Windows does not install on hard drive. What if installing Windows on this disk is impossible? Solutions: Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk has GPT partition style
Good day everyone, my interested readers and those who like to delve into their computers!
Yesterday I encountered a problem when installing Windows Seven on my colleague's laptop. That is, the operating system did not want to be installed at all. I had to dig through almost the entire Russian segment of the Internet, but I found the answer. And today I will tell you why Windows 7 cannot be installed from a flash drive or disk and how you can fix it.
What could be the reasons?
Let's imagine that as soon as you try to install Windows on a laptop from the media, the computer simply does not see the device. Most likely the boot option is not set in the BIOS. You need to fix this manually. To do this, when you boot your PC, you need to click F2 or DEL. A screen like this will appear.
Go to the BOOT tab (that is, download), and there we select the very first line. Denoting priority parameters. Everything is as in the image below.
There we see that the first in the list (that is, the top) is the hard drive. And you need to expose the flash drive.
Click on the first position and select Floppy Drive, which means mobile disk (in common parlance “flupar”).
If the solution through the BIOS did not help, most likely the USB flash drive itself has simply outlived its usefulness. This happens quite often, so be prepared for it. With frequent use, the media lasts on average 2-3 years.
Another situation is also possible. For example, when installing the system on a Lenovo laptop, the download begins, everything works until the moment when the files are unpacked.
In this case, everything is sad. Most likely, the operating system distribution was written incorrectly. Or, the image itself had broken files, which are now affecting the installation. You will have to download Windows itself again and rewrite it to the media again. Otherwise, you will have to buy a licensed disc.
By the way, even if you are not installing the OS from a blank machine, be prepared for the fact that the laptop may ask for an optical drive driver. This, again, means that the distribution kit itself came to you with an error. In this case, you can simply try disabling your drive in the BIOS and restarting the installation.
Black screen
Let's imagine a problem. We have an Asus laptop and media with an operating system. When the system starts for installation, the monitor goes off. Having a black screen can indicate two things.
Hard drive failed. You need to go into the BIOS and see if it is detected. If not, you most likely damaged it. If it is still in the list, then it needs to be disabled and then enabled.
Driver missing. It is quite possible that the required software is not included in the distribution itself. By the way, this often happens with Windows 7 images that were recorded by self-taught programmers and made mistakes when building the ISO file.
The train has come off. From the monitor to the bottom base of an HP laptop (or any other) there is a cable that passes through the left or right hinge of the cover. If you disassembled your computer, you could very well either damage the connector or disconnect it through negligence. Remove the PC case and check.
The computer is infected with a virus. Urgently download antiviruses, such as Comodo Internet Security or AVG AntiVirus Free and scan the system.
New hard
Very often, when purchasing a new hard drive, problems arise with installing the operating system. This is due to the new device. To fix it, go to the BIOS and find our hard drive in ahci mode.
That's it, now you can safely install the OS.
If you have a macro system for uefi, then the device will be detected automatically, without your intervention, since this type of BIOS is more modern.
What to do if nothing helps?
First of all, don't panic. Most likely, the program hangs due to a hardware error, that is, the problem is in the hardware. Download from here Victoria program.
Turn it on and let it analyze your hard drive. Especially its surface for errors, as well as the presence of built-in drivers. If there are bad blocks, then start saving for a new hard drive, since such problems cannot be cured. They mean that scratches have formed on the magnetic plate inside the case of your hard drive. It is quite possible that they appeared from a blow to the computer, or from a sharp shake, so treat your car with care.
It also happens that after installation, device drivers are not found. In this case, you will have to find the disks that came with your laptop. They have the necessary software. Or download from here— driver booster. Run it and it will download and install everything you need.
Conclusion
So I told you what to do if you encounter any of the errors described above. By the way, here is a video that will help you figure out what's what.
