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When installing Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 system, the partition interface prompts "Windows cannot be installed on this drive." What should I do? As shown in the figure below:
This prompt is usually because the partition format does not meet the system requirements. Exclude the target partition if the size does not meet the requirements.
For example, when the disk is partitioned in MBR format, but the UEFI mode is selected to boot when using the Windows installation CD or USB flash drive, this prompt will appear. On the contrary, if the disk is in GPT format but UEFI mode is not selected when booting, this prompt will also appear.
For example, click "Windows cannot be installed on this drive (W). (Show details)" and the specific reason will be displayed. As shown in the figure below:
Note: If you choose to install the Windows system on a virtual disk such as VHD or VHDX, this prompt may also appear, but you can choose to continue the installation.
When installing Windows 7 system on a hard disk with existing partition information, you need to determine whether the hard disk partition is a GPT partition or an MBR partition. If the hard disk is formatted as a GPT partition, you need to set the boot mode to UEFI First in BIOS Setup and select EFI device boot for installation. On the contrary, if the hard disk is formatted as an MBR partition, you need to set the boot mode to Legacy Support or Legacy First, and then select an optical drive or USB flash drive to install the Windows system. This ensures that the system boots correctly and installs on the hard drive.
For a blank hard disk or when there is no need to back up data, any boot method is feasible as long as the computer supports it and the boot CD or USB flash drive also supports it. Please refer to relevant guides for specific operations.
1. Install Windows 7 SP1 64-bit system onto a disk in GPT partition format
Preparation tools: Windows 7 SP1 64-bit system installation CD or U disk that supports EFI booting
1. When turning on or restarting the computer, press the F2 hotkey (or: Fn F2) to enter the BIOS Setup interface. As shown in the figure below:
Note: Some products such as ThinkPad, all-in-one computers, and desktop computers need to press the F1 hotkey to enter BIOS Setup.
2. In BIOS Setup, set Secure Boot to Disabled. Then set the Boot Mode to "UEFI Only" or "UEFI First". As shown in the figure below:
Note: For the setting methods of different BIOS Setup interfaces, please select the corresponding document according to the computer product line for reference.
Idea series notebook BIOS Setup setting method
IdeaCentre all-in-one product Lenovo BIOS Setup Utility setting method
ThinkPad product BIOS Setup setting method
3 . When the settings are completed, insert the Windows 7 SP1 64-bit system installation CD (or insert a USB flash drive), and then press the F10 hotkey to save and exit. Then the computer will automatically restart. Press the keyboard's "F12" hotkey (or: Fn F12) repeatedly on the self-test screen to bring up the startup menu selection interface.
4. In the boot menu interface, select a device with the words EFI or UEFI to boot. For example: EFI USB Device (Lenovo Bunrner GP90N) indicates that it can support the installation disk format as GPT environment. As shown in the figure below:
Note: ThinkPad or some computers will not display EFI and can only be set to UEFI First through BIOS Setup.
5. The computer will start to boot through the Windows 7 system installation CD. If it prompts "Press any key to boot from CDDVD...", please press any key on the keyboard to enter the real boot installation. As shown in the figure below:
6. When the system boots into the installation interface and in the partition interface, please select according to the actual situation:
(1) The current disk already has a GPT system partition
Usually in this case, only computers with Windows 8 system pre-installed at the factory will use GPT partitions. Therefore, you can only choose the installation partition type as "primary partition", and you cannot choose OEM (reserved), MSR (reserved), recovery, system and other partition types. You can select the primary partition and click "Format (F)", and then click the "Next (N)" button. As shown in the figure below:
Note: If other partitions are not formatted or deleted, the one-click recovery function will not be affected in theory.
(2) The current disk already has an MBR system partition
System installation using EFI or UEFI boot can only support installation to GPT disk format. If the current disk format is MBR, you have two options:
A. If there is no data to back up, you can delete all partitions of the target disk, and then re-create partitions on the target disk for installation, and the system will automatically Convert to GPT disk format
B. If you need to retain the current data, use a third-party tool to convert the disk partition to GPT format before installation. For details, please refer to the "Note Reference: Use the third-party tool Diskgenius to convert the disk format" provided at the end of the document.
It should be noted that no matter which method you choose, after converting MBR to GPT, the one-click recovery function will not be available. For subsequent installation methods, you can refer to: How to install the Windows 7 operating system
Note:
A. 32-bit Windows systems cannot be booted using UEFI GPT, and only 64-bit Windows systems can support it. .
B. The OEM version and Ghost version of Windows 7 64-bit system installation CD do not support UEFI GPT booting.
C and Windows 8/8.1 64-bit systems all support UEFI GPT booting.
