I presume I need to convert the drive to GPT, which is what I asked in the first place. Not sure what I should use to do this. f14tomcatsays Minitool will do this. topguntcp says Macrium, which I have, can do it and do the proper disk layout. Which is easier and preferred?
Here's the MBR2GPT tutorial:
Convert Windows 10 from Legacy BIOS to UEFI without Data Loss | Windows 10 Tutorials
I would try that first.
I believe the disk layout is probably the problem as per the original error message. Assuming I use Macrium to change the disk layout as you suggested, should I also convert it to GPT? r should I try the update first? I don't think I can do this today, but I have an incremental image update scheduled for tomorrow anyway, I can do it then.
I have explained why previously why OP cannot upgrade and is getting error message.
I have a old lenovo and it will BOOT from a legacy bios or UEFI install IRRESPECTIVE of the bios boot setting.
The lenovo had windows installed as legacy bios (I inherited pc with it set up like this). When it came to upgrading, I got the exact error message OP got.
The upgrader obviously decides it wants to create uefi partitions as bios is set to uefi and fails. I changed bios to legacy bios and it worked fine.
OP needs to set bios to ONLY boot in legacy bios mode. Of course, without seeing all options in bios, I cannot tell categorically if that is an option for OP.
Converting to uefi using mbr2gpt or reinstalling as uefi are viable alternatives as discussed but more work than originally needed.
I know what I would do if it was my computer. Create a Macrium Reflect Image of the current hard drive. Create the Macrium Refelct Rescue drive on a USB flash drive. Set the computer UEFI firmware to boot in UEFI mode. Boot the computer from the Macrium Relfect rescue flash drive. Open the command prompt. Use diskpart to clean the hard drive, convert to gpt, create a 150 MB EFI System Partition, create the stupid 16MB empty Microsoft Reserved Partition. Then restore only the Windows (C: drive) partition back to the remaining space on the hard drive. Then use the Fix Windows Boot problems utility in Macrium Refelct to create the files needed to boot in the EFI System Partition. If that failed, use the BCDBOOT command in the command prompt window to do it. Then you would have you computer booting properly in UEFI mode..
All well and good, but who to I tell it to boot into UEFI mode? Should I set the Device Control to UEFI only? Or what?
There is a slightly easier way of doing this (step 6). Most is same as you say.
1) Backup C drive partition using Macrium Reflect as you say.
2) Set pc to boot only in uefi
3) boot from usb installation drive
4) at first screen, press shift+f10 to go to command prompt
5) run diskpart, and use clean and convert gpt commands
6) exit command prompt, and continue installation, and at screen where to install OS, click "new" option. (I discovered this from an @Kari tutorial - the new sets up all the hidden partitions).
7) shutdown pc immediately - do not install anything any further.
8) reboot from Macrium drive, and delete the unpopulated C drive partition and restore C drive to that space.
9) Run 'fix windows boot problems'
Having said that, I do not see any need to do above as mbr2gpt should work in most cases.
An update, trying MBR2GPT results in its inability to find the OS on disk 0. I presume after trying most everything I need to follow the steps above. Not sure, however, what #5 above entails. Thanks.
Step #5 - in the command window that opens type:
diskpart
list disk
select disk 0 <- make sure disk 0 is the hard drive in question!
clean <- this will erase the disk selected above - make sure disk 0 is the hard drive you want!
convert gpt
exit
exit
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