Remember that you should not immediately take your laptop to the service center. They will charge you money even just for diagnostics, and not a small amount at that. Look through my blog, read the materials, there are a lot of useful things in them. Perhaps you will solve the problem yourself, and you won’t have to shell out your hard-earned money. The main thing is not to try to get into the glands themselves. Especially the hard drive. If you open the case, dust will get in, which can lead to complete loss of data.
This is where I will end this article. I hope you don't encounter any problems with your computers. In any case, share this material with your friends, acquaintances and colleagues on social networks. Subscribe to my blog updates and you will always know about the release of new articles! All the best to you and look forward to new meetings!
Users encounter Windows installations more often than they would like. Thus, the fact remains unchanged that various types of errors may occur, after which Windows 7 will not install.
We will not consider special cases of malfunctions, but rather their main types and methods of elimination. To structure the search for a problem, you need to break down the possible causes into main categories, and by going through them one by one you will find your problem.
So, why won't Windows 7 install? – there are quite a lot of problems, but we will highlight the main ones:
- The problem is in the Windows distribution itself, especially if it is a repack;
- Problem with installing Windows on a flash drive/disk, that is, some kind of failure in the boot record;
- The problem is in the flash drive/disk itself and the drive;
- Incorrect BIOS settings or its outdated status.
Read also: Three ways to reset BIOS on a laptop
So, in order to determine why Windows 7 won’t install, the error can be completely different (it’s better to look for it specifically in order to narrow down the reasons why the problem arose), you need to gradually go through each item, which is what we’ll do.
The problem may occur if you booted Windows from outside. Since the “master” can be very different, you can expect any outcome. Although there is nothing left but to download the OS from another source.
A typical manifestation of such a problem is the presence of errors during installation, especially if it constantly occurs in a certain place. It may also be that the flash drive does not display the option to install Windows 7 at all, but this may not be the only reason.
To definitely not consider this option anymore, use the original disk or try loading a different image. Also check that you have installed it correctly.
Windows 7 cannot be installed from a flash drive/disk
Here you should make sure that the information on the media is correct. This problem is very common, as it occurs due to the use of defective or inappropriate programs to create an installation flash drive. You need to use another application, here are the ones that should work: WinSetupFromUSB or UltraISO.
Usually, if there were any failures during the recording process, then you will not see the flash drive at all as a launch medium or various errors will arise during the process: the absence or malfunction of some files.
Read also: How to open a file with an ISO extension?
The same applies to a DVD that was not recorded correctly or that errors occurred during the burning process. Here you should burn the disc again, only using the minimum speed, because this prevents many problems.
Windows 7 won't install - faulty media
The problem is relevant both for DVD discs (more often) and flash drives (less often). This usually means that the disc is too scratched or not recorded properly, or there may be some mechanical damage. The situation is similar with a flash drive, check its functionality on another computer, in particular, try writing/copying several files. Using a standard check (RMB-Properties-Service-Check Disk), make sure that it is working.
Read also: Restoring the last known known good configuration of Windows 7
Also try, in the case of a flash drive, to use the rear USB connectors since they have direct access to the motherboard, those on the front side use an extension cord, which may cause problems.
When using a disk, you should be sure that the disk drive itself is working properly, since in a situation where the laser loses power, there may be failures in reading information, and this will lead to an error.
These problems are characterized by a situation where they are not displayed at all in Windows or failures constantly occur in a random place (in the case of a disk drive).
Why won't Windows 7 install? BIOS problem
The first reason is an outdated BIOS. Thus, it has lost its relevance and can no longer perform some modern tasks, for example: older versions do not support large volumes of media. It is better to update the BIOS or you can use stripped-down media or Windows.
When using USB 3.0, problems are possible when Windows 7 drivers are not installed, since it is generally not designed to use this standard. A problem occurs when installing the original version. A solution can be found if you use additional drivers or third-party OS assemblies. You can also physically switch the drive to a connector with USB 2.0 or disable USB XHCI Controller in the BIOS, and for external HDDs - AHCI.
