What is the style of gpt disk partitions. “The selected disk has a GPT partition style”: best solutions to the problem. GPT partition style, initial conditions for installing the OS in them

Before you start installing Windows 10 on a new computer that has a motherboard that supports the modern API called UEFI, you need to understand the basic concepts so that you have an idea of ​​​​what you are dealing with.

Having purchased a new computer/laptop that supports UEFI, it is strongly recommended to immediately convert the table of its hard drive to GPT due to the many advantages that we will consider below, and only then install Windows 10 on it and copy any data.

What do all these abbreviations mean?

The outdated API, which ensured the interaction of the operating system with the hardware and transferred the first reins of control after initializing the equipment, has been replaced by the UEFI interface. UEFI features that are important for a Windows 10 user are:

  • support for GPT partition scheme – we’ll talk about it later;
  • the presence of services, one of which is necessary to boot Windows 10, and the second is used in Linux to store dumps, which records information about problems that arose when the PC was last shut down;
  • modular architecture - installation of your own (downloaded from the Internet) drivers in UEFI is implemented here. They are needed, for example, to gain access to the file system on a computer without an installed operating system;
  • supports hardware-encrypted hard drive or logical drive;
  • UEFI is characterized by increased performance compared to BIOS;
  • works only in 32 and 64-bit mode, does not support operation in 16-bit;
  • integrated download manager – can add your own boot menu items.

GPT is a new standard for placing file tables on physical media, which came as a replacement for MBR. Unlike its predecessor, released to the masses back in 1983, GPT supports any hard drive whose capacity exceeds 2 TB (when using MBR there is simply not enough address space to address all sectors), it can work with more than 4 active volumes and 128 partitions on one physical medium. GPT also stores multiple copies of boot data in different places on the partition, which is why, using this file storage standard, you will recover damaged boot sectors much faster.

Preparing the drive

Installing an operating system on a hard drive always begins with proper preparation. In our case, this means downloading a suitable image and deploying it to a flash drive. Let's look at the process assuming that the ISO is on the computer and the latest version of Rufus is already running.

We will use Rufus due to its ease of use and the absence of unnecessary menu options.

  • Select a flash drive that will act as a carrier for the Windows 10 distribution.
  • In the second drop-down menu, be sure to select GPT for PCs with UEFI.
  • It is better not to change the file system and cluster size - these parameters have no meaning for installing the operating system.
  • We activate the quick formatting option so as not to wait ten minutes.
  • Check the box next to “Create a boot disk” and click on the drive icon.
  • Select the image with the Windows 10 distribution and click “Start”.

Converting partitions using OS tools

Windows 10 allows you to convert an MBR partition to GPT using the standard Disk Management tool.

  • You can call it by executing the “diskmgmt.msc” command or the “Start” context menu.

  • We select each hard drive and delete it using the context menu.

  • Through the context menu of the hard drive, call the “Convert to GPT disk” command.

Please note that it will become active after all volumes are deleted, and in the event that running Windows is not on the media whose table you want to convert.

Conversion will take ten or two seconds if the disk does not have damaged sectors. After this, it becomes possible to partition the disk and install Windows 10 on its active partition.

Installation problems

If the installation of “ten” on your hard drive was stopped by the appearance of an error stating that installing Windows 10 in a UEFI system on MBR partitions is impossible, to continue you need to convert GPT to MBR. The problem is encountered by most users who did not perform the conversion before installing the OS.

This is done using a set of commands executed.

  • To convert a disk, you need to restart your computer, and in the installation program, when the “Install” button appears, click “System Restore”.

Keep in mind that following the instructions in the next step will clear your hard drive of all information and convert its partition tables to the new GPT standard, making it impossible to recover anything stored on the hard drive prior to conversion.

  • After opening the command line, we sequentially enter the following chain of system commands into it:
  • diskpart – launch a utility for working with partitions;
  • list disk – visualization of a list of volumes in order to select the future system disk for conversion;
  • select disk X – select the desired volume;
  • clean – cleans the active partition numbered X;
  • convert mbr – converting an mbr partition;
  • create partition primary size xxxxxxx – create a new partition of the size specified in bytes;

When entering the volume size, keep in mind that 1 GB = 1024 megabytes, so to obtain a 50 GB disk, its size must be multiplied by 1024 twice.

  • active – make it active;
  • format fs=ntfs quick – perform quick formatting in ntfs;
  • assign – the disk will bear the letter label of the first free letter of the English alphabet, starting with “d”;
  • exit – exit the Windows 10 command line.

  • Click “Refresh” to get the latest information about the disk and its partitions again.

If installing Windows 10 on a GPT partition failed and a familiar window appears, several additional conditions must be met:

  • a 64-bit system must be installed;
  • The computer must be turned on in U mode

Most likely, setting the “ten” is impossible due to the second factor.

  • To solve it, you need to go into UEFI, which is done mainly with the F2 (for laptop) or Del (for PC) keys.
  • Find and activate (set the value to “Enable”) the UEFI boot function.

Typically, it is located in the BIOS Features or BIOS Setup section.

  • Switch the SATA operating mode to AHCI instead of IDE mode. Most often, changing this option is not necessary, but you should check it just in case.