2. Install the Windows system to the MBR partition format disk
Preparation tools: Windows 7 system installation CD or U disk
1. When turning on or restarting the computer, Press the F2 hotkey (or: Fn F2) to enter the BIOS Setup interface. As shown in the figure below:
Note: Some products such as ThinkPad, all-in-one computers, and desktop computers need to press the F1 hotkey to enter BIOS Setup.
2. In BIOS Setup, set Secure Boot to Disabled. Then set the Boot Mode to "Legacy Support" or "Legacy First". As shown in the figure below:
Note: For the setting methods of different BIOS Setup interfaces, please select the corresponding document according to the computer product line for reference.
Idea series notebook BIOS Setup setting method
http://support1.lenovo.com.cn/lenovo/wsi/FaultDiagnoseInfo/FaultDiagnoseDetail.aspx?EditID=421
IdeaCentre all-in-one product Lenovo BIOS Setup Utility setting method
http://support1.lenovo.com.cn/lenovo/wsi/FaultDiagnoseInfo/FaultDiagnoseDetail.aspx?EditID=423
ThinkPad product BIOS Setup setting method
http://support1.lenovo.com.cn/lenovo/wsi/FaultDiagnoseInfo/FaultDiagnoseDetail.aspx?EditID=422
3. When the setting is completed, put Insert the Windows 7 system installation CD (or insert a USB flash drive), then press the F10 hotkey to save and exit. Then the computer will automatically restart. Press the keyboard's "F12" hotkey (or: Fn F12) repeatedly on the self-test screen to bring up the startup menu selection interface.
4. In the boot menu interface, select the corresponding boot device such as: USB ODD: Lenovo Bunrner GP90N. As shown in the figure below:
Note: The Windows system is installed in MBR partition format, and boot devices containing the words EFI or UEFI cannot be selected.
5. The computer will start to boot through the Windows 7 system installation CD. If it prompts "Press any key to boot from CDDVD...", please press any key on the keyboard to enter the real boot installation. As shown in the figure below:
6. When the system boots into the installation interface and in the partition interface, please select according to the actual situation:
(1) The current disk already has a GPT system partition
Usually in this case, only computers with Windows 8 system pre-installed at the factory will use GPT partitions. So it will prompt "Windows cannot be installed on this drive." You have two processing methods to choose from:
A. If there is no data to back up, you can delete all partitions of the target disk, and then re-create partitions on the target disk for installation. The system will automatically convert it to an MBR disk. Format.
B. If you need to retain the current data, use a third-party tool to convert the disk partition format to MBR before installation. For details, please refer to the "Note Reference" provided at the end of the document: Use the third-party tool Diskgenius to convert the disk format. ".
It should be noted that no matter which method you choose, after converting GPT to MBR, the one-click recovery function will not be available. For subsequent installation methods, you can refer to: Article number: TS0016 How to install the Windows 7 operating system.
(2) The current disk already has an MBR system partition
Therefore, you can only choose the installation partition type as "primary partition", and you cannot select OEM (reserved), MSR (reserved), recovery, or system and other partition types. You can select the primary partition and click "Format (F)", and then click the "Next (N)" button. As shown in the figure below:
Note: If you do not format or delete other partitions, the one-click recovery function will not be affected in theory
Note reference: Use the third-party tool Diskgenius to convert the disk Format
Preparation tool: Diskgenius 4.3 Pro professional version or Diskgenius 4.5 free version
Note: Early free versions such as V4.4 do not support this feature
Reminder: In theory Diskgenius The professional version can perform lossless conversion of disk formats. Although this tool claims to support lossless conversion, for the sake of conservatism, it is recommended to back up important data to a mobile hard disk, and then back up the partition table of the target disk. The entire conversion process mainly operates on the disk partition table and does not actually affect the real partition files.
(1) Find the installed Diskgenius program on the desktop and double-click to run it. As shown in the figure below:
(2) After waiting for the Diskgenius tool to run, select the target disk that needs to be converted on the left side of the main interface. As shown in the figure below:
Reminder: This should be based on the actual situation. If you choose the wrong one, it may lead to data loss.
(3) Next, click "Hard Disk (D)" on the menu bar, and then select "Convert Partition Table Type to MBR Format (B)". As shown in the figure below:
Reminder: If the current disk format is MBR, you can choose to convert to "GUID format", that is, GPT disk partition.
(4) The program will pop up a warning dialog box, please read it carefully and click the "OK" button if it is correct. As shown in the figure below:
(5) The entire conversion process can be completed in an instant and automatically returns to the main interface. At this time, click "Save Changes" on the left side of the toolbar. As shown in the figure below:
(6) The software will pop up a prompt, click the "Yes (Y)" button to save. As shown in the figure below:
7. If you have no other needs, you can exit the software to end the entire disk format conversion operation.
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