When preparing to install Windows 10 or during the process itself, problems may arise that prevent you from completing the update procedure. There are times when the installation freezes, is interrupted, displays an error, and other similar situations, from which you can recover yourself using the instructions below.
Problems before system installation
To install the system, you need installation media, which is recommended to be created using the official Microsoft program. After you install it, go through the first steps with choosing parameters and system capacity, you will be asked to choose which of the connected media to turn into installation media. The list provided by the program may not include the flash drive that you wanted to use for further installation of Windows 10. This can happen for the following reasons:
- The flash drive was not properly prepared. The flash drive must be empty, formatted in FAT32 or NTFS format and have at least 4 GB of total capacity. If at least one of the parameters is not met, then the Windows 10 setup program will not see the flash drive;
- The USB port into which the flash drive is plugged is faulty, try moving it to another port and check the result, remembering to restart the program;
- restart the computer, perhaps there are some unfinished operations being performed on the flash drive, so you cannot work with it, and after restarting the device they will all be completed;
- check whether the computer itself sees the flash drive, if not, then the problem and the reason lies there;
- if all else fails, then replace the flash drive or use any other method of turning it into installation media, for example, download a system image and burn it manually.
Endless updates
If, during the process of creating bootable media with a new operating system, updates are being searched for an infinitely long time, you need to close the update center:
Problems during the installation process
All of the following errors and problems occur during installation: freezing, interruption, incorrect outcome of the process, etc.
The disk contains an MBR partition table
This error occurs when selecting a disk or partition designated for installing the operating system itself. It appears due to the fact that the hard drive is formatted in a format that does not correspond to the mode set in the BIOS. There are two ways to get rid of this error: change the operating mode in the BIOS or reformat the disk. The second option is recommended, since the mode selected by default in the BIOS is the most optimal. You can reformat the disk in the standard way, but at the same time losing all data from it, or using a third-party program, interrupting the installation process, but saving all the information.
Error: Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk contains an MBR partition table." Changes to BIOS settings
By default, EFI mode is activated in the BIOS, which only works with disks in GPT format. Since your drive is in MBR format, you will have to change the mode to Legacy. To do this, turn off the computer, start turning it on, and as soon as the first signs of booting appear, press the F11, F12 or ESC key to activate the Boot Menu. Which of the possible buttons will be assigned in your case is described in a small footnote that appears on the screen when loading begins. In the drop-down list, you will need to select your flash drive, but without the UEFI or EFI prefix in the name.
We change the boot order so that the first place is a flash drive without UEFI and EFI You can also change the boot order in the BIOS itself, in the Boot or “Boot” section, putting the name of the flash drive in first place without the UEFI and EFI prefixes. After this, all that remains is to exit the Boot Menu or BIOS, after saving the new settings. Done, you can continue installing Windows.
We put a flash drive without a UEFI and EFI prefix in first place Changing the disk format to MBR using the standard method
Format changes will be made via the command line. The disadvantage of this method is that you will have to delete all the data on the disks, so copy it to another medium in advance to save it.
Changing the disk format to MBR using a third-party program
To convert using a third-party program, you can use the Minitool Partition Wizard Bootable application, the image of which must be downloaded from the official website of the developer and written to a flash drive formatted in FAT32 format. The advantage of this method is that you don't have to delete data from the disk to convert it.
Once the drive is converted to GPT format, enter the Boot Menu again and boot from the installation media to return to the Windows 10 installation.
The system does not install on the SSD disk
The reason why you cannot install Windows on an SSD drive is most likely that the BIOS operating mode is set to IDE instead of the required ACHI. To fix this, follow these steps:
- While turning on your computer, press the Delete key on your keyboard several times to enter the BIOS. Another button can be used to enter the settings menu, it depends on the motherboard model, but when the computer boots, a footnote appears on the screen that will tell you how to enter the BIOS.
Entering the BIOS - Once you enter the BIOS, you will see either the stock BIOS or a newer UEFI version. There are also possible options for the presence of the Russian language and its absence. Partitions in different BIOS versions may have different names, so your main task is to find the mode switch from IDE to ACHI. In one version of UEFI this is done like this: first go to the Setting section.
