Install Windows 7 to SSD Drive, Selected Disk has MBR Partition Table.

[Price1475]

Hello,

I have a Dell Latitude E6410 that has Windows 7 with a SSD hard drive. I am trying to format the hard drive and reinstall windows 7 home prem. I went into the bios changed boot list option to legacy. The only options I get are Legacy and UEFI. My hard drive is recognized in the bios. I then put my Windows 7 installation disk in and boot to it. When I get to the screen that shows my partitions I select the partition that I want to format and it says

"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.

Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu."

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Is there some reason you do not want to use GPT?

 

[genet]

"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."

Quote from this post: UEFI Boot Mode (installing using the GPT partition style) and Legacy BIOS Boot Mode (installing using the MBR partition style). -> link

   Tip

Error message when you boot from the Windows installation media in Legacy BIOS Boot Mode:

Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style. (see screenshot below)

That is because Windows can only be installed to MBR disk in Legacy BIOS Boot Mode, but you plan to install Windows on a GPT disk.

- Boot from the Windows installation media in UEFI Boot Mode, so you can use GPT (GUID Partition Table).
- But if you want to use MBR (Master Boot Record) partition table, then delete all partitions on the disk.



Error message when you boot from the Windows installation media in UEFI Boot Mode:

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. (see screenshot below)

That is because Windows can only be installed to GPT disk in UEFI Boot Mode, but you plan to install Windows on an MBR disk.

- Delete all partitions on the disk, so you can use GPT (GUID Partition Table).
- But if you want to use MBR (Master Boot Record) partition table, then boot from the Windows installation media in Legacy BIOS Boot Mode.

 

[AddRAM]

Yep, just convert the drive to MBR, and you`ll be off and running, I mean installing

 

[Price1475]

How do i convert to mbr? I don't have a problem using GPT. In my bios I can only set to legacy or UEFI.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26203-convert-gpt-disk-mbr-disk.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26193-convert-mbr-disk-gpt-disk.html

 

[genet]

When I get to the screen that shows my partitions I select the partition that I want to format and it says

"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."

Delete all partitions on the disk, so you can use GPT (GUID Partition Table).

-or-

If you want to use MBR (Master Boot Record) partition table, then boot from the Windows installation media in Legacy BIOS Boot Mode.

 

[Price1475]

I created a bootable windows 7 home prem iso on my usb flash drive with Rufus. In my bios I have it set to Legacy. My SSD hard drive is showing up in the bios. I booted from my USB flash drive, when I get to the screen "Where do you want to install Windows" I tried deleting the partitions and it says "failed to delete the selected partition. [Error:0x8007045d]." It also says "Windows cannot be installed to Disk 0 Partition 1 and 2.

Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Do you have access to any partitioning tools unrelated to that Rufus USB flash drive?

Such as a Partition Wizard bootable disk? Or Gparted? Or Diskpart?

 

[Price1475]

Yes....I can get any of these. Which one do you recommend?

Thanks

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Diskpart is probably the simplest, but Partition Wizard has the most features.

If you are simply trying to wipe the disk of ALL partitions, either should work.

I have no personal experience with Gparted.

 

[Price1475]

I just downloaded Partition Wizard

 

[ignatzatsonic]

OK; get it on a bootable disk or on a bootable USB stick.

 

[genet]

If you cannot delete all the partitions on the Where do you want to install Windows? screen.

- Boot the computer using the Windows 7/8/10 installation media.
- On the first screen, press SHIFT+F10 to bring up the command prompt.
- Run the following commands at the command prompt.

diskpart
list disk (this will give you a listing of the disks on your system)
select disk # (select the disk you want to clean, for example select disk 0)
clean (running the clean command will delete all partitions on the disk)
exit

Even if you are going to use the GPT (GUID Partition Table), you do not need to run the convert gpt command, since you are not creating the partitions at a command prompt.

- Close the command prompt window and continue your Windows installation as usual.

 

[Price1475]

I have a bootable USB with Windows 7 Home Prem. Are you saying to copy the Partition Wizard to this Bootable USB drive? If so, what do I do next?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I gather you do not know how to get Partition Wizard onto a bootable device of any type.

Therefore, it's probably simpler for you to use Diskpart as described by genet in post 14.

The main thing you have to be concerned with is to operate on the correct disk---not some other disk. The "clean" command in Diskpart should do what you want, but you have to be sure I say sure I say positive that you have selected the disk you want to wipe. If you mistakenly select some other disk, that other disk will be wiped.

 

[Price1475]

I understand. I booted to my usb drive that I have win 7 home prem on. I hit Shift + F10. I am now running clean on my disk 0. I will see if this works.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

There is some slight chance that "clean" won't solve your problem.

In that case, go back into Diskpart and use the "clean all" command instead.

"Clean" should complete quickly. "Clean all" might take some time to complete.

 

[Price1475]

diskpart clean did not fix my problem.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

diskpart clean did not fix my problem.

Were the partitions eliminated or not?