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Archived This topic has been archived. Information and links in this thread may no longer be available or relevant. If you have a question create a new topic by clicking here and select the appropriate board.
HP Recommended
Refurbished Hp 15‑n028/228us
Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)

I am attempting to install and register WIndows 10 Pro from a recently downloaded USB iso file. When I get to step 2, "where do you want to install windows" there is an error message on both partitions 1 and 2 that says, "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed tp GPT disks. The rep at Microsoft advised me to contact HP to reset the partitions.

Thanks in advance!

6 REPLIES 6
HP Recommended

@Ted_L12

 

To change your drive from MBR formatting to GPT formatting, you would have to boot from a partitioning tool -- as you can do that while running Windows from that drive.

 

The tool claims to be able to allow you to create a WinPE boot disk, and using that, you can reformat the entire drive:  http://www.disk-partition.com/download-home.html


Good Luck



I am a volunteer and I do not work for, nor represent, HP
HP Recommended

I have a message when I attempt to boot:

"Boot Devive Not Found" 

Please install an operating system on your hard drive

Hard Disk (3F0)

F2 System Diagnostics

 

This is why I created a Windows Install to a USB drive. When attempting the install I get the message regarding the partition. I downloaded the tool you suggested on to another USB drive but when I insert and restart the screen goes to the (3F0) message.

 

So, how do I get the tool to work? 

 

Attempting to use the Recovery Manager (F11) does not respond. I have checked the hard drive and the memory and both passed.

 

Thank you,

HP Recommended

@Ted_L12

 

Wish you would have mentioned that error code in the initial post ...

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but according to HP, that error message means that your hard drive is in imminent danger of failing. While it could last for several more days, it could also fail immediately! The more you use the drive, the less likely you'll be able to recover anything on it.

So, there are four issues to address here:
1) Data Recovery
2) Drive replacement
3) Recovery Media
4) System restoration

---------- Data Recovery ----------

Your best bet for recovering data now is to do the following:
1) Remove the hard drive from the PC
2) Purchase a USB-to-Hard Driver adapter kit
3) Download and install this utility on a working PC: http://www.majorgeeks.com/news/story/recover_data_in_3_steps_with_minitool_power_data_recovery_free_...
4) Connect the old drive to the working PC
5) Run the data recovery utility to see what can be retrieved from the old drive.

If that tools does not find what you need, an alternative is Recuva: http://www.piriform.com/recuva

And, if that does not work well, the best tool out there is this one, but only the trial version is free: http://www.file-recovery.com/

---------- Drive Replacement ----------
laptops:
The drive will need to be replaced. When you remove it, you will see that it is a 2 1/5 inch laptop SATA drive.

You can replace this with any similar laptop drive of the same capacity or larger.

Desktops:
The drive will need to be replaced. When you remove it, you will see that it is a 3 1/5 inch laptop SATA drive.

You can replace this with any similar desktop drive of the same capacity or larger.

---------- Recovery Media ----------

Once you have the replacement drive, you will need to use something known as HP Recovery Media to restore your PC to working condition. This is a set of DVDs and a CD, or USB stick, that will erase the hard drive (removing all data, settings, and applications, reinstall the original OS, drivers, and some HP Utilities. In some cases, you may be able to order a USB stick instead of disks. You have to order these from HP; they can not be downloaded.

You can look online for Recovery Media starting with the linked paged: http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers

Once there, input your Product name or number. On your Software and Drivers Download page, select your Operating System and and Version. Click "Update". If HP Recovery Media is available for your machine, down near the bottom of the page, you will see an entry for Order Recovery Media-CD/DVD/USB. Click the "+" symbol to expand that entry and click on Order Media for details.

Or, if you prefer, you can do the same by contacting HP Customer Service:

If you live in the US or Canada, contact information is on this page: http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/phone-assist.html#section1

If you live elsewhere, contact information is on this page: http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/ww-contact-us.html

NOTE: After you get through, stay on the line until you are finally able to talk to some one -- it can take a while!

If you have trouble finding a phone number, then try: 1 (800) 474-6836

If HP no longer provides Recovery Media for your model, a couple of other sites you can check are: http://www.computersurgeons.com/ and http://www.restoredisks.com/

---------- System Restoration ----------

While you are waiting for the media to arrive, read through this: http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c00006110

Good Luck



I am a volunteer and I do not work for, nor represent, HP
HP Recommended

I'm not interested in revovering any data from the hard drive, just installing a fresh operating system. I was told by another person to access the hard drive and unplug it from it'e respective port. He said there should be another port there and to plug into it. He said that may solve the problem. At least allowing windows to be installed. Of course this would have no bearing on whether or not the hard drive was about to fail. Does this make any sense?

Thank you.

HP Recommended

@Ted_L12

 

While what they said makes sense, the Maintenance Guide for your PC does not show two connector cables for hard drives, only one.  It also shows only one mounting bracket for an HDD.  For the few laptops that support two HDDs, there is a second mounting bracket.

 

So, I see no evidence there of any second "port" to which you could connect a hard drive.



I am a volunteer and I do not work for, nor represent, HP
HP Recommended

> I am attempting to install and register WIndows 10 Pro from a recently downloaded USB iso file.

 

OK.  You seem to have a working computer that you used to download and create the USB "system installer".

 

> The rep at Microsoft advised me to contact HP to reset the partitions.

 

Here's a method that the "rep" should have known, and it uses only one software tool provided by his employer (Microsoft).

 

Remove the disk-drive from the non-working computer, and attach it as a "slave" disk-drive in your "working" computer.

 

If your computer is a "full-sized" desktop, there should be an empty SATA port on the motherboard, and an unused power-connector. So, all you need to add is a SATA data-cable, to complete the installation.

 

If your computer is a "small form factor" desktop, or it is a laptop, then you'll need to purchase a USB-to-SATA adapter.

Example: http://www.ncix.com/detail/usb2-0-to-sata-ide-drive-adapter-a3-17762.htm

includes a power-adapter to supply enough power for a 3.5-inch "desktop" disk-drive (or a 2.5-inch "laptop" disk-drive).

 

On your working computer, open a command-line prompt, and type diskpart.exe   and press ENTER.

Enter   HELP LIST   or enter  LIST VOLUME  and press ENTER, to see how your disk-drives are "numbered".

Enter   HELP SELECT   or enter SELECT VOLUME nnnn   and press ENTER, where "nnnn" is taken from the above "numbering" scheme.

Enter   HELP CLEAN   and press ENTER.

 

The CLEAN command resets the "selected" disk-drive back to "uninitialized" status.

Obviously, be extremely careful to "clean" only the "slave" disk-drive -- not the 'C:' drive on this computer.

 

Exit from DISKPART.

Shutdown your computer.

Disconnect the "slave" disk-drive.

Connect it to the non-working computer.

Restart the Windows Installer, and choose the "uninitialized" disk-drive.

Continue with the installation.

 

 

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