Go to the Settings section - Go to advanced settings.
Open additional settings - Open the “Embedded Peripherals” subsection.
We enter the section “Built-in peripheral devices” - In the “SATA Configuration” block, find the required line and change the mode to ACHI. Done, all that remains is to exit the BIOS, saving all the changes made, and you can return to installing the new OS.
Changing the SATA mode to ACHI
If changing the mode does not help, then the reason can be looked for in the following parameters:
- There are several disks connected to the computer, this may cause the installation to fail, so leave only one of them and try the installation again;
- The flash drive from which the installation was carried out was formatted in NTFS format, and not in FAT32, suitable for SSD drives. In this case, you need to reformat the media and write the system image onto it again;
- If none of the above helped, then try installing from disk, sometimes this helps solve the problem.
Blue screen appears during installation
A blue screen with text and a description of the error occurs when the installer encounters an insurmountable error and cannot continue the process. In this case, it will automatically erase all already installed update files and roll back the system to the moment when the installation procedure had not yet begun.
Installation aborted due to blue screen After the rollback is complete, you can start the installation again. Perhaps this time it will be stable. If not, the blue screen appears again, you need to return to the system already existing on the disk and delete all unnecessary applications in it and disconnect all unnecessary devices connected to the computer. Most likely, the system cannot install updates correctly precisely because of third-party programs and devices.
If this does not help, then copy all important information from the disk to third-party media, and proceed to manual installation, during which you can delete all information from the disk. Do just that, erase all data from the disk partitions and install Windows 10 on a clean partition.
A black screen appears during installation
If during installation of the system a black screen appears on which nothing is displayed or only the mouse cursor is displayed, then there may be several reasons for this behavior of the computer:
But before solving the problem, just wait, the system may still be carrying out the update process in the background. You should only think about solving the problem manually if the black screen does not move for more than half an hour.
Driver Update
- To enter Safe Mode, we will use the Command Prompt. To call it, return to the Windows 10 setup program again, to do this, turn off the computer by holding the Power button for 10-15 seconds and turn it on. Once the program is open, use the key combination Shift+F10 to launch the Command Prompt.
Activate the command line with the combination Shift+F10 - Run the command bcdedit /set (default) safeboot network, then the command shutdown /r and, when asked, confirm the action by pressing the Enter key again. The computer will reboot itself and turn on in safe mode.
Run the commands bcdedit /set (default) safeboot network and shutdown /r - When the startup is complete, open the device manager, find the video card in the general list and right-click on it and select “Update drivers.” Go through the automatic update process or, if the computer cannot find the drivers itself, download them from the official website of the company that created the video card and install them manually.
Update video card drivers manually or automatically - Once the driver update is complete, run Command Prompt as an administrator, run bcdedit (default) /deletevalue safeboot to disable automatic startup in safe mode, shut down your computer, and return to the Windows 10 upgrade process.
Run the command bcdedit (default) /deletevalue safeboot
What to do if the installation process freezes
The installation process may freeze at the following stages:
- when the Windows logo appears;
- at the stage of file preparation;
- right during installation, when the screen displays that the process is 0, 10, 99, 32% or another percentage complete.
Keep in mind that the installation process can remain at one percent for up to several hours if the computer is not particularly powerful or is overloaded with files. Therefore, first wait at least two hours, and only if nothing happens after that, you can proceed to manually fix the problem.
It’s impossible to say for sure why the freeze happened in your case, so check all the options that could cause the freeze, one by one:
- Disconnect all unnecessary devices from the computer, leaving only the keyboard, mouse and monitor connected. Also remove any excess SATA cables going to the CD port and USB flash drives.