  • Save the new settings.

In different versions of UEFI, settings options may be located in different sections and even have different names.

After this, installing Windows 10 on a partition with a new standard for placing file tables is carried out like a regular “tens” installation.

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The progress in creating personal computers and server systems achieved over the past 20 years is obvious. However, the rudiments of dead platforms still determine many technological aspects of rapidly developing computing technology.

One of these rudiments is the BIOS - a microprogram in assembly language, executed in a special processor operating mode, recorded on a microcircuit that is part of the motherboard.

Time passes and the rudiments die off. So the BIOS is being replaced, long-awaitedly, by UEFI technology, which is replacing the Master Boot Record (MBR - Master Boot Record) with GPT.

What is GPT

GPT (an abbreviation for GUID Partition Table) is a format for storing records of hard disk partitions.

Unlike MBR, GPT does not contain executable code and does not transfer control of the computer to the operating system boot loader.

These functions are performed by UEFI. GPT contains the following information:

  • hard drive block number, which is the beginning of the partition;
  • section length in blocks;
  • partition type.

GPT has a number of significant advantages over MBR.

Among them:


For compatibility reasons, if the selected disk has a GPT partition style, block zero contains an MBR with a special partition type value set. This is necessary for the hard drive to work on computers with BIOS.

It is clear that such a hard drive cannot be bootable, however, if the installed operating system supports disks with the GPT layout style, then information from them can be read.

Video: installing OS on GPT

Installing Windows on a GPT disk

To install Windows on a computer with a GPT hard disk layout style, the following conditions must be met:

  • a 64-bit version of the operating system must be installed;
  • The computer motherboard must have UEFI installed, not BIOS.

The first condition is dictated by Microsoft policy: only 64-bit versions of Windows operating systems allow the use of UEFI and GPT.

Photo: Microsoft Windows 8 64-bit operating system

The second condition follows from the fact that GPT is one of the UEFI standards and is not supported by regular BIOS.

To install the operating system, you need an installation disk or flash drive. There are several ways to create a bootable USB flash drive:

  • manually using the operating system command line;
  • using specialized programs.

As specialized programs you can use:


Important! A UEFI-compatible flash drive must be formatted with the FAT32 file system, therefore, the maximum amount of data placed on it cannot exceed 4 GB.

If the operating system distribution is larger than 4 GB, it is recommended to format the flash drive with the NTFS file system.

Setting up UEFI BIOS

To configure the UEFI BIOS, you need to do the following:

  1. enter UEFI by pressing the appropriate key when the computer boots;
  2. if you use a flash drive formatted in NTFS, you will have to disable the Secure Boot option;


Figure 2. Saving changes and rebooting

Option Secure Boot allows only boot programs that are signed with digital keys known to UEFI to execute. This option is usually located in the Security menu; to disable it, you need to set it to Disabled.


In some cases, to disable the Secure Boot option, you will need to put the UEFI in BIOS compatibility mode. This operation may be called CSM, Legasy BIOS. For detailed information, you should consult the documentation detailing the UEFI options. A possible view of the UEFI menu for performing this operation is shown in the figure:

Photo: transferring UEFI to BIOS compatibility mode

To determine the loading order, press the button "Boot Menu" and in the dialog box that opens, select a flash drive or DVD drive.

Attention! If BIOS compatibility mode has not been enabled, the DVD drive must operate in UEFI compatibility mode!

In some cases, saving changes is not required; the operating system installation process will begin immediately after the boot order is determined.

Please note: the Windows 7 operating system does not recognize a flash drive operating according to the USB 3.0 standard as a boot disk. The flash drive must be installed in a USB 1.0 or USB 2.0 connector. These connectors are usually black in color, unlike USB 3.0 connectors, which are blue in color.

Installation process

The process of installing an operating system on a disk with a GPT layout style is no different for Windows 7 and Windows 8 systems and includes the following sequence of user actions:

  1. when the operating system installer reaches the disk selection stage, it is necessary to delete all pre-existing partitions, resulting in a completely unpartitioned disk;

Photo: installing Windows on an unpartitioned disk


Please note: deleting pre-existing partitions cannot occur without data loss, so all information on the deleted partitions will be destroyed! Before deleting hard drive partitions, back up important information.

What should I do if installing Windows on this disk is not possible with gpt partition style?

If the operating system installation program gives you the error “Windows cannot be installed on this disk.”

Photo: Selected disk has GPT partition style

The selected disk has a GPT partition style", there are two possible reasons:

  • there is no UEFI on the computer;
  • In UEFI, the Legasy BIOS (traditional BIOS) setting was activated, in which loading and working with disks marked in the GPT style is impossible. In this case, you need to disable BIOS compatibility mode.

If the computer does not have UEFI, then you need to repartition the hard drive in MBR style. The simplest way is to use the diskpart console command.

Photo: MBR style hard drive initialization

Please note that changing the disk partition style may destroy all data on it, so you should make backup copies of the information before changing the disk partition style.


Despite the fact that GPT is a relatively new technology, its developers have made every effort to ensure that the process of installing the operating system is not too complicated.

