Fix 'The Selected Disk Has an MBR Partition Table' Error Efficiently

Updated by

Sherly 

Written by

Tracy King 

Updated on Oct 29, 2024

Key Note on Fixing 'The Selected Disk Has an MBR Partition Table':

Installing the Windows operating system on your PC or laptop is a simple task. But, sometimes, you may see a few errors during the installation activity. One specific error you might probably see could be "The selected disk has an MBR partition table."

In this guide, we will present efficient methods with complete tutorials to fix the "The selected disk has an MBR partition table" error. So, keep reading if you're a Windows user looking forward to having an error-free installation. 

To remove this error, there are a couple of practical methods you can apply. Here is a complete guide about those methods for your assistance.

Guide to Fix 'The Selected Disk Has an MBR Partition Table' Error

Now, the question is how to get rid of this error. For this purpose, this guide will present different methods to help you out in this regard. Here are the details of those methods.

#1. Convert OS Disk from MBR to GPT

The first method you can apply to remove this error is to convert the OS disk from MBR to GPT. For this purpose, there are plenty of applications in the market. Apart from this, you can perform this operation directly from the Command Line Interface. Here, we will use a third-party application, such as EaseUS Partition Master and the Windows Command Line Interface, to convert the OS disk from MBR to GPT.

Guide 1: Convert MBR to GPT with EaseUS Partition Master

EaseUS Partition Master is a complete tool for your PC disk management. Using EaseUS Partition Master offers resizing, extending, and cloning of PC storage with complete data integrity. On top of this, it has a dedicated feature to convert the MBR System Disk to GPT. The application works perfectly on both Windows 10 and 11. So, download this software for a secure disk conversion.

Step 1. Download and launch EaseUS Partition Master on your computer.

Step 2. Go to Disk Converter, select "MBR => GPT" and click "Next" to continue.

Step 3. Select the target MBR disk that you tend to convert to GPT, and click "Convert" to start the conversion.

Feel free to share this amazing tool to help more of your friends to change disk from MBR to GPT online:

Guide 2: Convert MBR to GPT with DiskPart Command Lines

Windows OS has an internal disk utility feature called DiskPart that you can use to convert a disk from MBR to GPT. Compared to a third-party application, such as EaseUS Partition Master, this method is a bit slow. 

Moreover, you also need to use the Windows installation media to enter Command Prompt to execute this operation. Here’s how you can perform this activity.

Step 1. Go to the command prompt by pressing Shift and F10 keys on the Windows installation screen.

Step 2. Apply the following commands to execute the conversion:

• diskpart
• list disk
• select disk (enter the number of the disk in front of this command)
• clean 
• convert gpt

Now, proceed with the Windows installation process. You will not get this anymore while installing the Windows OS.

#2. Disable UEFI and Enable Legacy Boot Mode in BIOS 

Another way to fix this error is to enable the Legacy Boot Mode in the BIOS settings. Disabling the UEFI mode will no longer show the error, and you will be able to install the Windows OS. Here’s the step-by-step guide to performing this activity in the BIOS settings.

Step 1. Restart the computer and enter the BIOS setting. Entering the BIOS setting varies for different Brands, such as HP and Dell. Make sure you hit the correct buttons.

Step 2. Inside the BIOS settings, go to Boot Devices. Here, you will find the Boot order where you can disable EFI sources. Besides this, you can also change the DVD drive from UEFI to SATA or Legacy Mode for this purpose.

Step 3. Ultimately, save changes and exit to proceed with the Windows installation.

You will no longer get the error while installing Windows on your system.

Overview of The Selected Disk Has an MBR Partition Table

Before we jump straight into the efficient solutions for this problem, it's essential to know what exactly this error is and why it occurs. 

It is a storage disk-related error that stops you from installing the Windows OS. It mainly occurs when there is a conflict between your BIOS type and hard drive partition style. A system with UEFI BIOS only supports GPT partition-style disks. However, Legacy BIOS supports MBR partition style. 

So, when the disk uses Master Boot Record (MBR) and the system is on UEFI BIOS, it simply leads to this error. In the presence of this error, you can't proceed further with the remaining Windows installation process.

Tips to Keep Computer from Selected Disk Has an MBR Partition Table Error

Although you can always fix this error with a little effort, it’s always better to avoid such errors in the first instance. Here are a few tips to keep your computer away from this error for Windows installation. These tips include:

1. To ensure compatibility, it is important to check if your computer's motherboard supports Legacy or UEFI modes. You can access this information from the boot menu of your system. This will prevent any potential errors from occurring.

2. Check the computer compatibility with different operating systems, such as Windows and Linux. For this purpose, you can read the product description of the system.

3. Check the disk on which you're going to install the operating system has the acceptable partitioning style for a smooth process of installation. If the disk doesn't have an acceptable partitioning style, it will support further installation. 

Conclusion

In this guide, we thoroughly explored the error "The Selected Disk Has an MBR Partition Table" in every aspect and angle. From the causes of happening to the solutions, such as EaseUS Partition Master, DiskPart, and BIOS settings, we presented a step-by-step guide that will make it easy to remove this error if you see it next time while installing the Windows OS.

Moreover, you can also read the following FAQs if they have more questions about this issue. It will make everything clear in front of you.

FAQs About Fixing The Selected Disk Has MBR Partition Table

Disk partitioning is a bit of a complex topic. This FAQs section will clear most of the questions you’re currently having in your mind.

1. Can I fix 'the selected disk has an MBR partition table' without losing data?

Yes, you surely can. All you need is to use an application like EaseUS Partition Master, which guarantees secure disk conversion.

2. What do I do if Windows cannot be installed on a disk that has a GPT partition style?

You can use the Windows DiskPart feature via Command Line Interface or a third-party application to convert GPT to MBR. Besides this, you can also enable Legacy Boot Mode from the BIOS settings. 

For a detailed guide, you may refer to this page for help: Windows Cannot be Installed to This Disk. The Selected Disk is of the GPT Partition Style.

3. Why can't I convert my MBR disk to GPT? What should I do?

The reason you can't convert the MBR disk to GPT is because there are existing partitions on the disk. Once the disk is empty and without any partitions, you can convert your MBR disk to GPT.