Windows cannot be installed to this disk... but HDD works

Hi All, I have an issue with the internal SATA HDD in my Pavilion dm4t laptop (PR #: XQ1313AAR). The drive is working, when connecting via external USB enclosure is recognized by the PC, can read/write data, format partitions etc… When plugged in as internal HDD of the laptop, BIOS does not recognize it. When booting from Windows Installation Disk, the drive (and its partitions) are recognized, but I get the following message when trying to select a partition to proceed with Windows install: Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer’s hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk’s controller is enabled in the computer’s BIOS menu. Used external USB enclosure again, connected to a working PC and using TestDisk, I deleted the partition table (by zero writing it several times), then created a new MBR. When connecting back as internal drive, it is now recognized by BIOS and in the Windows installation screen, I can actually select a partition on the drive to install Windows on; the installation actually runs, but as soon as I get to the point of having to restart the PC during the installation process, upon restart the drive is not recognized anymore… When I remove it, and repeat the same steps with TestDisk, it once again works, can start Windows installation, but it fails upon restart. I have already read numerous forums on the topic, have tried various drive utilities. I also saw in one of the forums a suggestion to enable AHCI for the SATA controller, but the laptop BIOS is extremely limited and does not have that option.Please help!!! Have been without a working laptop for several weeks and is driving me crazy. Saving any data on the drive is not needed – I have recovered all data from it that I need. So my only objective is to restore the harddrive to fully working state and be able to install OS on it (Windows 7, 64-bit)! Thanks in advance for any help!

I've tried many things already, spend countless hours on this and still no luck What seems to get me at least a step closer:- Boot using Windows 7 Install DVD-Go to Repair Computer and open Command Prompt-Run DiskPart, Clean the disk-After restart am able to create partitions on the disk through Windows 7 Installation and install Windows-As a last step of Windows install, it reboots the system, and upon reboot drive is not recognized - goes again into booting from DVD and starting Windows installation from scratch... When following the installation steps, this time it does not allow to go through with the installation stating that "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu." When in diskpart and using Detail Disk command, I see that disk is NOT bootable. Could that be causing the issue and how can it be solved?

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"Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, windows can only be installed to GPT disks." Error

Hey Im getting the following error when trying to install windows from a USB.
"Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, windows can only be installed to GPT disks."
I installed the windows 8 (64bit) iso using boot camp to a usb. I was able to do this after changing the info.plist to allow me to place the iso on the usb. After I make the partition and start the install, I get the above error. I formatted the partition in the installation but I keep getting this error. I've repreated the entire process but i keep getting this errror and the disk utility says my partition is a Windows NT File System (NTFS) so im not sure what's going on. If you can help me that would be greatly appreciated

I am having the same problem. Windows is trying to install. It identifies the various partitions but says that I cannot install Windows on the Boot Camp partition or any other. I select Drive options (advanced) and Format the Boot Camp drive, but it makes no difference.
This is the Windows error:
Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks.
Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer BIOS menu.
I am not sure what Csound1 is suggesting with that post above. There are some involved suggestions over here <https://discussions.apple.com/message/23548999#23548999> about using Disk Utility to delete the Boot Camp partition and create new ones - is that the idea?

No more optical drive and windows 8 issue: "Windows cannot be installed on this disk as it has an MBR partition table."

I have an Early 2011 13" MBP going strong with an SSD and original HDD installed in the optical drive. However, having had success with windows 7 on my old HDD I was planning to install Windows 8.1 (from .iso) on my SSD. However, for the past day or so it's been a nightmare.
I tried the official procedure but by editing the bootcamp info.plist so I could boot from USB (you can't install windows from an external optical drive apparently) partitioning as bootcamp wanted too.
I then tried it a number of different ways using disk utility etc and with an empty space
However, I always seem to end up with the error "“Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only installed on GPT disks“
I read some interesting stuff here http://www.royhochstenbach.com/installing-windows-8-1-on-a-2013-mac-pro/
He points out that
"Windows 7 and 8 in x64 support EFI. Normally if you install Windows on a Mac and use the installation DVD, it boots into regular BIOS mode, thus can be installed on an MBR partition. I tried the same, but since the Mac Pro doesn’t have an optical drive I had to use an external drive. And apparently the Mac boots external optical drives in EFI mode too. The Bootcamp wizard is aware of this, and creates a GPT partition on a non-superdrive Mac but an MBR partition on a superdrive Mac."
This means Bootcamp is essentially making the wrong type of partition?
My real question is? How do I install it windows 8? I'm really on my last legs!
I really don't want to have to open this thing up and reinsert my optical drive as its really really difficult to get out of the enclosure (would probably have to break it).
A huge thanks in advance!

