Windows cannot be installed on MBR, please change to GPT

[the_randomizer]

Trying to install Windows 10 via USB with UEFI motherboard.

So, I'm trying to install Windows 10 on my newer third HDD right? Well, I have it ready on a USB flash drive, well, I get to the install screen after booting up the UEFI USB device (which is flashed to use GPT instead of MBR). Sure enough, I manage to use the product key fine, no issues, UEFI boot works fine with USB, no issue there either. However, upon attempting to install it to the third HDD's partition (which is marked as un-allocated), it tells me it can't install to that drive because it's using MBR and not GPT, no thanks in part to this being a UEFI BIOS motherboard. I'm aware that HDDs can be converted to using GPT instead of MBR, but the only info I've seen is either third party software, Windows own disk management, and so on. Either way, it sounds like that the data I backed up on there will have to be wiped changing the different system. I mean, sure I could back the stuff up to it again, but it would take a long time and I heh, wish to avoid that at all costs. Another thing I've read is going into the BIOS and changing it from UEFI to legacy BIOS, but I'm sure doing that will have its own set of issues, at least, I thought. That said, I'm absolutely conflicted as to what I can do, obviously, I can't have the HDD set as MBR and the newly formed partition as GPT, it doesn't work, but is it even remotely feasible to convert to GPT without having to lose any data?

According to this link here, it's possible, but it seems good to be true https://www.easeus.com/partition-manager-software/free-convert-mbr-to-gpt-without-data-loss.html


Current issues:

- Monitor refuses to wake up after going to sleep, and yes, keyboard and mouse are set up to wake it up, forcing reboot
- Mouse will flicker between normal icon and hourglass/loading icon intermittently when using Chrome, nothing else is running in background
- Drivers may be corrupted, may have to use wired mouse

 

[chrisrlink]

though idk if the free changed to paid since it's freeware and i won't get into trouble (I hope) I'll load up a Easeus boot disk see if that helps

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

never mind find something called gptgen ( https://sourceforge.net/projects/gptgen/) heres instructions from windows club
"
Using this method you can convert MBR to GPT without losing data, using a command line utility called gptgen. Gptgen is a tool designed to non-destructively convert hard disks partitioned in the common, “MSDOS-style” MBR scheme (including extended partitions) to use a GUID partition table (GPT).


It’s a very extensive tool but a bit complicated to run. According to the tool’s ‘read me’ file, the syntax of the tool is “gptgen [-w] \\.\physicaldriveX”, where X is the drive number reported by the Disk Management console or the “list disk” command of the DISKPART utility. The -w option makes gptgen write the generated GUID partition tables to the disk – otherwise, the primary table will be written to a file named “primary.img“, and the secondary table to “secondary.img“, in the directory that the program was invoked from. You can then use e.g. dd to write the tables to the disk."

 

[the_randomizer]

though idk if the free changed to paid since it's freeware and i won't get into trouble (I hope) I'll load up a Easeus boot disk see if that helps

I downloaded a free version of it, I've seen something called Partition Wizard that's free as well and goes to GPT without data loss.

Edit: @chrisrlink



That's the video I saw

 

[chrisrlink]

so make a freedos usb to use it

 

[the_randomizer]

so make a freedos usb to use it

Uh...I don't have any other USB drives other than the one I have Windows 10 on,
But please do check out that video I found above, it should do what I want,
but it's freeware too supposedly.

I'm mostly making this thread because of the fact my PC has been acting abnormal.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Trying to install Windows 10 via USB with UEFI motherboard.

So, I'm trying to install Windows 10 on my newer third HDD right? Well, I have it ready on a USB flash drive, well, I get to the install screen after booting up the UEFI USB device (which is flashed to use GPT instead of MBR). Sure enough, I manage to use the product key fine, no issues, UEFI boot works fine with USB, no issue there either. However, upon attempting to install it to the third HDD's partition (which is marked as un-allocated), it tells me it can't install to that drive because it's using MBR and not GPT, no thanks in part to this being a UEFI BIOS motherboard. I'm aware that HDDs can be converted to using GPT instead of MBR, but the only info I've seen is either third party software, Windows own disk management, and so on. Either way, it sounds like that the data I backed up on there will have to be wiped changing the different system. I mean, sure I could back the stuff up to it again, but it would take a long time and I heh, wish to avoid that at all costs. Another thing I've read is going into the BIOS and changing it from UEFI to legacy BIOS, but I'm sure doing that will have its own set of issues, at least, I thought. That said, I'm absolutely conflicted as to what I can do, obviously, I can't have the HDD set as MBR and the newly formed partition as GPT, it doesn't work, but is it even remotely feasible to convert to GPT without having to lose any data?

According to this link here, it's possible, but it seems good to be true https://www.easeus.com/partition-manager-software/free-convert-mbr-to-gpt-without-data-loss.html

Enabling legacy boot shouldn't have any negative effects, you should be able to use both legacy and UEFI boot at the same time, and legacy boot works from MBR so it should solve your problem.

