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Infrastructure for Windows 8 Why should I convert my drive?

Docs ​/ Previous Versions ​/ Windows ​/ Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 ​/ Install, Deploy, and Migrate to Windows ​/ Windows Deployment Options ​/ UEFI Firmware ​/ ! Save
Reformatting the drive using a different partition
Windows Deployment Scenarios and Tools
Windows Setup: Installing using the MBR or GPT partition style style ＋ Share
Ｔ Deploy Windows 8.1 with the Microsoft
Ｔ
To wipe and convert the drive by using Windows
７Deployment Toolkit updating this content regularly. Check the Microsoft Product Lifecycle for information about how this product, service, technology, or Setup
We're no longer API is
Recommended Version
supported.
Ｔ Deploy Windows 8.1 with System Center 2012
Ｔ To manually wipe a drive and convert it to GPT:

R2 Configuration Manager Make sure Windows Setup boots to the correct

firmware mode

Windows Setup: Installing using the

Download Windows ADK to an offline PC
See Also
Update the Windows ADK

ADKSetup Command Line Syntax

Supported Platforms for the Windows ADK

MBR or GPT partition style
Article • 03/06/2014 • 3 minutes to read
Windows ADK Release Notes
Ｔ
Ｔ Windows Assessments Applies To: Windows 8.1
Planning: Create different product designs for
When installing Windows on UEFI-based PCs using Windows Setup, your hard drive partition
different market segments
style must be set up to support either UEFI mode or legacy BIOS-compatibility mode.
Get the tools needed to customize Windows

Install Windows automatically from a USB For example, if you receive the error message: “Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The
drive selected disk is not of the GPT partition style”, it’s because your PC is booted in UEFI mode, but
your hard drive is not configured for UEFI mode. You’ve got a few options:
Install Windows PE

Prepare a snapshot of the PC: Generalize and `. Reboot the PC in legacy BIOS-compatibility mode. This option lets you keep the existing
capture Windows images partition style. For more info, see Boot to UEFI Mode or Legacy BIOS mode.
Apply Windows images
a. Reformat the drive for UEFI by using the GPT partition style. This option lets you use the
Update drivers and packages: Intro to offline
PC’s UEFI firmware features.
servicing

Update languages and regions: Localize your You can do this yourself by reformatting the drive using the instructions below, or if you
Windows images need to preserve the data, use a third-party utility to convert the drive to GPT format.
Update Windows settings and scripts: Create

Why should I convert my drive?

your own answer file

Use online servicing to test the PC and add

build-to-order apps and drivers Many PCs now include the ability to use the UEFI version of BIOS, which can speed up boot and
Deploy Windows images: Activate and secure shutdown times and can provide additional security advantages. To boot your PC in UEFI mode,
PCs you'll need to use a drive formatted using the GPT drive format.
Further optimizations
Many PCs are ready to use UEFI, but include a compatibility support module (CSM) that is set up
Windows Deployment sample scripts
to use the legacy version of BIOS. This version of BIOS was developed in the 1970s and provides
Windows Deployment sample answer files compatibility to a variety of older equipment and network configurations, and requires a drive
Windows Deployment sample OOBE.xml file that uses the MBR drive format.
Windows ADK Quickstart
However, the basic MBR drive format does not support drives over 4TB. It's also difficult to set
Windows ADK Overview
up more than four partitions. The GPT drive format lets you set up drives that are larger than 4
Ｔ
Ｔ What's New in the Windows ADK terabytes (TB), and lets you easily set up as many partitions as you need.
Step-by-Step: Windows 8 Deployment for IT
Professionals
Ｔ
Ｔ WinPE for Windows 8.1: Windows PE 5.1 Reformatting the drive using a different
Ｔ
Ｔ

Ｔ
Ｔ
Windows Setup Technical Reference

DISM - Deployment Image Servicing and

partition style
Management Technical Reference for
Windows
To wipe and convert the drive by using
Sysprep (System Preparation) Overview
Windows Setup
Ｔ
Ｔ

