Windows 10 update issue and disk type conversion

[albert.aegis1112]

I built a new pc recently and I'm new to computer related things.
My operation system is installed on the SSD from a Windows 10 boot disk created over a year ago. So this update assistant pops up to ask me to update, but then states that "The disk layout for UEFI firmware isn't supported." Through research I've found ways to solve this, but all require my boot disk to be in GPT format. Ideally I want my programs and data to remain untouched so I tried this AOMEI partition assistant. The application reboots my computer then nothing really happened, my disk is still in MBR format. What should I do?

 

[Colif]

what motherboard do you have? Almost all motherboards since 2009 have had UEFI support and should support GPT drives?

 

[albert.aegis1112]

what motherboard do you have? Almost all motherboards since 2009 have had UEFI support and should support GPT drives?

My motherboard is the ASUS z370-p and I checked, supports UEFI BIOS
the SSD I'm using is the intel 760p series

 

[SkyNetRising]

What should I do?

Use mbr2gpt utility to convert your SSD to GPT partition format. You'll may need to change BIOS boot options after this.

Just make sure, your system supports UEFI boot, or you wont be able to boot after this.

 

[Colif]

I have an Asus, it sure does support UEFI.

can you right click start menu
choose disk management
take a screenshot and upload to an image sharing site and show a link here

Its odd, if you clean installed win 10 on that motherboard it should already be in GPT format. The only reason you wouldn't be is if you had win 7 on PC before.

which version of win 10 are you on now?
right click start (again)
choose run...
type winver and press enter
current version is 1709

 

[albert.aegis1112]

I have an Asus, it sure does support UEFI.

can you right click start menu
choose disk management
take a screenshot and upload to an image sharing site and show a link here

Its odd, if you clean installed win 10 on that motherboard it should already be in GPT format. The only reason you wouldn't be is if you had win 7 on PC before.

which version of win 10 are you on now?
right click start (again)
choose run...
type winver and press enter
current version is 1709

https://imgur.com/a/ce4D0
Windows 10 iso created from my old pc, using windows 7

 

[SkyNetRising]

Windows 10 iso created from my old pc, using windows 7

That's gonna be a problem. Such disk layout can not be easily converted to GPT.
Bootloader partition needs to be separate from OS partition.

 

[Colif]

Wouldn't it be easier to just set Boot type to CSM and make the update use Legacy? then it should work?

 

[albert.aegis1112]

Windows 10 iso created from my old pc, using windows 7

That's gonna be a problem. Such disk layout can not be easily converted to GPT.
Bootloader partition needs to be separate from OS partition.

Should I do a complete clean OS install? What settings should I look out for, and will the outdated windows version be a problem?

 

[albert.aegis1112]

Wouldn't it be easier to just set Boot type to CSM and make the update use Legacy? then it should work?

Does't seem too complicated, but can you maybe walk me through the procedures?

 

[Colif]

your motherboard manual: http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1151/PRIME_Z370-P/E13411_PRIME_Z370-P_UM_WEB.pdf

have a look on page 2-24, under CSM. Its likely its set to Auto but you should be able to set it to Enabled. This will enable 4 extra menus, and you can point the Boot device control at Legacy OPROM only and I think win 10 will just accept it and not mention GPT again.

Changing it shouldn't effect how PC currently works.

 

[albert.aegis1112]

your motherboard manual: http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1151/PRIME_Z370-P/E13411_PRIME_Z370-P_UM_WEB.pdf

have a look on page 2-24, under CSM. Its likely its set to Auto but you should be able to set it to Enabled. This will enable 4 extra menus, and you can point the Boot device control at Legacy OPROM only and I think win 10 will just accept it and not mention GPT again.

Changing it shouldn't effect how PC currently works.

well this is what I got https://imgur.com/rlRJaov

 

[Colif]

Go into boot order and make sure boot drive is 1st in line. then restart and see if you get same message (if its not now, make note of what is)

since your on MBR it should boot like that.

otherwise, Is there anything on C apart from windows? You only used about 50gb of the drive and it might be faster to just clean install using a new Installer rather than update from version 1511

download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB

If anything on C you can't lose, try this
change boot order so USB is first, hdd second
boot from installer
on screen after languages, choose repair this pc, not install.
choose troubleshoot
choose advanced
choose command prompt

I typed notepad in which obviously opened the notepad. From there I went to file > open which opened a file explorer.

can use that to copy info to the other hdd so you don't lose it.

change boot order in BIOS so USB is first, hdd second
boot from installer
follow this guide: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html

when you reach the screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and reactivate once finished

On the screen where you choose where to install win 10, if it gives you an error about GPT drives, delete all the partitions on the hdd and press next. If it still gives error, cancel out of the installer and restart PC and start installer again, it will accept next on that screen this time (some PC just need a restart here)

At least then Win 10 will have the partitions it likes for next upgrade.

 

[albert.aegis1112]

Go into boot order and make sure boot drive is 1st in line. then restart and see if you get same message (if its not now, make note of what is)

since your on MBR it should boot like that.

otherwise, Is there anything on C apart from windows? You only used about 50gb of the drive and it might be faster to just clean install using a new Installer rather than update from version 1511

download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB

If anything on C you can't lose, try this
change boot order so USB is first, hdd second
boot from installer
on screen after languages, choose repair this pc, not install.
choose troubleshoot
choose advanced
choose command prompt

I typed notepad in which obviously opened the notepad. From there I went to file > open which opened a file explorer.

can use that to copy info to the other hdd so you don't lose it.

change boot order in BIOS so USB is first, hdd second
boot from installer
follow this guide: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html

when you reach the screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and reactivate once finished

On the screen where you choose where to install win 10, if it gives you an error about GPT drives, delete all the partitions on the hdd and press next. If it still gives error, cancel out of the installer and restart PC and start installer again, it will accept next on that screen this time (some PC just need a restart here)

At least then Win 10 will have the partitions it likes for next upgrade.

Not sure what went wrong previously, but I reinstalled the whole OS and everything seems to work out now, windows up to date as well, thanks!