the USB, to install windows. But once I try to select the partition to install windows on, the following message pops up:

"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."

What do I do? 

Kind regards,

Sander

February 13th, 2015 9:44am

Boot your USB key in legacy mode to install to MBR disk.
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February 13th, 2015 11:33am

The odd thing is, the partition map scheme of my disk is in fact GPT. I think I've read somewhere it's a hybrid GPT.

Why does my bootable USB recognise it as a MBR disk? And is it safe to boot my USB key in legacy mode and install it? Since my disk isn't really MBR.


February 13th, 2015 1:31pm

The odd thing is, the partition map scheme of my disk is in fact GPT. 

Why does my bootable USB recognise it as a MBR disk? And is it safe to boot my USB key in legacy mode and install it? Since my disk isn't really MBR.



  • Edited by Sander de J 18 hours 36 minutes ago updated info
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February 13th, 2015 9:27pm

The odd thing is, the partition map scheme of my disk is in fact GPT. 

Why does my bootable USB recognise it as a MBR disk? And is it safe to boot my USB key in legacy mode and install it? Since my disk isn't really MBR.



  • Edited by Sander de J Saturday, February 14, 2015 5:08 PM updated info
February 13th, 2015 9:27pm

Hi,

Have you tried that suggestion?

You also could use this commands to check and install again:

Inside windows installer, hit Shift+F10 to get a command prompt, then run diskpart and type List disk to displays a list of disks and information about them, such as their size, amount of available free space, whether the disk is a basic or dynamic disk, and whether the disk uses the master boot record (MBR) or GUID partition table (GPT) partition style.

and then select the target disk. Zap the drive (with the clean command), create GPT table (new gpt), create the GPT-EFI special partitions.

Step-by-step instructions is here for reference:

HOW TO: Use the Diskpart.efi Utility to Create a GUID Partition Table Partition on a Raw Disk in Windows

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297800?wa=wsignin1.0

Then reboot so the firmware finds those partitions and adds the disk to the EFI-native boot order (Windows installer checks this).

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February 15th, 2015 1:13am

Are you booting to the EFI windows while holding Option on boot?
February 15th, 2015 4:11am

Boot your media in UEFI mode to install to GPT disk, boot in Legacy moed to install to MBR disk.

I have not used BootCamp before, so I am unsure of how to safely/properly install Windows in that environment.

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February 16th, 2015 11:46am

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