Level 1

14 points

“Windows cannot be installed on to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style”

Ok so basically I was trying to install Windows 10, but then I got this error: “Windows cannot be installed on to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style.” I think the reason is because the partition scheme is GUID Partition Map. I have macOS Mojave, and the Macintosh HD is APFS. The third partition I have there is where I installed Linux Fedora. I’m trying to install Windows to the Bootcamp partition, but I keep getting this error. Do I need to format my computer to a Master Boot Record or do I need to select EFI Boot? I have a MacBook Pro 13" Mid 2012.

MacBook Pro 13", 10.14

Posted on Feb 18, 2019 5:19 PM

Similar questions

95 replies

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Feb 24, 2019 5:31 PM in response to qazaqbro

"Windows cannot install required files the file may be corrupt or missing make sure all files required for installation are available "

Can you start a new discussion, to avoid confusion with OP?

eraldm349 Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 24, 2019 5:36 PM in response to Loner T

The thing is I don’t want there to be a default. Let’s say I’m on Windows. When I restart my computer, it restarts to macOS. I want it to restart to the os I boot it on.

eraldm349 Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 24, 2019 6:31 PM in response to Loner T

So if I restart my computer from Windows, it will boot into macOS

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Feb 24, 2019 6:40 PM in response to eraldm349

So if I restart my computer from Windows, it will boot into macOS

What are the exact steps you are using to restart the computer?

eraldm349 Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 24, 2019 6:45 PM in response to Loner T

I clicked on the windows button and clicked restart

eraldm349 Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 24, 2019 7:24 PM in response to Loner T

I restarted the smc and nvram, but for some reason it still booted back on macOS when I was on Windows.

eraldm349 Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 19, 2019 4:59 PM in response to Loner T

I created 150 gb of free space and during the install process, I clicked on automatic partition, otherwise I would have to make the partition manually for install, which is very convoluting. My computer is 750 gb. I am trying to make the macOS partition and bootcamp partition 300 gb, and the Linux fedora partition 150 gb.

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Feb 19, 2019 6:54 PM in response to eraldm349

Rebuild MBR to match the new GPT information thus resetting the Hybrid MBR. Use defaults for other questions (like partition codes). The only values that need modifications are the Boot flags and step 10. Accept all other defaults that Gdisk offers. Please see thesample Q&A as an example. These steps can be repeated if you make a mistake before you get to Step 12, otherwise start from Step 1 for these steps. Step 6 has numbers which are typed with a space between the numbers. Please see the sample Q&A before you execute these steps.

Sudo gdisk /dev/rdisk0
P (Print list of parts)
R (Recover)
O (print current Hybrid MBR)
H (chooses Hybrid)
Partitions numbers to be hybridized: 2 3 4
Y (Good for GRUB question)
N (part 2 boot flag)
N (part 3 boot flag)
Y (part 4 boot flag make NTFS bootable partition)
O (print current Hybrid MBR)
W (Write the new MBR)
Y (Yes! write the new MBR)
Reboot

Here is sample Q&A for this section. Please notice the Press Enter/Return.

Place EFI GPT (0xEE) partition first in MBR (good for GRUB)? (Y/N): Y

Creating entry for GPT partition #2 (MBR partition #2)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AF): Press Enter/Return

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): N

Creating entry for GPT partition #3 (MBR partition #3)

Enter an MBR hex code (default AB): Press Enter/Return

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): N

Creating entry for GPT partition #4 (MBR partition #4)

Enter an MBR hex code (default 07): Press Enter/Return

Set the bootable flag? (Y/N): Y

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Feb 20, 2019 6:11 AM in response to eraldm349

3: 07 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 586348544 - 585674752] HPFS/QNX/AUX

This entry should flagged for bootability, not entry 4. Entry 4 is currently flagged (marked active) to show what entry 3 should look like.

*4: EF 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [1172285440 - 409600] <Unknown ID>

Here the size is the same as GPT4, but we want the size to be (409600 + 409600 + 2097152 + 289945600 ) which is the total size of GPT4/5/6/7.

We need to run (do not type such text)

sudo fdisk -e /dev/disk0

p (print)

setpid 3

flag 3

We also need to edit MBR4. The following sequence illustrates the steps. Use values which are specific to your case. In MBR4, the only change is the size of the partition, the remaining MBR4 values remain unchanged.

fdisk: 1> e 1

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1: EE 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 1 - 1954210119] <Unknown ID>

Partition id ('0' to disable) [0 - FF]: [EE] (? for help)

Do you wish to edit in CHS mode? [n] n

Partition offset [0 - 1954210120]: [63]

Partition size [1 - 1954210057]: [1954210057]

Once you have updated MBR3 and 4, post the output, before we go further. Your Terminal should stay in FDisk utility.

eraldm349 Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 20, 2019 6:46 AM in response to Loner T

fdisk: could not open MBR file /usr/standalone/i386/boot0: No such file or directory

