windows 8 setup error

Nevin

New Member
Messages
2
When i tried to install win 8, i got this message: windows can't be installed on this drive. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks. Can anyone tell me an easy solution.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
In short the drive you are using is formated using an older Master Boot Record (mbr) but your bios is configured for UEFI (Unified Extensable Firmware Interface) which does not work with MBR and only works with drives formated with GPT (GUID Partition Table).

What you need to do is clear the drive of all partitions, not a huge deal. I think the quick and dirty ways to do this....

1. Enable Legacy Boot Rom in the Bios and boot and wipe the drive then reboot, set it back to UEFI no legacy boot and try installing again.
2. You could slave the drive into another system and wipe it.
3. Or you can go into the repair options from the windows 8 boot disk get to the command prompt, use diskpart to clean the drive.

After the drive is clean and free of the MBR the install should take place with out issue. W8 will detect the UEFI and format and install accordingly.

You will want to go with UEFI over the legacy boot option. Should you ever want to use like a rapid start with a cache SSD you need it UEFI, not to mention I think it boots faster in my experience. Rapid start with a cache ssd loads super fast. I got the bosses laptop (dell XPS 24) going after the helpdesk staff tried to be tech staff and they wiped the drive and reset the bios and could not get it going again. Got it all set up in a hour or so and it power on to log in around 6 seconds, it wakes from sleep instantly.

Good Luck.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    All Versions Of Windows
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Intel I5-2500K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Maximus IV GENV
    Memory
    DD3 1600 Crucial 8G 2x4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia ONY XLR8 gtx460oc
    Sound Card
    onboard xFI
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 24" LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    2x160 SATA 2 WD
    1x250 Samsung SATA 2
    PSU
    Cooler Master 650w
    Case
    Antec 300
    Cooling
    Cooler Master 212 Pus
    Keyboard
    iRocks Gaming Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech G400
    Internet Speed
    25Mb Down 2Mbit Up
In short the drive you are using is formated using an older Master Boot Record (mbr) but your bios is configured for UEFI (Unified Extensable Firmware Interface) which does not work with MBR and only works with drives formated with GPT (GUID Partition Table).

What you need to do is clear the drive of all partitions, not a huge deal. I think the quick and dirty ways to do this....

1. Enable Legacy Boot Rom in the Bios and boot and wipe the drive then reboot, set it back to UEFI no legacy boot and try installing again.
2. You could slave the drive into another system and wipe it.
3. Or you can go into the repair options from the windows 8 boot disk get to the command prompt, use diskpart to clean the drive.

After the drive is clean and free of the MBR the install should take place with out issue. W8 will detect the UEFI and format and install accordingly.

You will want to go with UEFI over the legacy boot option. Should you ever want to use like a rapid start with a cache SSD you need it UEFI, not to mention I think it boots faster in my experience. Rapid start with a cache ssd loads super fast. I got the bosses laptop (dell XPS 24) going after the helpdesk staff tried to be tech staff and they wiped the drive and reset the bios and could not get it going again. Got it all set up in a hour or so and it power on to log in around 6 seconds, it wakes from sleep instantly.

Good Luck.

Why would you change the BIOS to Legacy?
When you can clean the HDD in UEFI mode.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
In short the drive you are using is formated using an older Master Boot Record (mbr) but your bios is configured for UEFI (Unified Extensable Firmware Interface) which does not work with MBR and only works with drives formated with GPT (GUID Partition Table).

What you need to do is clear the drive of all partitions, not a huge deal. I think the quick and dirty ways to do this....

1. Enable Legacy Boot Rom in the Bios and boot and wipe the drive then reboot, set it back to UEFI no legacy boot and try installing again.
2. You could slave the drive into another system and wipe it.
3. Or you can go into the repair options from the windows 8 boot disk get to the command prompt, use diskpart to clean the drive.