- Check that the BIOS settings are correct and that the installation media is in the correct format. Remember that the parameters will be different for SSD and HDD disks, BIOS and UEFI, GTP and MBR formats. Somewhere you need to enable ACHI mode, and somewhere IDE, somewhere you need to format it in FAT32, and somewhere in NTFS, and so on. Based on the type and format of the hard drive, as well as the BIOS version, find the specifications suitable for your build on the Internet and install them.
- Before you upgrade to Windows 10, be sure to install all available updates on your existing operating system. This can be done through the built-in Update Center program, which is present in Windows 7, Windows 1, and older versions.
- If the installation freezes when using a USB flash drive as installation media, try installing from a CD.
- Don't forget to make sure that your computer meets the minimum requirements for Windows 10, they are presented on the official Microsoft website.
- If you can’t install the system on top of the old, already installed Windows, then at the step of managing hard drive partitions, format all the blocks and install Windows 10 on a completely blank disk.
- If you are not installing the system on a clean hard drive, then remove the antivirus; it may interfere with the update. Also erase all programs that make changes to the interface and other system parameters of the system.
Error: "Could not create new partition"
When installing Windows manually, sometimes an error appears stating that it is impossible to create or find an existing partition. It appears because there is no unallocated memory or partitions on the disk that could be allocated for installing the operating system. The way out of this situation is to create the necessary partitions manually. This can be done in two ways: by deleting existing partitions and creating new ones, or by reducing existing partitions and distributing freed memory.
Error: "We were unable to create a new partition or find an existing partition" Standard method
You can delete partitions and create new ones right in the same window in which you received the error.
Via command line
Using the command line, instead of deleting partitions, you can compress them without losing the files that are on it.
The installation causes the computer to restart repeatedly
It is normal for your computer to reboot during installation; it may reboot five to six times to get everything configured correctly. But if this operation is repeated too many times, then you need to interrupt the process manually, return to the already installed system and perform the following steps:
The installation program window does not appear
If you are faced with the fact that the installation program window does not appear, then follow the instructions from the paragraph “What to do if the installation process freezes,” described above in the article.
The installation window did not appear after booting from a flash drive Device drivers not found
An error stating that device drivers were not found appears when you try to install Windows 10 for the following reasons:
- USB0 flash drive is connected to port 3.0 or, conversely, USB 3.0 flash drive is connected to port 2.0. Switch it to the desired port and repeat the installation.
- The system image was recorded incorrectly or was damaged from the start. Rewrite it. It's better to use a non-standard Microsoft program and burn the image using UltraISO.
- Use a disk for installation, not a flash drive.
Bottom line: Use a different media, port, or image to get rid of this error.
Code errors when installing Windows 10
If errors occur during the installation of Windows, the description of which contains a unique code, then the best way out in this situation is to search for a solution using this particular code. Based on the unique number, which usually looks like 0xc1900101, you can find a solution specifically for your case. If it is not available on the Internet, then contact the official Microsoft support service and tell them this code, they will provide you with instructions for further actions.
During installation of Windows 10, an error with the code may appear Video: problems during installation of Windows 10 and their solutions
So, if errors occur during the installation of Windows 10 or the process does not complete, freezes or is interrupted, then first of all you need to check that the BIOS, installation media and hard drive are configured correctly. The next step is to check the computer components and drivers for them. The best way out is to clean the disk by formatting and install the system on a clean partition using the official Microsoft program.
Let's consider many ways to get the error "Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk has a GPT partition style." Previously, there was an old MBR disk partition system and it could no longer operate with the new amount of data TR (terabytes). They came up with the GPT system for disks and it was introduced with the new bisos uefi graphics. Let's approach the presented dilemma using our own, standard means. I would like to note that some users described their actions as simply going into bios and disabling UEFI mode. It all depends on many factors, including the Windows architecture, 64 or 32 bit.
Solutions: Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk has GPT partition style
1. Change UEFI boot mode
Nowadays, most motherboards support both traditional boot and UEFI Boot. Users can choose the most suitable one in the bios settings. Look carefully! Everyone's bios is different.
- Change value UEFI, instead of CSM in the Feature or Setup section.
