You want to install Windows on your computer, but you're encountering a problem: Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT or MBR partition style. What does this mean? How do you resolve this error? This article will explain the possible causes and solutions for installing Windows on any disk.

For easier troubleshooting, we recommend watching this video tutorial if you encounter the error: “Windows cannot be installed on this disk”

Why can't Windows be installed on this disk?

• If your computer is booted in legacy BIOS mode, you can only install Windows on an MBR disk since the traditional BIOS cannot recognize the GPT partition.
• If your computer is booted in UEFI mode, you can only install Windows on a GPT disk since UEFI cannot recognize the MBR partition.

How to resolve the error “Windows cannot be installed on this disk”?

To resolve this error, you have two possible options:

• Change your computer's boot mode to match the disk partition style.
• Change the disk partition style to match your computer's boot mode.

Change your computer's startup mode

To change your computer's boot mode, you need to enter the BIOS or UEFI setup and modify the appropriate settings.

Step 1 : Start or restart your computer and press and hold a key to enter the BIOS or UEFI before the Windows . The key varies depending on the computer model, but it is usually indicated on the screen or in the user manual.

Step 2 : In the BIOS or UEFI, look for the options related to the boot mode. These may be found under different names depending on the manufacturer, such as Boot Mode, Boot Option Priorities, Boot Sequence, etc.

Step 3 : Modify the startup mode according to your needs:

• If you want to install Windows on a GPT disk, choose UEFI or UEFI + Legacy.
• If you want to install Windows on an MBR disk, choose Legacy or Legacy + UEFI.

Step 4 : Save the changes and exit the BIOS or UEFI. Restart your computer and try installing Windows again.

Change the disk partition style

To change the disk partition style, you need to use a partition management tool such as Diskpart or AOMEI Partition Assistant.

Warning: Changing the disk partition style will erase all data on the disk. Therefore, it is recommended that you back up your important data before performing this operation.

Use Diskpart

Diskpart is a tool built into Windows that allows you to run commands to manage disk partitions.

Step 1 Windows installation media (USB flash drive or DVD) and choose the language, time, and keyboard layout.

Step 2 : Click on Repair computer in the bottom left corner.

Step 3 : Click on Troubleshooting > Command Prompt.

Step 4 : Type diskpart and press Enter to launch the tool.

Step 5 : Type list disk and press Enter to display all disks connected to your computer.

Step 6 : Type select disk x (x being the number of the disk where you want to install Windows ) and press Enter to select the target disk.

Step 7 : Type clean and press Enter to erase all partitions present on the disk.

Step 8 : Type convert gpt or convert mbr as needed and press Enter to change the disk partition style.

• If you want to install Windows in UEFI mode, type convert gpt.
• If you want to install Windows in legacy BIOS mode, type convert mbr.

Step 9 : Type exit and press Enter to quit Diskpart.

Use AOMEI Partition Assistant

AOMEI Partition Assistant is a free software that allows you to perform advanced operations on disk partitions without data loss.

Step 1 : Download AOMEI Partition Assistant from its official website and install it on another working computer.

Step 2 : Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant and click on Create Bootable Media in the left sidebar.

Step 3 : Follow the on-screen instructions to create a bootable USB drive with the built-in AOMEI Partition Assistant.

Step 4 : Start your computer with the bootable USB drive created earlier and choose AOMEI Partition Assistant from the menu.

Step 5 : In AOMEI Partition Assistant, right-click on the disk where you want to install Windows and choose Convert to MBR/GPT as needed.

• If you want to install Windows in UEFI mode, choose Convert to GPT.
• If you want to install Windows in legacy BIOS mode, choose Convert to MBR.

Step 6 : Click Apply in the upper left corner to confirm the operation.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions on the topic “Windows cannot be installed on this disk”.

What is a GPT or MBR disk?

A GPT or MBR disk is a disk that uses a different partition style to organize data. The partition style determines how the operating system recognizes and accesses the disk.

• A GPT (GUID Partition Table) disk is a disk that uses a modern partition table that allows the creation of up to 128 primary partitions, the management of disks larger than 2 TB, and support for UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) booting.
• An MBR (Master Boot Record) disk is a disk that uses an older partition table that allows the creation of up to 4 primary partitions or 3 primary partitions and one extended partition, manages disks up to 2 TB and supports BIOS (Basic Input Output System) booting.

How can I tell if my computer is in UEFI or legacy BIOS mode?

You can check your computer's startup mode by following these steps:

• Start or restart your computer and continuously press a key to enter the BIOS or UEFI before the Windowslogo appears.
• In the BIOS or UEFI, look for the options related to the boot mode. These may be listed under different names depending on the manufacturer, such as Boot Mode, Boot Option Priorities, Boot Sequence, etc.
• Check if the boot mode is UEFI or Legacy. If you see both options, it means your computer can support both modes.

How can I tell if my disk is in GPT or MBR format?

You can check your disk format by following these steps:

• Start your computer with the Windows installation media (USB key or DVD) and choose the language, time, and keyboard layout.
• Click Install Now and accept the terms of the license agreement.
• Click on Custom (advanced) and display the list of available disks.
• Right-click on the disk where you want to install Windows and choose Disk Details.
• Check if the partition style is GPT or MBR.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the GPT and MBR formats?

Here is a comparative table of the advantages and disadvantages of the GPT and MBR formats:

Format	Benefits	Disadvantages
GPT	– Allows the creation of up to 128 primary partitions. – Allows the management of disks larger than 2 TB. – Supports UEFI booting. – Offers enhanced data protection through information redundancy.	– Not compatible with legacy BIOS boot. – Not recognized by older operating systems.
MBR	– Is compatible with legacy BIOS boot. – Is recognized by all operating systems.	– Allows the creation of up to 4 primary partitions or 3 primary partitions and one extended partition. – Supports disks up to 2 TB. – Does not support UEFI booting. – Offers weak data protection in case of boot sector corruption.

What is the difference between UEFI and BIOS?

UEFI and BIOS are two types of firmware that allow the operating system to communicate with the computer hardware.

• UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is a modern firmware that offers more features, such as a graphical interface, network support, enhanced security, etc.
• BIOS (Basic Input Output System) is an older firmware that offers fewer features, but is more compatible with older operating systems.

Is it possible to install Windows on an external hard drive?

Yes, it is possible to install Windows on an external drive, but certain conditions must be met:

• The external drive must be connected via USB 3.0 or higher to ensure sufficient transfer speed.
• The external drive must be formatted as NTFS to support Windowssystem files.
• The external drive must be partitioned in GPT to support UEFI booting.
• The external drive must have at least 32 GB of free space to install Windows.

Conclusion

In this article, we've shown you how to resolve the " Windows cannot be installed on this disk" error that can occur when installing Windows on a GPT or MBR disk. We've explained the causes and possible solutions for installing Windows on any type of disk. We hope this article has been helpful and that you were able to install Windows without any problems. If you're still experiencing difficulties, you can try restarting your PC and restarting the installation.