Resolve Invalid Partition Table Error in Windows 10/8/7

This page offers comprehensive solutions to help you fix the "invalid partition table" black screen error that occurs during Windows OS startup. If you're dealing with this issue, please follow the instructions on this page to rectify the error and get your Windows 10/8/7 back up and running smoothly.

Invalid Partition Table Error.

"Invalid Partition Table Error, How Do I Fix It" This error message suggests that your computer is encountering an issue with an invalid partition table. To fix it, try these steps: 1. **Boot in Safe Mode**: Restart your computer and attempt to boot into Safe Mode by pressing F8 (for Windows) or Command + R (for Mac) during startup. 2. **Run Disk Utilities**: In Safe Mode, use built-in disk utilities like Windows' "Disk Management" or Mac's "Disk Utility" to check for hard drive errors and attempt to repair the partition. 3. **Use Command Line Tools**: For advanced users, you might need to use command line tools like Windows' `chkdsk` or Linux's `fsck` to examine and fix the partition table. 4. **Restore Partition Table**: If the table is severely damaged, you may need data recovery software or a specialized partition recovery tool to attempt restoring the partition table. 5. **Backup Data and Re-partition**: If all else fails, back up all important data, then delete and recreate the partition table. This will result in data loss, so make sure to backup first. 6. **Professional Assistance**: If the problem persists, it's best to reach out to a professional tech support for help. Choose the appropriate method based on your operating system and situation, and proceed carefully to avoid losing data.

Quest 1: Encountering "Invalid Partition Table" Error on Dell Laptop

"Does anyone have a solution to fix the 'Invalid Partition Table' error on a Dell laptop?"

My Dell Latitude with Windows 10 is no longer booting after an unexpected shutdown. Upon attempting to reboot, I encountered an error message indicating an invalid partition table. How can I resolve this issue?

Question 2. Invalid Partition Table after upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10

Recently, I upgraded my old computer from Windows 7 to Windows 10. The computer was functioning well with Windows 7.

Following the update, two error messages appeared: 'Invalid Partition Table' and 'Unable to reset your PC. A required drive partition is missing.' How can I resolve these issues to get my computer running with Windows 10 again?

Some of you may not even know what an invalid partition table is or what causes this error, right? Keep reading, and in the following sections, you'll learn about the contents of the Invalid Partition Table error, its causes, and the solutions to this issue.

"What does Invalid Partition Table mean?"

To grasp the concept of an "invalid partition table," it's essential to first understand the purpose of a partition table. In essence, a partition table serves as a table that stores attributes and information about each partition, enabling the operating system to access and manage these partitions effectively. When the table becomes invalid, it indicates that the data within it is corrupted or compromised, leading to potential issues in recognizing or accessing the partitions on your storage device.

When the partition table is corrupted, damaged, or becomes invalid, the system will be unable to locate and access the partition.

"The Invalid Partition Table" error typically occurs on the operating system partition and is often accompanied by a black screen, preventing users from booting up their PC.

When there's invalid information in a system or boot partition table while starting up a computer, Windows will display this error. This issue can also occur during a fresh installation of the Windows operating system or when attempting to boot a functioning OS.

What Causes an "Invalid Partition Table" Error?

To address this issue, the first step you should take is to identify the causes of an Invalid Partition Table.

Therefore, you can find the appropriate solutions for specific scenarios. Here are the typical reasons that prevent your computer from booting with a black screen displaying an "Invalid Partition Table": 1. **Corrupted Boot Sector**: The boot sector, which contains crucial information for starting the operating system, might be damaged or corrupted. 2. **Incorrect BIOS Settings**: The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) settings might have been mistakenly altered, leading to issues with identifying the bootable device. 3. **MBR (Master Boot Record) Corruption**: The Master Boot Record, responsible for loading the operating system, could be damaged or infected by malware. 4. **Improper Disk Partitioning**: Accidentally deleting or modifying partitions can result in an invalid partition table error. 5. **Hardware Failure**: A failing hard drive, memory, or other essential components might cause boot issues. 6. **OS Damage or Malware Infection**: A corrupted operating system or malware presence can lead to such errors. 7. **Boot Order Configuration**: If the wrong device is set as the primary boot device, it can cause the computer to display an invalid partition table. 8. **Power Failure During Boot Process**: Sudden power cuts while the computer is starting up can lead to boot issues. To address these problems, try the following solutions: 1. **Boot Sector Repair**: Use tools like `bootrec.exe` in Windows' System Recovery Options or bootable media with disk repair utilities. 2. **Restore BIOS Settings**: Enter the BIOS setup and reset settings to their default values. 3. **MBR Repair**: Utilize tools like `bootsect.exe` or third-party software to fix the MBR. 4. **Recreate Partitions**: Use disk management tools to recreate or restore lost partitions. 5. **Hardware Replacement**: Replace faulty hardware components if necessary. 6. **System Restore or Clean Install**: Perform a system restore to a previous point or reinstall the operating system. 7. **Scan for Malware**: Run antivirus software in safe mode to detect and remove any malicious threats. 8. **Correct Boot Order**: Reconfigure the boot order in BIOS to prioritize the correct boot device. Remember to always create backups of important data before attempting any repairs, as some methods may involve data loss.

• Damaged (MBR) Partition Table: The MBR (Master Boot Record), which holds information for loading the system partition and data partitions on the hard drive, becomes corrupted.
• Incorrect BIOS Boot Sequence: If Windows is not configured to boot in the correct sequence, this will lead to an unsuccessful computer startup.
• Two or More Active Partitions: When there are two or more partitions marked as active on the system disk, Windows will fail to load. Specifically, only the boot (loader) partition containing BOOTMGR and BCD should be flagged as "Active."
• Bad Sectors: When the system partition or the boot partition contains bad sectors, the partition table cannot be loaded, resulting in an invalid partition table, preventing you from starting up the Windows system.

