How to reformat HD from GPT partitions to NTFS partitions for Windows 7 install?

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How to reformat HD from GPT partitions to NTFS partitions for Windows 7 install?
asked

I want to install Windows 7 on a brand new machine that is currently running windows 8.

2 years ago

viewed 97846 times

The drive is divided into 6 partitions: one for the OS, three reserved for OEM, one for MRS and one
as primary.

active

The error message says Windows cannot be installed on GPT partitions. Windows must be
installed on an NTFS formatted partition.

Related
0 Can Windows 7 be installed

Please can anyone help me achieve the desired NTFS partitions?

windows-7

windows

installation

on an extended partition?
1 Install Windows 7 x64 from

partitioning

share improve this question

1 year ago

edited Jun 26 '13 at 20:45

Hennes
40.8k

a separate partition on
same hard drive (no
DVD/USB)?

asked Dec 6 '12 at 19:49

dana maria

52

87

16

0 Partition issue trying to

install Windows 7 Starter

add a comment
0 Installing windows on GPT

partition

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Answers

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6 How to create NTFS

partition in Linux to install

Windows 7 from USB?
1 windows 8 and 0x84

partition

First of all GPT and NTFS are two different items.

1 Partition Issue with

A disk on a modern desktop is usually partitioned in either MBR or GPT.

Those partitions are then formatted with a filesystem, such as FAT, ext2, NTFS, ...

Windows 8.1 Installation

2 Clean Install of Windows 8

on Newly Installed SSD

You can install windows 7 by either:

1. Using an UEFI equipped motherboard, booting the windows DVD, partitioning the drive with
GPT and installing windows on a NTFS partition.
2. Using a BIOS equipped motherboard, booting the windows DVD, partitioning the drive with a
MBR and installing windows on a NTFS partition.
If you boot with a old fashioned BIOS and try to install windows on a GPT partitioned disk then you
will get an error. This is probably what is happening in your case. (An assumption since you did not
specify the precise error you get).
You solve that, either wipe the old disk and then reinstall, or change your motherboard to the right
boot mode. (Some, not all, support both EUFI and BIOS modes).

0 How to partition hard drive

from MBR to GPT for

Windows 8.1 UEFI install
0 Install windows in a partition

without OS, without

formatting it

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To wipe the disk: Boot the windows DVD, press SHIFT and F10 to get a command prompt and
use diskpart with the clean option. If you have multiple harddisks then make sure you select the
correct one.
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edited Jun 26 '13 at 20:46

answered Dec 6 '12 at 20:07

Hennes
40.8k

52

87

add a comment

http://superuser.com/questions/515891/how-to-reformat-hd-from-gpt-partitions-to-ntfs-partitions-for-windows-7-install[10/9/2015 8:02:58 PM]

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How to reformat HD from GPT partitions to NTFS partitions for Windows 7 install? - Super User

Use any Windows 7 or 8 startup disk. When you're asked what hard drive to install to, press
F10 and a Command Prompt window will appear.

Shift

5
Enter the following commands:
DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK #

(Where # is the number you saw in the previous step.)

CLEAN
CONVERT MBR
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY SIZE=50000

(The size is in MB, so enter the amount that you want to use for your system partition.)
FORMAT FS NTFS LABEL "SYSTEM" QUICK

Close the Command Prompt, refresh the installer window and it should show the new partition
layout. Select the partition you created to install Windows 7 or 8, and click Next.
WARNING: COMPLETE HARD DISK WILL BE CONVERTED AND ALL DATA WILL BE LOST.
share improve this answer

edited Oct 29 '13 at 18:32

Jawa
2,640

answered May 4 '13 at 10:50

JerryBlue

19

29

51

add a comment

GPT is a modern partition table. Contrary NTFS is a filesystem, which is different from a partition
table. Windows 7 needs the old MSDOS partition table and a partition formated with the NTFS
filesystem.
As you already have several partitions on the drive you need to reformat the whole drive and use
the MSDOS partition table. The disadvantage is that MSDOS partition tables only support 4
primary partitions, one of those can be made into an extended partition that supports more logical
partitions, but not every OS is able to boot from such a logical partition.
There is no way I know of to convert a drive on the fly from one table to another. Back up your data
and try it out. Or as an alternative buy a second drive, you can then use MSDOS partition tables
on it and keep the GPT on the other one.
share improve this answer

answered Dec 6 '12 at 19:55

Baarn
4,539

23

52

2 Several tools can convert from GPT to MBR (aka MSDOS) or vice-versa. My own GPT fdisk
(rodsbooks.com/gdisk) is one of them. There are limits to such conversions, though, because of the
requirements and limitations of the two table types. As Hennes says, it's also possible to install Windows 7 in
EFI mode on a GPT disk. The trick is in forcing the installer to boot in EFI mode....

Rod Smith
Dec 8 '12 at
4:48
add a comment

protected by Community Aug 8 '13 at 10:16

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How to reformat HD from GPT partitions to NTFS partitions for Windows 7 install? - Super User

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