Thread: You receive the “Setup cannot install to the selected partition” error message

SYMPTOMS

You attempt to mount Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or a x64-based version of Windows Server 2003 on a PC that has an currently using operating system or that had been removed.

In this situation, you may get any one error messages given below:
Setup cannot install to the selected partition. You can only install to GPT disks on IA-64 machines and MBR disks on X-86 machines. You can only upgrade installations on GPT disks on IA-64 machines and MBR disks on X-86 machines. To go back to the previous screen press ENTER

CAUSE

This activity happen if the hard disk where you want to install Windows is formatted as a GUID partition table (GPT) hard disk. Only Windows Server 2003 for Itanium-based PC can be set up on a GPT hard disk. Windows x64-based operating systems and Windows 32-bit operating systems cannot be set up on GPT hard disks.
GPT disks can be used as a data volume with Windows x64-based PCs and with Windows Server 2003-based PCs that are running Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1.

WORKAROUND

To work around this performance, you must translate your GPT hard disk to a master boot record (MBR) hard disk. Delete all partitions on hard disk when you want to run Setup program. You will be presented the option to convert GPT hard disk to an MBR hard disk after all partitions are deleted. Instead, if you have an operating system mounted on your PC, you can use Disk Management to convert the hard disk where you want to install a second operating system from a GPT disk to a MBR disk.


Work around for Windows Server 2003 To use Disk Management to convert a hard disk from GPT to MBR on a Windows Server 2003-based computer, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, Administrative Tools, and click Computer Management.
2. In the console tree, click Disk Management.
3. Right-click the GPT disk that you want to modify to an MBR disk, and then click Convert to MBR disk.

Technical support for Windows x64 editions

Your hardware company gives technical support and assistance for Microsoft Windows x64 editions. It gives support because a Windows x64 edition was added with your hardware. It might have modified the Windows x64 edition installation with unique components. Unique components might add particular device drivers or possible settings to maximize the performance of the hardware. Microsoft will offer reasonable-effort assistance if you need technical help with your Windows x64 edition.Though, you might have to contact your company. Your company is best qualified to maintain software that your company mounted on hardware.