Confirm your system supports UEFI by checking firmware settings and ensuring boot mode is set to UEFI, not Legacy. 2. Create a bootable USB using the Windows Media Creation Tool with a minimum 8GB drive formatted as FAT32. 3. Boot from the USB by selecting the UEFI option in the boot menu to ensure UEFI-mode startup. 4. If installation fails due to GPT, open Command Prompt via Shift F10, use diskpart to clean and convert the disk to GPT. 5. Allow Windows to automatically create necessary partitions (EFI, MSR, and main OS partition) on the GPT disk during installation. 6. Ensure all OS installations use UEFI mode for dual-booting, and note that only 64-bit Windows supports UEFI GPT, with older systems requiring MBR and Legacy BIOS. As long as the system uses UEFI and the installer boots in UEFI mode, Windows will install correctly on a GPT disk with proper automatic partitioning.
Installing Windows on a GPT (GUID Partition Table) partition is standard for modern systems, especially those using UEFI firmware instead of the older BIOS and MBR setup. Here's how to do it correctly and what you need to know.

1. Check if Your System Supports UEFI and GPT
Before installing Windows on a GPT partition, confirm your system uses UEFI:
- Access your firmware settings (BIOS/UEFI) by pressing a key like F2, F10, DEL, or ESC during boot.
- Look for a setting labeled "Boot Mode" or "UEFI/Legacy." It should be set to UEFI mode, not "Legacy" or "CSM."
- If your motherboard supports UEFI, you're good to proceed.
Note: You cannot install UEFI-based Windows on a GPT disk if the system is set to Legacy BIOS mode. The boot mode and disk partition style must match:
- UEFI GPT → Supported
- Legacy BIOS MBR → Supported
- Mixed combinations → Usually fail.
2. Prepare Installation Media Correctly
Use the Windows Media Creation Tool (from Microsoft’s official site) to make a bootable USB drive. This tool automatically formats the USB with the correct file system (FAT32) and includes UEFI boot files.
Steps:

- Download the tool from Microsoft (or Windows 11, depending on your version).
- Run it and select "Create installation media for another PC."
- Choose the correct architecture (64-bit recommended).
- Let it create the USB drive.
Important: The USB must be at least 8GB and will be erased during the process.
3. Boot from USB in UEFI Mode
When starting the installation:
- Insert the USB drive.
- Restart the PC and enter the boot menu (usually by pressing F12, ESC, or another key).
- Select the UEFI version of your USB drive (e.g., "UEFI: SanDisk USB" instead of just "SanDisk USB").
If you don’t see a UEFI option, your USB may not be properly formatted, or your firmware doesn’t recognize it in UEFI mode.
4. Install Windows on GPT Disk
Once the Windows installer loads:
- Proceed through language and edition selection.
- Click "Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)".
- You’ll likely see a message: "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has a GPT partition style."
Don’t panic — this is normal if the installer thinks you’re trying to install in Legacy mode.
Fix: Access Command Prompt and Clean the Disk (Optional)
If the target disk is new or you don’t need existing data:
- Press Shift F10 to open Command Prompt.
- Type the following commands one by one:
diskpart list disk select disk X (replace X with your target disk number) clean convert gpt exit
- Close the Command Prompt and click Refresh in the installer.
- Now you should see the unallocated space on a GPT disk.
You can now proceed to install Windows by selecting the unallocated space. Windows will automatically create the required partitions (EFI, Microsoft Reserved, and primary).
5. Let Windows Handle Partitioning
It’s best to let Windows create its own partitions on the GPT disk. These typically include:
- EFI System Partition (ESP) – Holds boot files (FAT32, ~100–500 MB)
- Microsoft Reserved Partition (MSR) – Required for GPT, small (~16 MB)
- Windows Partition – The main C: drive
Manually creating these is possible but unnecessary and risky for most users.
Final Notes
- 64-bit Windows only: All modern 64-bit versions of Windows support UEFI GPT.
- Dual-booting? Ensure all operating systems are installed in the same mode (UEFI), or boot conflicts will occur.
- Older systems (pre-2012) may not support UEFI/GPT. In that case, reformatting as MBR and using Legacy BIOS is the alternative.
Basically, as long as your system uses UEFI, the Windows installer supports GPT by default — you just need to boot the installer in UEFI mode and ensure the disk is initialized as GPT. The rest happens automatically.
The above is the detailed content of How to install Windows on a GPT partition. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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