 

[the_randomizer]

Enabling legacy boot shouldn't have any negative effects, you should be able to use both legacy and UEFI boot at the same time, and legacy boot works from MBR so it should solve your problem.

So is there any harm in converting my other HDD to GPT from MBR using Partition Wizard? It apparently converts the data to be retained, unlike Disk Manager. I mean, I already flashed the USB stick with Rufus to GPT with the Win 10 ISO. Please check the video posted above.

Edit: I'm at the end of my rope here, trying to figure out why Windows 7 has been being stubborn.
Mouse icon flickers from normal to hourglass when using Chrome, as if trying to load something when there's noting else running in the background. I've tried reinstalling
default drivers, official Logitech drivers, nothing seems to prevent it from randomly flickering between the loading/idle cursor.

GPU and/or monitor is dying because the monitor refuses to wake up after setting it to go to sleep, and only works when I hard reboot the PC. Yeah, that didn't
start happening until about a month ago at random. So yeah, this is why I want to install Windows 10, I'm getting sick of Windows 7 doing this.

Funny thing is monitor used to wake up fine in December of last year, and I got this monitor back in July.

 

[chrisrlink]

gpt partition is only really needed for >2TB HDD (since 2 TB is the limit for mbr and i doubt you need more than than 4 partitions (also a limitation of mbr) ust load your CD/USB in Legacy bios mode in the boot menu like JDbye said you can also change to legacy mode completely using the boot tab in your BIOS setup

 

[the_randomizer]

gpt partition is only really needed for >2GB HDD (since 2 GB is the limit for mbr and i doubt you need more than than 4 partitions (also a limitation of mbr) ust load your CD/USB in Legacy bios mode in the boot menu like JDbye said you can also change to legacy mode completely using the boot tab in your BIOS setup

I don't have a DVD of the ISO, unfortunately, only USB. My motherboard is Z97-GD65, not sure how the UEFI or Legacy modes work, to be honest. It does prompt both BIOS (Del) and Boot Menu (F11) during boot up, and I can choose the USB device from there. But as far as changing the BIOS type to legacy, I don't know how to do that, much less if it will screw up the boot order. I only wanted GPT because when I boot the USB to Windows setup, it says "cannot install to this HDD because of UEFI blah blah blah". Is there a better way around this other than changing to legacy?

Unless I can find a blank DVD around the house, will the MBR/GPT thing be an issue then?

 

[The Real Jdbye]

So is there any harm in converting my other HDD to GPT from MBR using Partition Wizard? It apparently converts the data to be retained, unlike Disk Manager. I mean, I already flashed the USB stick with Rufus to GPT with the Win 10 ISO. Please check the video posted above.

Edit: I'm at the end of my rope here, trying to figure out why Windows 7 has been being stubborn.
Mouse icon flickers from normal to hourglass when using Chrome, as if trying to load something when there's noting else running in the background. I've tried reinstalling
default drivers, official Logitech drivers, nothing seems to prevent it from randomly flickering between the loading/idle cursor.

GPU and/or monitor is dying because the monitor refuses to wake up after setting it to go to sleep, and only works when I hard reboot the PC. Yeah, that didn't
start happening until about a month ago at random. So yeah, this is why I want to install Windows 10, I'm getting sick of Windows 7 doing this.

Funny thing is monitor used to wake up fine in December of last year, and I got this monitor back in July.

There shouldn't be, but I don't know if I would risk it. You always have the option of converting it later and going with legacy boot for now.

 

[the_randomizer]

There shouldn't be, but I don't know if I would risk it. You always have the option of converting it later and going with legacy boot for now.

I'm not finding anything about legacy BIOS with my Z97-GD65 motherboard, like, at all. Also, wouldn't disabling UEFI to legacy make it so I couldn't use the boot menu for the USB drive? *sigh* Why must Microsoft make this so convoluted?

You'd think setting up a dual boot OS setup would be easier.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I'm not finding anything about legacy BIOS with my Z97-GD65 motherboard, like, at all. Also, wouldn't disabling UEFI to legacy make it so I couldn't use the boot menu for the USB drive? *sigh* Why must Microsoft make this so convoluted?

You'd think setting up a dual boot OS setup would be easier.

You should be able to use both UEFI and legacy boot at the same time. The option might be called something else, but I believe most motherboards support it. Might even already be enabled.
And it's not Microsoft's fault. UEFI is just a pain.

 

[the_randomizer]

You should be able to use both UEFI and legacy boot at the same time. The option might be called something else, but I believe most motherboards support it. Might even already be enabled.
And it's not Microsoft's fault. UEFI is just a pain.

