Resolving the "The specified disk cannot be converted" Error in Windows

On this page, we will show you the ways to successfully convert a disk to MBR or GPT to resolve the issue. You will also learn the reason behind the problem and how to prevent it from happening again.

If you receive the “The specified disk cannot be converted” error while converting a disk to GPT or MBR or initializing a disk in Windows, don't worry. Follow the steps below to fix this error from your disk right away:

Note: If the disk is accessible at the moment, we recommend that you back up disk data first to prevent file loss while fixing the "The specified disk cannot be converted" error.

Solution 1: The specified disk cannot be converted because it is smaller than the minimum size required.

The specified disk cannot be converted Error Image

This error occurs if the disk has partitions on it, or if the disk contains unknown errors.

The "specified disk cannot be converted because it is smaller than the minimum required size" error usually pops up when trying to convert a disk to GPT in Disk Management. How do you fix this issue and successfully convert the disk?

Resolve "Not Enough Disk Space to Convert" Error [3 Steps]

How to fix This disk is not convertible on Windows 11/10/8/7? Follow the guidelines below, and your disk will be convertible again:

Method 1: Check the Drive with Disk Management

Step 1: Connect the new hard drive to your computer.

Step 2: Press Windows + R, type diskmgmt.msc in the Run dialog box, and click “OK”.

Step 3: Open Disk Management and check the status of your disk:

• If it shows 0 GB or Read-Only, refer to Step 2 to remove the read-only status. • If it shows Unknown Disk, Uninitialized, proceed to Step 3 and initialize the disk.

Disk layout that cannot be initialized in Disk Management

Step 2: Initialize the disk as GPT or MBR

Here, we recommend you try using a disk partition management tool, such as the partition manager software, to initialize the disk with just a few clicks:

Step 1: Run Partition Master and get into the "Partition Management" interface.

Step 2. Right-click the target disk - HDD or SSD, and choose "Initialize as MBR" or "Initialize as GPT." Click "Execute Task" and "Apply" to save the changes.

0:00-0:18 Initialize as MBR; 0:19-0:44 Initialize as GPT;

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Method 3: Use DiskPart for a clean read-only mount

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard, then type cmd in the Run box and click "OK" to open the Command Prompt.

Step 2: Type diskpart and press Enter to launch DiskPart.

Step 3: Enter each of the following lines one at a time, pressing Enter after each:

• list disk
• select disk 0 (replace 0 with the number of your read-only disk)
• clean
• exit

Note that this will wipe the entire disk, and any files on it will be lost. If you need to recover lost data, consult a reputable data recovery service.

Then, you can now proceed to #3 to initialize the disk to GPT without any convertible issues.

Solution 2: The specified disk cannot be converted. Examples of disks that cannot be converted are CORM and DVD.

Note that Windows can't convert a CD or DVD to MBR or GPT. So, if you're trying to convert a CD or DVD, this error won't be resolved. But if it's a hard drive, refer to the cause and fix it as mentioned here.

The reason for this error is that there are partitions on the hard drive, and the built-in Windows tool requires all existing partitions to be deleted before converting the disk.

When using DiskPart to convert between MBR and GPT, the entire disk must be erased. Otherwise, Windows won't let you do the wipe, making it more difficult to convert a system disk from MBR to GPT (or vice versa) without losing data.

Fix "The specified disk cannot be converted" Error and Convert Disk to MBR/GPT

Then, how to fix the error “The selected disk cannot be converted” without losing any partition or data? Here, a reliable disk management tool – Partition Master can help. Its disk conversion function allows you to completely convert a disk from GPT to MBR or MBR to GPT without deleting partitions or losing any data.

Step 1. Install and launch Partition Master on your computer, then go to the “Disk Conversion” section.

Step 2: Select “Convert GPT to MBR” and click “Next” to continue.

Step 3: Select the GPT disk that you want to convert to MBR, and click on “Convert” to start the conversion.

Once the conversion is complete, you should be able to continue using the drive to save data.

Tips to Protect Drives from “The specified disk cannot be converted” Error

Is there any way to protect your drive and data from the “The specified disk cannot be converted” issue? Yes, here are a few suggestions you can try:

1. Create a backup of your hard drive data. 2. Run an antivirus software to remove viruses or malware. 3. Update disk drivers regularly. 4. Select a suitable disk conversion tool, such as Partition Master, for assistance.

Now it's your turn to take action to safeguard your hard drive.

If you get the “The specified disk cannot be converted” error while trying to convert your hard drive, SSD, or external hard drive from MBR to GPT or vice versa, don't worry.

Please check the error message on your computer and resolve the issue immediately according to the respective guide here. It's now your turn to take action and successfully convert the disk.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Fixing "The Specified Disk Cannot Be Converted" Error

This page offers a comprehensive guide to help you resolve the "The specified disk cannot be converted" error on your Windows computer. However, the causes can be intricate. If you have more queries about this issue, please proceed to read and find the answers:

**1. How to fix the virtual disk service error stating that the specified disk cannot be converted?** To resolve the "specified disk cannot be converted" error in the virtual disk service, try the following steps: 1. **Shut down the virtual machine:** Make sure the virtual machine is closed to safely make any disk modifications. 2. **Check the disk type:** Open the virtual machine settings and examine the current format of the disk. If it's not dynamically expanding (e.g., it's fixed size or independent), it might not be convertible. Converting to a dynamically expanding disk usually resolves the issue. 3. **Convert the disk:** Use the built-in tools of your virtualization software (such as VMware or VirtualBox) to convert the disk to dynamically expanding. In VMware, this can be done through "Virtual Machine" > "Manage" > "Convert Disk." In VirtualBox, select "Disk Management" and then proceed with the conversion. 4. **Check disk space:** Ensure that the disk isn't full, as a full disk can also cause this error. Increase the virtual disk size if necessary. 5. **Update virtualization software:** Make sure your virtualization software is up-to-date, as older versions may not support certain disk conversions. 6. **Search for the specific error code:** If the above steps don't work, search for the specific error code online to find a more detailed solution. You may need to contact the technical support of your virtual machine software for additional assistance. Please note that steps may vary depending on the virtualization platform you're using (e.g., VMware, VirtualBox, Hyper-V), so consult the respective documentation for your software.

When encountering a Virtual Disk Service error on a Windows computer - "The specified disk cannot be converted," you can try the following remedies to fix the issue:

1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant on your computer. 2. Right-click the disk that shows "Virtual Disk Service error, the specified disk cannot be converted," then choose "Disk Converter." 3. Next, click "Convert MBR to GPT" and hit "Execute Task." 4. Finally, click "Apply" to proceed.

To convert a GPT disk to MBR using Disk Management on a Windows computer, follow these steps:

1. Back up all files on the GPT disk to another secure location.
2. Open Disk Management and right-click on the existing partition on the GPT disk.
3. Delete all partitions, then right-click on the GPT disk and select "Convert to MBR disk."

3. What happens when you convert MBR to GPT?

If you convert MBR to GPT via Disk Management, you need to delete all existing partitions. Thus, you will lose all partitions and data on the GPT disk. After that, the disk type will be changed from MBR to GPT. If you use third-party disk conversion software, like Partition Master, you will only see the disk type switch from MBR to GPT without any data loss issue.