Windows Setup: Installing using the MBR

or GPT partition style

When installing Windows on UEFI-based PCs using Windows Setup, your hard drive
partition style must be set up to support either UEFI mode or legacy BIOS-compatibility
mode.
For example, if you receive the error message: Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The
selected disk is not of the GPT partition style, its because your PC is booted in UEFI mode,
but your hard drive is not configured for UEFI mode. Youve got a few options:
1. Reboot the PC in legacy BIOS-compatibility mode. This option lets you keep the
existing partition style. For
2. Reformat the drive for UEFI by using the GPT partition style. This option lets you use
the PCs UEFI firmware features.
You can do this yourself by reformatting the drive using the instructions below, or if
you need to preserve the data, use a third-party utility to convert the drive to GPT
format.

Why should I convert my drive?

Many PCs now include the ability to use the UEFI version of BIOS, which can speed up boot
and shutdown times and can provide additional security advantages. To boot your PC in UEFI
mode, you'll need to use a drive formatted using the GPT drive format.
Many PCs are ready to use UEFI, but include a compatibility support module (CSM) that is
set up to use the legacy version of BIOS. This version of BIOS was developed in the 1970s
and provides compatibility to a variety of older equipment and network configurations, and
requires a drive that uses the MBR drive format.
However, the basic MBR drive format does not support drives over 4TB. It's also difficult to
set up more than four partitions. The GPT drive format lets you set up drives that are larger
than 4 terabytes (TB), and lets you easily set up as many partitions as you need.

Reformatting the drive using a different partition style

To wipe and convert the drive by using Windows Setup
1. Turn off the PC, and put in the Windows installation DVD or USB key.
2. Boot the PC to the DVD or USB key in UEFI mode. For more info, see Boot to UEFI
Mode or Legacy BIOS mode.
3. When choosing an installation type, select Custom.

4. On the Where do you want to install Windows? screen, select each of the partitions
on the drive, and select Delete. The drive will show a single area of unallocated space.
5. Select the unallocated space and click Next. Windows detects that the PC was booted
into UEFI mode, and reformats the drive using the GPT drive format, and begins the
installation.

To manually wipe a drive and convert it to GPT:

1. Turn off the PC, and put in the Windows installation DVD or USB key.
2. Boot the PC to the DVD or USB key in UEFI mode. For more info, see Boot to UEFI
Mode or Legacy BIOS mode.
3. From inside Windows Setup, press Shift+F10 to open a command prompt window.
4. Open the diskpart tool:
5. diskpart

6. Identify the drive to reformat:

7. list disk

8. Select the drive, and reformat it:

9. select disk <disk number>
10. clean
11. convert gpt
12. exit

13. Close the command prompt window.

14. Continue the Windows Setup installation.
When choosing an installation type, select Custom. The drive will appear as a single
area of unallocated space.
Select the unallocated space and click Next. Windows begins the installation.