I looked at documentation, it supports UEFI, Legacy, and UEFI + legacy. But if that's the case, why can't I install Windows 10 off the USB to an MBR hard drive? What should I do to install it? Just switch it over to legacy? Because according to the documentation, Windows 8/8/1 has to be set as UEFI. So what now? I'm so lost, because I'm really starting to get pissed off at my Windows 7 setup as we speak (issues listed above). Am I supposed to just install it from a DVD then after using the boot menu? Because this is...weird.

Or do I enable Legacy only, install 10, reboot to BIOS, change back to UEFI + legacy or what?

What tears me up inside, is that I received this PC upgrade as a gift for my birthday, you know? But, I think this Windows 7 install is on its last legs (it's been five years since I installed it). I just want to install 10 on another HDD, but
if UEFI is going to do this, there has to be another way

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I looked at documentation, it supports UEFI, Legacy, and UEFI + legacy. But if that's the case, why can't I install Windows 10 off the USB to an MBR hard drive? What should I do to install it? Just switch it over to legacy? Because according to the documentation, Windows 8/8/1 has to be set as UEFI. So what now? I'm so lost, because I'm really starting to get pissed off at my Windows 7 setup as we speak (issues listed above). Am I supposed to just install it from a DVD then after using the boot menu? Because this is...weird.

Or do I enable Legacy only, install 10, reboot to BIOS, change back to UEFI + legacy or what?

Maybe boot the Windows 10 setup with legacy boot (it should let you do that from the BIOS boot menu)
I haven't messed too much with UEFI (only have one device that supports it and that doesn't support legacy boot at all) so I can't be of much more help.

 

[the_randomizer]

Maybe boot the Windows 10 setup with legacy boot (it should let you do that from the BIOS boot menu)
I haven't messed too much with UEFI (only have one device that supports it and that doesn't support legacy boot at all) so I can't be of much more help.

I assume that I should probably change it back after I install it? I mean, I don't see why a motherboard has the feature to use only legacy if it's an option. I'm wanting to
get 10 because of the aforementioned issues with the OS. Mouse drivers are behaving oddly, monitor refuses to wake up with mouse and keyboard despite having
them set up to do so, so I can no longer have my monitor go to sleep. I have to manually turn if off when I'm at work, either the GPU or screen are dying (or monitor is faulty).
So yeah, you can see why I'm trying to figure out what the heck is going on, I'm stumped.

Edit: I may have misread, looks like just UEFI and Legacy + UEFI, no option for just Legacy. Ugh.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I assume that I should probably change it back after I install it? I mean, I don't see why a motherboard has the feature to use only legacy if it's an option. I'm wanting to
get 10 because of the aforementioned issues with the OS. Mouse drivers are behaving oddly, monitor refuses to wake up with mouse and keyboard despite having
them set up to do so, so I can no longer have my monitor go to sleep. I have to manually turn if off when I'm at work, either the GPU or screen are dying (or monitor is faulty).
So yeah, you can see why I'm trying to figure out what the heck is going on, I'm stumped.

You'll have to leave it on legacy+UEFI or legacy only, otherwise things won't be able to boot from MBR.

 

[the_randomizer]

You'll have to leave it on legacy+UEFI or legacy only, otherwise things won't be able to boot from MBR.

Damn, I was afraid of that, what do you suggest I do instead since UEFI is being uncooperative? Burn the ISO on a DVD (which sadly, I don't have a blank disc atm)? I'll double check the BIOS setting, maybe it's
at just UEFI.

http://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/466992/msi-z97-gd65-gaming-manual-z97-gd65-gaming.html?page=79

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Damn, I was afraid of that, what do you suggest I do instead since UEFI is being uncooperative? Burn the ISO on a DVD (which sadly, I don't have a blank disc atm)? I'll double check the BIOS setting, maybe it's
at just UEFI.

http://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/466992/msi-z97-gd65-gaming-manual-z97-gd65-gaming.html?page=79

Like I said, booting the setup from legacy boot might help, maybe Windows just won't install as legacy boot unless the setup is ran from legacy boot. I'm not sure though.

 

[the_randomizer]

Like I said, booting the setup from legacy boot might help, maybe Windows just won't install as legacy boot unless the setup is ran from legacy boot. I'm not sure though.

My board doesn't have the option to just use legacy, just UEFI and UEFI + legacy. But I'm not sure what it's set to, but couldn't I have the main HDD set as MBR, but have a partition set as GPT? Or is that unfeasible. I'll have to use the dual mode if that's what it's currently not set to.

Example:

Disk 3 936 GB

Partition 0 - 800 GB MBR
Partition 1 - 100 GB GPT

I'll check the BIOS setting in the morning, it's getting late.

 

[Traace]

UEFI + legacy enables MBR booting on your board. If you like to install it with MBR, make sure the USB Stick is MBR too. Tools like Rufus can set it up easy. Windows installer forces GPT installation if its booted via GPT Stick. Same for MBR.

However If you want to keep GPT HDD. I always use the free tool mini partition wizard. It can convert MBR to GPT, GPT to MBR.
https://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html