Need help with Windows installation

gshi · 09 Feb 2024

I have a laptop that is currently running Ubuntu, but it used to run on Windows, and I want to change it back. I created a bootable USB with Windows 10 on it using the media creation tool, but I couldn't go further than the part that asks to install Windows on a partition.

The two partitions that appear are:

Drive 0 Partition 1 512.0 MB 507.0 MB System
Drive 0 Partition 2 57.8 GB 0.0 MB Primary

The reason given for why the first partition cannot be used is:

Windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. Windows must be installed to a partition formatted as NTFS. Windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. The partition is an EFI system partition (ESP).

The reason given for why the second partition cannot be used is:

Windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. Windows must be installed to a partition formatted as NTFS. Windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. The partition is of an unrecognized type.

I tried clicking the button to format the first partition, but it did not help. It is not possible to format the second. I am not sure what to do, please help.

FreeBooter · 09 Feb 2024

Can you delete the partitions?
You can also delete partitions using Command Prompt.
Open the Command Prompt by clicking Shift + F10 keys and execute below commands.

Code:

Diskpart
List disk
Select disk 0
Clean
Exit

Above commands delete partitions on Disk 0 change the disk number with disk you want.

Bree · 09 Feb 2024

gshi said:

I have a laptop that is currently running Ubuntu, but it used to run on Windows, and I want to change it back. I created a bootable USB with Windows 10 on it using the media creation tool, but I couldn't go further than the part that asks to install Windows on a partition.
The two partitions that appear are:

Drive 0 Partition 1 512.0 MB 507.0 MB System
Drive 0 Partition 2 57.8 GB 0.0 MB Primary

The reason given ... Windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. Windows must be installed to a partition formatted as NTFS.

You need to get rid of those ext4 partitions before you can install Windows to the unallocated space. FreeBooter's instructions will wipe all partitions from the drive, you need to run them from a command prompt. To get one boot from the install usb and at the screen with the Install button choose 'Repair this computer' instead. See Option Five here:

Boot to Advanced Startup Options in Windows 10

But you should also be able to delete the partitions during the install. Choose Custom install, select each partition in turn and click Delete.

Either way, choose the unallocated space and install Windows there.

Megahertz · 09 Feb 2024

Please edit your profile with ALL your hardware specs. It will help us to help you
System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums

Windows can be installed in two ways: Legacy-MBR or UEFI-GPT
To install as Legacy-MBR you must boot the installation drive as Legacy
To install as UEFI-GPT you must boot the installation drive as UEFI.

If you have a UEFI BIOS, you should install as UEFI-GPT
Detach any other drives (SATA or Power cable) from the MB.

During POST, press F12(?) to launch the boot menu. You will see two options for the USB drive. USB UEFI (Name) and USB (Name). Select USB UEFI (Name) if you want to install as UEFI-GPT or select USB (name) if you want to install as Legacy-MBR.
Go to install and delete ALL partitions on the main drive till you have one and only one unallocated space and then proceed.
If you don't want to use MS account, don't enable updates or connect to the internet during installation.

NavyLCDR · 10 Feb 2024

Just delete all the partitions. When you have 1 unallocated space for the whole entire drive, select that to install Windows to.

hsehestedt · 10 Feb 2024

Just a couple of fine points, if I may. The advice from Megahertz is a really good suggestion. If you have more than one disk in your system, there is no guarantee that the disk to which you want to install Windows will be "disk 0". By disconnecting other drives you make your life easier by making certain that your disk will be seen as disk 0.

Note that this easy to work around if you need to, but keeping it simple is really good advice.

Once Windows is installed to that disk, you can add other disks back in. That disk may no longer be considered disk 0, but at that point it no longer matters.