Enter 'help' for information

fdisk: 1> p

Disk: /dev/disk0 geometry: 91201/255/63 [1465149168 sectors]

Offset: 0 Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1: EE 0 0 2 - 25 127 14 [ 1 - 409639] <Unknown ID>

2: AF 25 127 15 - 1023 254 63 [ 409640 - 585937496] HFS+

3: 07 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 586348544 - 585674752] HPFS/QNX/AUX

*4: EF 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [1172285440 - 409600] <Unknown ID>

fdisk: 1> setpid 3

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

3: 07 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 586348544 - 585674752] HPFS/QNX/AUX

Partition id ('0' to disable) [0 - FF]: [7] (? for help) 07

fdisk: 1> flag 3

Partition 3 marked active.

fdisk:*1> p

Disk: /dev/disk0 geometry: 91201/255/63 [1465149168 sectors]

Offset: 0 Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1: EE 0 0 2 - 25 127 14 [ 1 - 409639] <Unknown ID>

2: AF 25 127 15 - 1023 254 63 [ 409640 - 585937496] HFS+

*3: 07 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 586348544 - 585674752] HPFS/QNX/AUX

4: EF 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [1172285440 - 409600] <Unknown ID>

eraldm349 Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 20, 2019 2:39 PM in response to Loner T

gpt show: /dev/disk0: mediasize=750156374016; sectorsize=512; blocks=1465149168

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Suspicious MBR at sector 0

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Pri GPT at sector 1

gpt show: /dev/disk0: Sec GPT at sector 1465149167

start size index contents

0 1 MBR

1 1 Pri GPT header

2 32 Pri GPT table

34 6

40 409600 1 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B

409640 585937496 2 GPT part - 7C3457EF-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

586347136 1408

586348544 585674752 3 GPT part - EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7

1172023296 262144

1172285440 409600 4 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B

1172695040 409600 5 GPT part - 48465300-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

1173104640 2097152 6 GPT part - 0FC63DAF-8483-4772-8E79-3D69D8477DE4

1175201792 289945600 7 GPT part - E6D6D379-F507-44C2-A23C-238F2A3DF928

1465147392 1743

1465149135 32 Sec GPT table

1465149167 1 Sec GPT header

eraldm349 Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 20, 2019 6:04 PM in response to Loner T

sudo fdisk -e /dev/disk0

Password:

fdisk: could not open MBR file /usr/standalone/i386/boot0: No such file or directory

Enter 'help' for information

fdisk: 1> p

Disk: /dev/disk0 geometry: 91201/255/63 [1465149168 sectors]

Offset: 0 Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1: EE 0 0 2 - 25 127 14 [ 1 - 409639] <Unknown ID>

2: AF 25 127 15 - 1023 254 63 [ 409640 - 585937496] HFS+

3: 07 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 586348544 - 585674752] HPFS/QNX/AUX

*4: EF 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [1172285440 - 409600] <Unknown ID>

fdisk: 1> setpid 3

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

3: 07 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 586348544 - 585674752] HPFS/QNX/AUX

Partition id ('0' to disable) [0 - FF]: [7] (? for help) 07

fdisk: 1> flag 3

Partition 3 marked active.

fdisk:*1> p

Disk: /dev/disk0 geometry: 91201/255/63 [1465149168 sectors]

Offset: 0 Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1: EE 0 0 2 - 25 127 14 [ 1 - 409639] <Unknown ID>

2: AF 25 127 15 - 1023 254 63 [ 409640 - 585937496] HFS+

*3: 07 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 586348544 - 585674752] HPFS/QNX/AUX

4: EF 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [1172285440 - 409600] <Unknown ID>

fdisk:*1> e 4

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

4: EF 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [1172285440 - 409600] <Unknown ID>

Partition id ('0' to disable) [0 - FF]: [EF] (? for help)

Do you wish to edit in CHS mode? [n] n

Partition offset [0 - 1465149168]: [1172023296] 1172285440

Partition size [1 - 292863728]: [292863728] 292861952

fdisk:*1> w

Device could not be accessed exclusively.

A reboot will be needed for changes to take effect. OK? [n]

eraldm349 Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 24, 2019 5:59 PM in response to Loner T

If it’s on macOS, it should stay on macOS. If it’s on Windows, it should stay on Windows. That’s how I want it, but even when I’m on Windows, it’s on macOS, meaning my macOS partition is the startup os. How do I change it?

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Feb 24, 2019 6:14 PM in response to eraldm349

That’s how I want it, but even when I’m on Windows, it’s on macOS, meaning my macOS partition is the startup os.

In Windows, if you Restart (not using the Bootcamp Control Panel), but standard Windows Restart, which is the OS that boots?

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Feb 19, 2019 6:21 PM in response to eraldm349

We should first build the MBR and then expand it. Let me know if you need detailed steps.

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“Windows cannot be installed on to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style”