- In the Peripherals line, click SATA mode: AHCI instead of IDE.
- (This step is optional, try it if the above doesn't work). In the Key Management line of the Secure Boot function, which is located on the BOOT tab, change Other OS instead of Windows UEFI Mode.
If you record from a flash drive and this method does not work, then rewrite . Unforgettable! Press f10 to save the settings.
2. Removing partitions when installing windows
If you don’t mind the data and want to do everything quickly, then delete all partitions when installing Windows, and then format the entire hard drive. Then re-create the partitions you need. This will create a new table on the hard disk.
- Remove all disk partitions.
- Recreate them.
Format ( The method will erase all data).
3. Convert or convert GPT disk to MBR
The method will erase all data.
- When the error appears, click OK to close the error message and press Shift + F10, Shift + Fn + F10 (for laptops) to open cmd (command prompt). If nothing works, then go back a step to the windows installation interface and press the Shift + F10 button to launch cmd again.
- Enter the following commands in order: diskpart -> list disk -> select disk 1 -> clean -> convert MBR. Line translation: diskpart program -> list of disks -> select disk 1 (1 indicates the number of GPT disks) -> clear -> MBR conversion. The picture shows what commands were entered. You can type the codes into a line based on the picture. When the diskpart program converts to MBR format, you can exit the program and continue installing Windows.
4. Use standard disk management utility
If another OS is available on your laptop or it is possible to create a bootable Life DVD or flash drive. You can use the standard Windows disk management program. You can also connect your hard drive HDD to another computer.- To start the program, click "start", right-click on my "computer" or the icon on the desktop, select "Manage" and "Disk Management" from the context menu
- Delete all partitions or volumes on the disk one by one by right-clicking, “delete volume”. (Delete Volume)
- When the disk becomes unallocated, click on the disk and select " convert to MBR disk"(Convert to MBR Disk). After these steps, the original GPT disk will be converted to MBR disk, and then you can proceed to install Windows on this disk.
Windows 8, then you are sure to encounter several problems that will prevent you from installing Windows 7 instead of Windows 8.
Problem 1:
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to install Windows 7 on drives with a GPT table of contents - some laptops simply do not allow you to install Windows 7 with UEFI boot enabled. It will not be possible to install Windows 7 on GPT disks from a non-original disk (for example, from a disk containing images with different editions of Windows 7), as well as from a “non-UEFI” bootable flash drive (you can create a flash drive with a UEFI boot loader, but not for every user this is possible). Therefore, the easiest way is to deactivate the above item(s) UEFI-boot (and/or Secure-boot) in the BIOS of the laptop or computer motherboard and then Windows 7 will install without problems. Activating "UEFI-boot" allows you to create a service UEFI partition on the target drive with a GPT (GUID Partiton Table) table of contents. Accordingly, deactivation allows you to install Windows 7 on disks with MBR partitioning.
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Examples
In some cases, you can access the BIOS settings from the Windows 8 service menu. You can get into it by performing a standard reboot while holding down the Shift key.
Problem 2:
As mentioned above, pre-installed Windows 8 is most often installed on drives with GPT contents. If you are experiencing "Problem 1" from this FAQ, then in order to install Windows 7, the disk must be converted to a traditional MBR (Master Boot Record). You can convert GPT to MBR during the installation of Windows 7, namely:At the moment when the installation wizard prompts you to select a drive/partition to install the operating system, you need to use the key combination Shift + F10, which will open the command line.
Command Prompt opens by pressing Shift + F10 during Windows installation
On the command line:
- Type "diskpart" and press ENTER.
- At the diskpart command prompt, type "list disk" without quotes and press "ENTER".
- Write down the number of the disk you want to convert to an MBR disk.
- At the diskpart command prompt, type without quotes: "select disk
" (Where - disk number) and press the "ENTER" key. - Type the command "clean" to quickly clean the disk and remove all partitions
- At the diskpart command prompt, type "convert mbr" without quotes and press "ENTER".
