Can I put my SSD into a PC, install windows 8 there? EFI problems

[bjfs]

The short of it is that I was encountering this error:

"Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only installed on GPT disks"

and so after trying loads of things I figured I need to install using a disc but as I removed my optical drive and have it externally this won't be possible...

I have heard mentioned that putting my SSD in a PC with an optical drive would then allow me to install it, bypassing the EFI issue.

Would this work? I already have a 100GB NTFS partition ready. So in theory could pop in the SSD - just boot the windows install disk and install Windows onto the SSD?

Does anyone know whether this would work and how I would go about it?

Thanks in advance!

 

[bjfs]

Any help would be fantastic, I can't find any information about it!

 

[chabig]

First, I don't understand why are you asking Mac users for help installing Windows 8.

Second, pay attention to the error message. You should probably format the disk as GPT.

 

[bjfs]

First, I don't understand why are you asking Mac users for help installing Windows 8.

Second, pay attention to the error message. You should probably format the disk as GPT.

chabig,

Thanks for responding, albeit curtly.

Firstly, I am asking because windows users wouldn't have the experience of installing windows on a mac. The SSD is from my mac, perhaps this wasn't made clear.

The disk is formatted as GPT it seems that for some reason windows believes it is actually MBR. This issue doesn't occur when you install by disc. However, my optical drive is external so it won't work.

 

[chabig]

OK. I missed that you were trying to install on your Mac. Are you using Bootcamp? Have you considered virtualization? I find Parallels to be really good. I don't know why your Windows installer thinks the drive isn't compatible but the disc installer does. That's just weird. Why won't an external optical drive run the Windows install disc?

 

[Gjwilly]

For years now I always heard that Macs that come with an optical drive must install Windows from the optical drive.
Lately I've seen a few threads that suggest workarounds have finally been found.
Here's a thread with a link to a guide that I think will do what you need.
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/17609185/

It's for Windows 8 but 7 should be the same process.