Hi,
Have you tried that suggestion?
You also could use this commands to check and install again:
Inside windows installer, hit Shift+F10 to get a command prompt, then run diskpart and type List disk to displays a list of disks and information about them, such as their size, amount of available free space, whether the disk is a basic or dynamic disk,
and whether the disk uses the master boot record (MBR) or GUID partition table (GPT) partition style.
and then select the target disk. Zap the drive (with the clean command), create GPT table (new gpt), create the GPT-EFI special partitions.
Step-by-step instructions is here for reference:
HOW TO: Use the Diskpart.efi Utility to Create a GUID Partition Table Partition on a Raw Disk in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297800?wa=wsignin1.0
Then reboot so the firmware finds those partitions and adds the disk to the EFI-native boot order (Windows installer checks this).
Karen Hu
TechNet Community Support

Error: Windows Cannot Be Installed to This Disk. The Selected Disk Has an MBR Partition Table.

Error: Windows Cannot Be Installed to This Disk. The Selected Disk Has an MBR Partition Table.
Error: Windows Cannot Be Installed to This Disk. The Selected Disk Has an MBR Partition Table. On EFI Systems, Windows Can Only Be Installed to GPT.
I found one solution to this problem on hp forum but my laptop has boot legacy and does not disable the efi boot order.
HP Model# HP 1000-1140TU Notebook PC
Serial# 5cg2481dbg
Product# c8c94pa#uuf
This is solution which is found on hp forum
SolutionThe resolution to this issue depends on the the hard disk volume size:
Follow these steps if the hard disk volume size is less than 2.19 TB:
Temporarily disable the EFI Boot Sources setting in the BIOS:
Restart the computer, and then press F10 to enter the BIOS.
Navigate to Storage > Boot Order , and then disable the EFI Boot Sources .
Select File > Save Changes > Exit .
Install the Windows operating system.
Enable the EFI Boot Sources setting in the BIOS:
Restart the computer, and then press F10 to enter the BIOS.
Navigate to Storage > Boot Order , and then enable the EFI Boot Sources .
Select File > Save Changes > Exit .
Follow these steps if the hard disk volume size is greater than 2.19 TB:
Install the HP BIOS Update UEFI utility from the HP Web site:
Click here to access the document "HP BIOS Update UEFI" .
NOTE:The HP BIOS Update UEFI utility is installed by default on some HP computers.
Follow the steps in the Microsoft document titled "How to Configure UEFI/GPT-Based Hard Drive Partitions" (in English) to create a GPT partition.
Click here to access the document "How to Configure UEFI/GPT-Based Hard Drive Partitions" .
NOTEne or more of the links above will take you outside the Hewlett-Packard Web site. HP does not control and is not responsible for information outside the HP Web site.

I am having the same problem. Windows is trying to install. It identifies the various partitions but says that I cannot install Windows on the Boot Camp partition or any other. I select Drive options (advanced) and Format the Boot Camp drive, but it makes no difference.
This is the Windows error:
Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks.
Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer BIOS menu.
I am not sure what Csound1 is suggesting with that post above. There are some involved suggestions over here <https://discussions.apple.com/message/23548999#23548999> about using Disk Utility to delete the Boot Camp partition and create new ones - is that the idea?

Windows cannot be installed to this disk 0. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI system, Windows can only be installed on GPT disks

Hi All,
I have been trying real hard to install Windows 8 on my Macbook Pro early 2011 model. I followed the instruction given by Bootcamp word to word, all things went very smoothly untill I was asked Windows Setup Instaled to selct the Hard drive. Here's the error:
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Let me know guys what should I do?
Thanks,
Attiqe

You have started the Windows 8 installer in EFI mode, and you don't have to start in EFI mode on a Mac because your Mac emulates a BIOS and a MBR partition table in order to install Windows in non-EFI mode.
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Hi guys,
after searching the net I've finally found a forum in which I hope you can help me.
I've tried to search this forum for an anwser but couldn't find it.
I have a toshiba satellite a110 -159 which after a sudden stop didn't boot up.
chkdsk did discover a lot of problems when I connected the hard drive to another pc, but the laptop still couldn't boot from the disk.
anyways, I copied the most important data and remounted the disk in the laptop. with the product recovery discs I managed to reinstall windows xp media center installation, but after the first reboot, the laptopt didn't find the hard disk, it is not displayed in the bios.
strange though that the recovery discs did install... anyone knows how to relist the hard disk in the bios? it was listed there before the reinstall of windows xp mc... :( so it's like it did something with the bios or so.
hope you guys know what's wrong with this one.
thnx in advance!
Edit:
the disk is accessible when placed in another system or desktop system with convertor, and copies and works just fine.

I've solved it
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the short reset the bios and it found the disk again
very weird though, but it works all fine now.
hope this helps anyone else if they got the same :)
bb

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Install Failure: Windows cannot be installed to disk 0 partition 1.

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Spec:
CPU: Intel Q6600
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1) After Windows gives you the error, hit SHIFT-F10 to get to the command prompt.
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diskpart
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clean
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Phil C.
Wow, that's weird, this is my answer that has been deleted

Windows cannot be installed to this disk... but HDD works

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