After the drive is clean and free of the MBR the install should take place with out issue. W8 will detect the UEFI and format and install accordingly.

You will want to go with UEFI over the legacy boot option. Should you ever want to use like a rapid start with a cache SSD you need it UEFI, not to mention I think it boots faster in my experience. Rapid start with a cache ssd loads super fast. I got the bosses laptop (dell XPS 24) going after the helpdesk staff tried to be tech staff and they wiped the drive and reset the bios and could not get it going again. Got it all set up in a hour or so and it power on to log in around 6 seconds, it wakes from sleep instantly.

Good Luck.

Why would you change the BIOS to Legacy?
When you can clean the HDD in UEFI mode.

I have had windows 8 installs not see a drive in UEFI mode with a MBR drive but if you flip it legacy it lets you see the drive and wipe it real quick. Then when you flip back it sees it... Not sure why but happened 2x to me last week, different systems different boot media...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    All Versions Of Windows
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Intel I5-2500K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Maximus IV GENV
    Memory
    DD3 1600 Crucial 8G 2x4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia ONY XLR8 gtx460oc
    Sound Card
    onboard xFI
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 24" LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    2x160 SATA 2 WD
    1x250 Samsung SATA 2
    PSU
    Cooler Master 650w
    Case
    Antec 300
    Cooling
    Cooler Master 212 Pus
    Keyboard
    iRocks Gaming Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech G400
    Internet Speed
    25Mb Down 2Mbit Up
In short the drive you are using is formated using an older Master Boot Record (mbr) but your bios is configured for UEFI (Unified Extensable Firmware Interface) which does not work with MBR and only works with drives formated with GPT (GUID Partition Table).

What you need to do is clear the drive of all partitions, not a huge deal. I think the quick and dirty ways to do this....

1. Enable Legacy Boot Rom in the Bios and boot and wipe the drive then reboot, set it back to UEFI no legacy boot and try installing again.
2. You could slave the drive into another system and wipe it.
3. Or you can go into the repair options from the windows 8 boot disk get to the command prompt, use diskpart to clean the drive.

After the drive is clean and free of the MBR the install should take place with out issue. W8 will detect the UEFI and format and install accordingly.

You will want to go with UEFI over the legacy boot option. Should you ever want to use like a rapid start with a cache SSD you need it UEFI, not to mention I think it boots faster in my experience. Rapid start with a cache ssd loads super fast. I got the bosses laptop (dell XPS 24) going after the helpdesk staff tried to be tech staff and they wiped the drive and reset the bios and could not get it going again. Got it all set up in a hour or so and it power on to log in around 6 seconds, it wakes from sleep instantly.

Good Luck.

Why would you change the BIOS to Legacy?
When you can clean the HDD in UEFI mode.

I have had windows 8 installs not see a drive in UEFI mode with a MBR drive but if you flip it legacy it lets you see the drive and wipe it real quick. Then when you flip back it sees it... Not sure why but happened 2x to me last week, different systems different boot media...

You can just clean the drive in DISKPART.

Windows 8 Downgrade-011 SB.PNG
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Diskpart did not see the drive either... It was the first thing I did... PXE boot to a winPE4 command prompt. List disk came back empty. I changed the boot options to legacy, the drive showed up during Windows installer and it was visible in the same winpe4 PXE boot.

Hurts nothing by enabling legacy boot to wipe the drive as long as it is switched off before installing windows.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    All Versions Of Windows
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Intel I5-2500K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Maximus IV GENV
    Memory
    DD3 1600 Crucial 8G 2x4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia ONY XLR8 gtx460oc
    Sound Card
    onboard xFI
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 24" LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    2x160 SATA 2 WD
    1x250 Samsung SATA 2
    PSU
    Cooler Master 650w
    Case
    Antec 300
    Cooling
    Cooler Master 212 Pus
    Keyboard
    iRocks Gaming Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech G400
    Internet Speed
    25Mb Down 2Mbit Up
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