Windows 7 Trying to custom install windows 7

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Screamz91

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Nov 30, 2009
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I just bought an HP laptop with Windows 8 on it. I cant stand windows 8 and wanted to put 7 back on but im running into some problems. When i finally boot from the cd and proceed to install windows, it asks me which disk I want to partition, there are five currently which are below. But i cannot install windows7 on any of the disks because i keep getting this "windows cannot be installed to this disk. the selected disk is of the gpt partition style"

1. Disk 0 Partition 1:WINRE OEM(Reserved)
2. Disk 0 Partition 2: Type System
3. Disk 0 Partition 3: MSR (Reserved)
4. Disk 0 Partition 4: Primary I HAVE ALREADY FORMATTED MY PRIMARY.
5. Disk 0 Partition 5: RECOVERY

It will not allow me to create a new partition either. Im stuck right now because my primary disk is formatted and i cant seem to get windows 7 installed so im stuck without an OS right now. Is there anything i can do to fix this? If there is anything else you need to know just ask. Thanks for any help! Waiting for reply i need to fix this asap!
 
Last edited:
It may have something to do with the BIOS settings. Windows 8 can have secure boot UEIF and needs to be formatted GPT instead of MRB. I don't know much more about it than that.
Joe
 
I think its the other way around. It needs to be MRB because its already GPT. I dont know anything about that but i heard you can change it to MRB but i dont know how.
 
I can't speak to any of the OEM specific partitions and their purpose. But if you want to install on a GPT drive, you have to boot the Windows 7 install media as UEFI. During boot, you should be able to get a boot device menu and there should be two entries for the DVD. The Legacy (MBR) option and the UEFI option. Boot to UEFI and you will be able to handle the GPT drive.

If you have a UEFI install, you will have an EFI partition and the drive will show GPT in properties on the left end of the Disk Management line.

If you have a Windows 7 License is there any chance you could swap out the hard drive and keep the old one, or at least image the old one before you try the install?
 
WARNING total destruction!! If you don't like Windows 8 then be gone with it and warranty.

Get a linux live cd and boot it. Delete every partition, format the entire drive (1) one partition. Then boot to the windows 7 disk then follow on screen instruction. It will make its own MBR.

Never to recovery Windows 8!!!
 
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