So, how can we eliminate this error and restore smooth, uninterrupted performance in the Windows OS? Keep reading, and you'll discover the optimal solution for this issue.

How to Resolve the Invalid Partition Table Error in Windows 10/8/7

In this section, you'll discover five methods to rectify the Invalid Partition Table error on your computer's disk, enabling Windows to function properly once more.

Fix 1: Reconstruct MBR using Partition Master tools

EPM Partition Master is a reliable disk management software that allows you to effectively manage partitions, maximize disk space utilization, and promptly check and repair disk errors.

To fix the corrupted or invalid partition table, you can utilize the "Rebuild MBR" feature in the Partition Master tool.

Follow the two steps below to let Partition Master rebuild the MBR partition table, and make your computer bootable again:

Step 1. Create a WinPE bootable disk

1. Launch tools Partition Master, and click "Bootable Media" on the toolbar. Choose "Create Bootable Media". 2. Click "Next" to complete the process.

Step 2. Boot the Partition Master Bootable USB

Plug in the bootable USB or CD/DVD into your PC. Upon restarting your computer, hit F2 or Del to enter the BIOS screen. Set your computer to boot from "Removable Devices" or "CD-ROM Drive." The Partition Master tool should then launch automatically.

Step 3. Rebuild MBR

Click "Toolkit" and select "Rebuild MBR".

Select the disk and the type of MBR, then click "Rebuild".

Then you'll see the message "MBR has been successfully rebuilt on Disk X".

Fix 2: Manually Repair MBR using Command Prompt

Another approach to resolving the issue of an invalid partition table is to repair the corrupted or damaged MBR (Master Boot Record) partition table on your computer using the Command Prompt (CMD).

To do so, you'll need an original Windows installation DVD or USB Windows Installation Media for assistance.

Here, we'll use Windows 10 as an example to guide you on how to manually repair the MBR using the CMD command:

Step 1. Restart your Windows using the installation disc and choose "Repair your computer" on the welcome screen.

Step 2. When the Command Prompt appears, enter the following lines one by one and press Enter after each line:

• bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd
• bootrec.exe /fixmbr
• bootrec.exe /fixboot

In some cases, you might need to run some additional commands.

bootsect /nt60 SYS or bootsect /nt60 ALL This command translates to: Bootsect /nt60 SYS or Bootsect /nt60 ALL

Step 3. Press Enter after each command and wait for each operation to complete. Exit the terminal and now proceed to restart your system.

Fix 3: Reset BIOS Boot Order

Step 1. Attempt to restart the PC and press DEL, F11, or F12 to enter BIOS.

Step 2. Go to the Advanced BIOS feature, and select "Hard Disk Boot Priority."

Step 3. Verify if the BIOS is configured to boot from the correct disk. If not, modify the settings and restart the computer to boot from the appropriate drive.

Save all changes and restart your computer to see if the issue has been resolved.

Fix 4: Inactivate Partition using DiskPart

To do so, you'll also need a Windows installation disc to help you access the Windows Repair window with the following steps:

Step 1. Restart your Windows using the installation disc and choose "Repair your computer" on the welcome screen.

Step 2: In the pop-up window, click on Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt. Type "diskpart" and hit Enter.

Step 3. Type the following commands in DiskPart and press Enter after each one:

• list vol
• sel vol D

Replace D with the partition label that you want to set as inactive.

Step 4. When the target partition is selected, type: inactive and press Enter to execute the operation.

Step 5. Type: exit to complete the process.

After this, you can restart your computer to see if the issue has been resolved.

Fix 5: Check and Repair Bad Sectors

As most of you may have known, once a hard drive contains bad sectors, it would affect the disk performance, preventing it from functioning properly.

So far, there isn't a 100% effective tool that can completely repair corrupted or bad sectors on a storage device.

To proceed, follow the steps below to complete the bad sector testing and repair process:

Phase 1: Test the disk surface and replace the hard drive

Run the Partition Master tool from a previously created bootable disk and test the disk:

Step 1. Open AOMEI Partition Assistant. Right-click the disk that you wish to check, and then click "Surface Test".

Step 2. The operation will be performed immediately, and all bad sectors will be marked in red.

Phase 2: Implement actions to repair bad sectors on the target disk

Once bad sectors are detected, it's crucial to act promptly to prevent them from causing further damage to your drive.

To achieve this, you have several options:

1. If only a few bad sectors are detected, you can use a third-party bad sector repair tool to isolate them. You can search online to find such a tool for assistance.
2. If there are numerous bad sectors on your disk, it's recommended that you promptly replace the old disk.

Your data and system are of greater value. You can refer to this link to clone and replace a hard drive with bad sectors.

How do I avoid the "Invalid Partition Table" error?

Some of you might also be wondering how to prevent this error from occurring on your computer, right? Well, there isn't an exact method to entirely avoid this issue.

However, here are some tips you can try to protect your computer disk:

1. Ensure the BIOS is configured to boot from the correct drive.
2. Routinely use a partition management tool, such as Partition Master, to check and fix disk file system or other errors.
3. Avoid activating partitions casually on the system disk.

Conclusion

This page elucidates the concept of an "invalid partition table," the reasons behind it, and the remedies to eliminate this error from Windows-based computers.

However, as numerous factors can contribute to this issue, the suggested solutions might not address all the specific problems that lead to this error on your PC.

If you require remote assistance, you can also seek help from our Partition Master experts by visiting this page: /support/remote-assistance.html.

Thus, we recommend you follow the solutions provided in the latter part to ward off this issue from your computer at the earliest.