It is essential to configure the correct boot mode for the operating system drive when setting up a computer.

If you encounter an error message during Windows installation that says, "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is not of the GPT partition style," it means your computer is booting in UEFI mode, but your hard drive is not configured for UEFI.

Here is the correct way to address this issue:

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In this article, you'll learn:

  • #1. Check if Your Computer Has BIOS or UEFI Firmware Pre-installed
  • #2. Verify if Windows Supports MBR or GPT
  • #3. Set the Correct Boot Mode in MBR - BIOS (Legacy) or UEFI

Let's start here.

Determine if Your Computer Has a BIOS or UEFI Firmware

To configure the correct boot mode for your operating system, it's essential to understand the two types of boot modes in Windows: BIOS (legacy) and UEFI. But what is UEFI, and how does it differ from BIOS?

UEFI vs BIOS Image

Before we begin, let's first understand the difference between BIOS and UEFI:

Comparison Item BIOS UEFI
Definition BIOS, short for Basic Input-Output System, is a low-level software that initializes computer hardware components, ensures their proper operation, and runs the boot loader to start installed Windows and other operating systems. UEFI is also a low-level software used to boot PCs and operating systems. It's a more modern solution that supports larger hard drives, faster boot times, additional security features, and convenient graphical and mouse cursor functionalities.
Differences
  • Supports drives up to 2.1TB or smaller.
  • Uses MBR partition scheme.
  • Supports drives of 3TB or even larger.
  • Does not use MBR, instead employs GPT partition scheme.
  • The future boot mode on all new computers straight from the factory.

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Intel has already announced plans to replace BIOS entirely with UEFI on all its chipsets by 2020.

If your Windows computer was manufactured after 2020 and has an Intel processor, it will need to use UEFI boot mode.

But how do you tell whether an older computer, one manufactured before 2020, is using BIOS or UEFI? You can find out which boot mode your firmware uses by following these steps:

Option 1: Use System Information to check if your PC uses BIOS or UEFI

Step 1: Click the “Start” button, type “System Information” in the search box, and then click to open it.

Step 2. Under System Summary, find the BIOS Mode.

    • If it says Legacy, your device is using BIOS.
    • If it says UEFI, your computer is running on UEFI.

Check if Windows is using BIOS or UEFI boot mode

Option 2: Check whether your computer uses BIOS or UEFI by reviewing the setupact.log file

Step 1: Open File Explorer and navigate to the following path:

The Panther folder on the local hard disk (C:\Windows\Panther).

Step 2: Locate and open the setupact.log file with Notepad.

Step 3. Look for the Boot Environment detected, where you should be able to tell if your device is using BIOS or UEFI.

Check if Windows is using Legacy or UEFI in File Explorer

#2. Check if Your Windows is Using MBR or GPT

So, how do you determine whether a Windows drive is using MBR or GPT? Here's a quick guide to check:

Step 1: Right-click on Disk 0 and select "Properties" in the Disk Management window.

Replace 0 with the correct number for your Windows disk.

Step 2: Click on the "Volume" tab and examine the list of formats next to "Partition Style."

You'll see the disk's partition style—Master Boot Record (MBR) or GUID Partition Table (GPT).

Check the disk partition style Check the disk partition style

Now that you're familiar with boot modes and disk partitioning styles, proceed to the next section to learn how to set the correct BIOS mode for your MBR installation.

If you are looking for a reliable tool to convert disk between MBR and GPT without losing data, Partition Master can be of help.

#3. Set the correct boot mode in the MBR for your BIOS - Legacy or UEFI

To set the right mode for your Windows disk, you need to know a few basics:

    • MBR is configured with a traditional BIOS boot mode.
    • GPT is set up with a UEFI boot mode.

So when do you use an MBR disk, and when do you use a GPT disk? First, let's simplify the rules:

    • Disks 2 TB or smaller: Use the MBR partition style. • Disks 3 TB or larger: Use the GPT style.

Assuming your system drive is 2 TB or smaller and uses the MBR partition style, the correct boot mode for MBR is indeed BIOS/CSM/legacy mode.

Here are the steps to set the correct MBR boot mode in the BIOS:

Step 1: Restart your computer and press F2, F8, F11, or Del to enter the BIOS menu.

Step 2. Go to the Boot tab, select Boot Mode, and then use the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to select Legacy BIOS Boot Mode. Press Enter to confirm.

Step 3. Press F10 to save the changes and exit the BIOS.

Set the boot mode to Legacy to boot from MBR

When it's done, your computer will restart, and Windows should boot normally from the MBR disk.

If you're planning to convert your system disk to GPT or migrate the OS to a larger GPT HDD/SSD, make sure to change the BIOS mode from Legacy to UEFI as shown above.

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