# Deleted my OS partition, but have info on another partition..



## sako487 (Jul 4, 2014)

Hello, I've been wanted to reformat my computer for a while now. So today I deleted my OS's partition, but then I came up with an error saying "windows cannot be installed to this disk GPT." I backed up everything on another partition. But now I can't even access it because I have no OS. I can delete the hard drive clean and install a new windows through there, but that would mean losing all of my data. Is there any way I can boot my computer to recover those files? This is on an ASUS n56, laptop.

Thank you for reading!


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## Stancestans (Apr 26, 2009)

What is the exact error message? "windows cannot be installed to this disk GPT." doesn't quite describe the exact problem you are having. Kindly post the full error message, we need the specifics.

What version of Windows do you intend to install? Seven | 8 | 8.1 (32-bit | 64-bit).

How did you delete the OS partition (Windows media or other utility?).

Did you perform any other partition operations other than just deleting the partition? For example, converting from GPT to MBR disk or vice versa, creating new partitions, etc?


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## boyans (Jun 14, 2011)

You have to boot installation media the UEFI way.

In firmware there should be settings (boot settings) 
UEFI - UEFI with CSM/legacy - only CSM/legacy -> select UEFI

Boot CD/DVD or USB only UEFI way as disk is in GPT style.
If there is free space on disk you can install there.


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## Stancestans (Apr 26, 2009)

In a nutshell:

1. UEFI mode requires a GTP disk.

2. Only 64-bit Windows supports booting from a GPT disk. 

3. For Windows (64-bit) to boot from a GPT disk, the system must be configured to boot in UEFI mode. 

In this case, at least one of the above conditions is not met, hence the reason for the error.

If your disk is GPT, the Windows you want to install must be 64-bit.

If your disk is GPT and Windows is 64-bit, UEFI or UEFI CMS/legacy (hybrid) must be enables in BIOS.

If the disk is not GPT, then boot mode must NOT BE UEFI (ie must be legacy or UEFI CMS/legacy mode).

The exact message will tell whether the disk is GPT or NOT.

You also need to inform us which architecture your Windows media is for (64 - bit or otherwise).


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

*No Drive to install Windows 7: *
1– Boot from the Windows Disc/USB
2- Go to *Repair Your Computer, **Or Press Shift + F10 to go directlyto the Command Prompt *
3- In the *RE* (recovery environment) choose *command prompt* and type following commands pressing after each bold command:
i)* diskpart*
ii) *list disk*
it will show the list of your drives, with the information:
- status 
- total space
- free space
status would probably be "*invalid*" and free space would be "*0 bytes*" 
you have to select the drive next with

iii) *select disk* <disk number>
*disk number* = as listed in previous command, normally *0
*iv) *clean *(this erases all data on the Disk, so be sure you choose the correct one)now for verification of disk status and free space type
v)*list disk*
the status should be "*online*" and free space should be "*disk size*"
vi)*exit*

4- now restart the machine and boot from the Windows Disc/USB again
proceed and at "*select disk to install windows*" you would be able to view the hard disk drives


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