When installing Windows on a disk with a GPT partition style, you need to pay attention to the following:

  • the computer must be running UEFI;
  • in UEFI you need to disable the “Secure boot” option;
  • When booting from a DVD drive, you must set it to UEFI compatibility mode.

While installing Windows OS on your computer, you may encounter this message: Windows cannot be installed on this GPT drive. The GPT hard disk partition style is relatively new, so you need to use two methods to install the operating system.

The error message “Windows cannot be installed on this GPT disk” most often occurs among users who install the 7th edition of the OS, although the problem is also possible in the 8th version of Windows. To continue installation on a hard drive with a GPT partition, you must meet 2 conditions:

  1. The operating system must be 64-bit.
  2. Switch to EFI mode.

First of all, you need to go into the BIOS using the computer's UEFI. Anyone who has installed an OS at least once knows that to do this it is necessary to press the required key when the computer starts. To find out which one you can look at when you boot your computer. It will be in the line “Press – enter key – to enter boot menu” like this. If you currently have OS version 8 or 8.1 installed, then you can log in easier - through the “Charms” button. Let's proceed next:

  1. In "Changing computer settings".
  2. Then find "Update and Recovery".
  3. Click "Computer recovery".
  4. Next, click “Special download options.”
  5. And "Reboot Now".
  6. After reboot, select “Diagnostics”
  7. "Advanced settings" and "UEFI".

If you receive a warning “ ”, go to the material on how to eliminate it.

You need to activate important items in the computer BIOS

  1. Instead of CSM, install UEFI boot, you can find it in the BIOS Features or Setup section.
  2. In the “SATA Operation Mode” tab, change IDE to AHCI, this setting is usually found in Peripherals.
  3. Disable Secure Boot – if you are on Windows

Sections and menu items may be in different places due to different versions of BIOS and UEFI. But by the names given in the article it will not be difficult to find them. After the settings have been made, the computer is ready to install a new operating system on a GPT-style disk.

Convert GPT style to MBR

For this procedure, you should take care of your files in advance; if there is something important, save them to a flash drive or burn them to a disk. When converting a hard drive, you will need to completely format it, removing partitions and creating new ones.

The process is not complicated and will take a little of your time to resolve “Windows cannot be installed on this GPT disk.” We set the option in the BIOS to boot from the drive, as you do when installing Windows. When an error message appears, you need to run the command line:

  1. By pressing the combination Shift+F.
  2. In the window that opens, enter the command “Diskpart”. This command will bring us to a screen in which we can perform various manipulations with the disk.
  3. Next, in the window that opens, enter “List Disk” to display a list of available disk partitions.
  4. We write here “Select disk *” - where instead of an asterisk we write the name of the disk partition.
  5. Further manipulations only with the selected disk. Now you need to clean it with the “Clean” command, after which you can convert the partition.
  6. Next, enter the “Convert MBR” command, after which the system will perform a conversion in which the GPT partition will be erased and a new MBR will be created in its place.

Now you can repeat all the Windows installation steps again, without any obstacles.

In contact with

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.

About installing Windows 10 on a laptop or PC. But not everything is so simple in this matter. For example, many people encounter an error like "Selected the disk has a GPT partition style" .

Therefore, let's think about how to find a way out of this situation. But at the very beginning it should be noted that this instruction is intended only for devices with. After all, you must admit, since you are trying to install Win 10 or 8, then you probably have a modern device. 😉

Well, comrades, now I will try to list the main reasons for this error. After all, having examined each of them in the future, you will be able to solve this problem yourself.

And to be honest, there aren't that many of them. Here they are.

  1. You are trying to install Windows from a bootable USB flash drive that is not UEFI compatible;
  2. You are trying to install a non-64-bit version of the Windows operating system. 32-bit is not suitable.

So, now let's restore the correct chain of actions. The first thing you need to pay attention to is the bit capacity of the system. Remember, if your hard drive has GPT partitions, you should install only the 64-bit version. By the way, I will tell you more about what GPT is at the end of the article.

Okay, the correct installation file has been downloaded, now you need to write it correctly to the USB drive. That is, you need to create a bootable USB flash drive that supports fucking UEFI. I don’t even know why I always swear when I mention this abbreviation.

Well, okay, how to correctly carry out such a procedure using a free program Rufus, I told you here in . For those who haven't read it yet, it's time to do so right now.

But if everything remains the same, then it’s time to look into the BIOS (link at the beginning of the article) and check that the parameter " SATA Controller Mode " was set to " AHCI " .

And in the line " Boot Mode " the parameter was listed " UEFI " .

In a situation where you need to install Windows 7, be sure to disable it " Secure Boot " .

That's it friends, the "The selected disk has GPT partition style" error should be over. All that remains is to figure it out (GPT). It's actually simple.

GUID Partition Table, that's its full name, is a new standard for placing hard disk partition tables. That is, it is responsible for information about the quantity and size and supports a volume of over 2 TB.

As a rule, when buying a laptop with a pre-installed Windows 10 or 8 operating system, this is the markup standard that is used. As you can see, nothing complicated.

Therefore, ask your questions in the comments, if any, and let's relax a little while watching an interesting video.