[SOLVED] How to install windows 10 as MBR

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iamjudebot

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I have this old HP laptop that i want to use again so i bought a ssd and installed windows on it problem is, the laptop doesn’t recognize when its a GPT. I’ve tried to format it as MBR and install windows 10 again but it converts it back to GPT. Can you please guide me what steps i need to take so that it remains as MBR? Also, I don’t understand the whole UEFI and legacy thing but it does say UEFI usb when it select the boot order when i install windows 10 from a usb.

also i have to install it on another laptop because the screen is broken.
 
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I have to install windows on to the ssd from another laptop because the HP laptop has a broken screen and I can’t navigate thru the setup process and i connected it to an external display but it only shows on the windows login screen.
You can do that with an unattended installation. Way too much work if you ask me...
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-create-unattended-media-do-automated-installation-windows-10
  1. I saw from a HP forum that this particular model doesn’t support GPT that’s why it says “no bootable device” when i boot from the ssd that has a fresh windows install.
  2. The laptop that recognized UEFI was the one i was using to install windows on to the ssd not the HP laptop that has a broken screen...
So windows 10 does get installed normally?!
What is the laptop not seeing as GPT?
Since the laptop shows the USB stick as being UEFI it means that it should also have no problems with GPT.

You can convert GPT to MBR if you want to but you should explain what exactly the problem is.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...management/change-a-gpt-disk-into-an-mbr-disk

If you get into windows and there is just an issue with some partition not showing up than it's a different problem and has nothing to do with gpr/mbr.
 
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iamjudebot

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May 30, 2020
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So windows 10 does get installed normally?!
What is the laptop not seeing as GPT?
Since the laptop shows the USB stick as being UEFI it means that it should also have no problems with GPT.

You can convert GPT to MBR if you want to but you should explain what exactly the problem is.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...management/change-a-gpt-disk-into-an-mbr-disk

If you get into windows and there is just an issue with some partition not showing up than it's a different problem and has nothing to do with gpr/mbr.
Okay so
  1. I have to install windows on to the ssd from another laptop because the HP laptop has a broken screen and I can’t navigate thru the setup process and i connected it to an external display but it only shows on the windows login screen.
  2. I saw from a HP forum that this particular model doesn’t support GPT that’s why it says “no bootable device” when i boot from the ssd that has a fresh windows install.
  3. The laptop that recognized UEFI was the one i was using to install windows on to the ssd not the HP laptop that has a broken screen.
Sorry for leaving out some details. I’ve been trying all day to make this work. I would really appreciate the help.
 
I have to install windows on to the ssd from another laptop because the HP laptop has a broken screen and I can’t navigate thru the setup process and i connected it to an external display but it only shows on the windows login screen.
You can do that with an unattended installation. Way too much work if you ask me...
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-create-unattended-media-do-automated-installation-windows-10
  1. I saw from a HP forum that this particular model doesn’t support GPT that’s why it says “no bootable device” when i boot from the ssd that has a fresh windows install.
  2. The laptop that recognized UEFI was the one i was using to install windows on to the ssd not the HP laptop that has a broken screen.
If that working laptop has a bios option for legacy boot then put it in legacy make sure the drive for the broken laptop is the only one connected and do a normal install until the first reboot right after it extracts everything to the drive.
At this point DO NOT restart but rather shut down the laptop and transfer the disk to the broken laptop which should boot up into desktop.
I don't know if the introduction and the start up settings will show up though.


SADLY there is a very good chance that you will not get any external output no matter what you do because that's something you have to setup in the GPU driver once it's up and running.
Maybe you can search around in forums dedicated to the GPU it has and find some registry patch or some config file you can manipulate to do this without windows running.
 
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howtobeironic

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Jun 16, 2018
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You'll need to have an MBR formatted thumbdrive to install in MBR (GPT drive installs only GPT and MBR drive only installs MBR, that's the rule). Try downloading the Windows as an ISO using the media creation tool and burn it to a flashdrive using Rufus. Choose MBR for partition style and BIOS+UEFI for target system, point to USB, point to Windows ISO, press Start. That'll make an MBR drive. For other stuff, I can't be of much help.
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
You'll need to have an MBR formatted thumbdrive to install in MBR (GPT drive installs only GPT and MBR drive only installs MBR, that's the rule). Try downloading the Windows as an ISO using the media creation tool and burn it to a flashdrive using Rufus. Choose MBR for partition style and BIOS+UEFI for target system, point to USB, point to Windows ISO, press Start. That'll make an MBR drive. For other stuff, I can't be of much help.

The Win 10 Installer can do both UEFI or MBR, there is no need to make one for MBR.
How its installed is controlled by the hardware, not the installer.

The person above you closer. BIOS needs to be set up as Legacy only otherwise the WIn 10 installer will see PC is capable of running GPT drives, and if drive is blank, will format it as GPT whether you want it to or not.

most HP laptop need to be set up as Legacy to install win 10 onto - https://support.hp.com/hk-en/document/c04730900
 
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