Ｔ
Ｔ Windows System Image Manager Technical
Reference
`. Turn off the PC, and put in the Windows installation DVD or USB key.
Ｔ
Ｔ Windows Recovery Environment (Windows
RE) Technical Reference a. Boot the PC to the DVD or USB key in UEFI mode. For more info, see Boot to UEFI Mode or
Ｔ
Ｔ Windows Server 2012 R2 – Customize and Legacy BIOS mode.
Deploy Windows Server Essentials
h. When choosing an installation type, select Custom.
Ｔ
Ｔ Windows Deployment Command-Line Tools
Reference i. On the Where do you want to install Windows? screen, select each of the partitions on
Windows Deployment Options the drive, and select Delete. The drive will show a single area of unallocated space.
Ｔ
Ｔ

Windows Deployment Options

j. Select the unallocated space and click Next. Windows detects that the PC was booted into
UEFI Firmware UEFI mode, and reformats the drive using the GPT drive format, and begins the installation.
Ｔ
Ｔ

UEFI Firmware

To manually wipe a drive and convert it to

UEFI Installation Media Format and
default boot behavior

UEFI Requirements: Boot time, Runtime,

Hibernation State (S4)
GPT:
Ｔ
Ｔ Secure Boot Overview `. Turn off the PC, and put in the Windows installation DVD or USB key.
Boot to UEFI Mode or Legacy BIOS
a. Boot the PC to the DVD or USB key in UEFI mode. For more info, see Boot to UEFI Mode or
mode
Legacy BIOS mode.
Windows Setup: Installing using the
MBR or GPT partition style h. From inside Windows Setup, press Shift+F10 to open a command prompt window.
BCD System Store Settings for UEFI
i. Open the diskpart tool:
Ｔ
Ｔ Hard Drives and Partitions
＝ Copy
Ｔ
Ｔ Deploy Windows on a VHD (Native Boot)
Ｔ
Ｔ Configure Network Settings in an diskpart
Unattended Installation
Ｔ
Ｔ Device Drivers and Deployment
j. Identify the drive to reformat:
Ｔ
Ｔ Language Packs (lp.cab) and Windows
Deployment ＝ Copy

Ｔ
Ｔ Configure Oobe.xml
list disk
Work with Product Keys and Activation

Battery Life
k. Select the drive, and reformat it:
Ｔ
Ｔ

Ｔ
Ｔ Customize Help and Support
＝ Copy
Understanding Servicing Strategies

Audit Mode Overview select disk <disk number>

Run Audit Mode in the Factory clean
convert gpt
Enable and Disable the Built-in exit
Administrator Account

Configure a Trusted Image Identifier for l. Close the command prompt window.
Windows Defender
m. Continue the Windows Setup installation.
Ｔ
Ｔ Windows Server Deployment Options

Configure Windows System Assessment When choosing an installation type, select Custom. The drive will appear as a single area of
Test Scores unallocated space.
Ｔ
Ｔ High DPI Support for IT Professionals
Select the unallocated space and click Next. Windows begins the installation.
PAE/NX/SSE2 Support Requirement Guide
for Windows 8
Ｔ
Ｔ Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Deployment Make sure Windows Setup boots to the
Considerations

Settings for Automating OOBE correct firmware mode

Deployment Troubleshooting and Log Files
To automate this process, you'll need to run Windows Setup through Windows PE, and use a
Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 Upgrade Paths script to detect which mode you’re in before installing Windows. For more info, see WinPE: Boot
Ｔ
Ｔ Unattended Windows Setup Reference in UEFI or legacy BIOS mode.
Ｔ
Ｔ Windows Assessment Toolkit Technical

See Also
Reference
Ｔ
Ｔ Windows Performance Toolkit Technical
Reference
Ｔ
Ｔ Windows Assessment Services Technical Tasks
Reference
Ｔ
Ｔ Volume Activation Sample: Configure UEFI/GPT-Based Hard Drive Partitions by Using Windows PE and DiskPart
Boot to UEFI Mode or Legacy BIOS mode
Deploy Windows To Go
Ｔ
Ｔ Sideload Windows Store Apps
Ｔ
Ｔ Secure Windows
Ｔ
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