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How to Fix Invalid Partition Table USB Boot Error
Take a closer look at our quick solutions
7 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Sometimes, theInvalid partition tablemessage can appear whilebootingyourPC. In some instances, thiserrorcan prevent your system frombooting, but there’s a way to deal with thiserror.
There are many problems that can prevent yourPCfrombooting, and speaking of problems, here are some of the most common issues thatusersreported:
How do I fix theInvalid partition tableerror?
1. Convert the drive to GPT and then to MBR type
Several users reported thatInvalid partition tableerror was caused by their external hard drive. To fix the problem,usersare suggesting converting this drive toGPTtype and then back to MBR type.
There are several ways to do this. You can manually fix the invalid partition table error from the settings, or you can use apartition manager software.
Dedicated tools make the job easier, allowing you to convert your drive to GPT and back to the MBR type without file loss.
In order to be on the safe side, it’s advised that you back up your files just in case.
After you convert the drive to GPT type, convert it again to MBR, and the problem should be resolved.
To manually update convert toMBR:1. Typecmd, right-click onCommand Prompt, and selectRun as administrator.2. Typembr2gpt /validateand press enter.3. Typembr2gpt /convertand press enter.4. Restart your PC.
This is an important step whencreating a WinPE bootable disk for Windows 11; read this guide to learn the detailed steps.
To convert your drive toGPT:1. Typecmd, right-click onCommand Promptand selectRun as administrator.2. Typembr2gpt /validate /allowFullOSand press enter.3. Typembr2gpt /convert /allowFullOSand press enter.4. Wait for the process to finish and restart your PC.
2. Check your boot priority
According tousers, sometimes this issue can occur if yourbootpriority isn’t properly configured. To fix this problem, you need to enter BIOS and change the boot order manually.
To see how to do this on your motherboard we advise you to check themotherboardmanual for detailed step-by-step instructions.
To fix the problem, make sure that you set your hard drive as the firstboot device, and you disable USB and other HDD devices from theboot sequence. After doing that, save changes and restart yourPC, and your system should be able to boot.
3. Perform a Startup Repair
If you keep gettingInvalid partition tablemessage, you can most likely fix the problem by performing a Startup Repair. To do that, follow these steps:
Once the process is finished, your problem should be resolved.
If you can’t enter Advanced Startup Options, perhaps you’ll need to use aWindows 10installation media. To create installation media, you’ll need a workingPCthat has access to the Internet, a flash drive andMedia Creation Tool.
Once you create an installation media, connect it to yourPCand boot from it. Now chooseRepair your computeroption and you’ll see Advanced Startup screen.
4. Make sure that the second hard drive is bootable
If you’re usingdual booton yourPC, perhaps theInvalid partition tablemessage appears because your second hard drive isn’tbootable. To fix the problem, you need to boot to anyoperating systemand use a disk managing tool to inspect the second hard drive.
If the second hard drive isn’t configured asbootable, be sure to change this setting, and the problem should be resolved.
5. Turn off Safe Boot in BIOS
If you’re gettingInvalid partition tableon yourPC, the problem might be BIOS settings. According tousers, sometimes SafeBootfeature can cause this problem to appear, and in order to fix it you need to turn it off.
Although SafeBootoption can provide extra protection to yourPC, severalusersreported that they fixed the problem by disabling it. To see how to find and disable this option in BIOS, we advise you to check your motherboard manual for detailed instructions.
6. Disconnect other USB devices
If you can’t boot due toInvalid partition tablemessage, perhaps your problem is related to other USB devices. Other devices can sometimes interfere with theboot sequenceand cause this problem to appear.
To fix the issue, it’s highly recommended to disconnect all unessential USB devices such asexternal hard drivesand flash drives. If you have a card reader, be sure to remove all cards from it and try to boot yourPCagain. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to leave only the essential devices connected, such as your keyboard and mouse.
After removing the unnecessary USB devices, check if the problem is still there.
7. Use Command Prompt
If you’re gettingInvalid partition tablemessage, you might be able to fix the problem by running a couple of commands inCommand Prompt.
Note:Replace X with the letter that represents your hard drive. After running these commands, check if the problem is still there. If you can’t access Windows, try running these commands from the AdvancedBootOptions screen.
9. Press the Esc key
SometimesInvalid partition tablewill prevent yourPCfrombootingand this can be a big problem. However, a couple ofusershave found a useful little workaround that might help you.
According to them, you just need to press theEsckey on your keyboard and you’ll be able tobootto Windows without any problems.
Bear in mind that this is just a workaround, so you’ll need to repeat it whenever the problem occurs.
10. UEFI boot
According tousers, Invalid partition table message appears on theirPCwhile trying to boot from a USB flash drive. In order to fix this problem,usersare suggesting to switch to UEFI boot while booting from a USB flash drive. If you encounterproblems with UEFI boot, check this guide for quick fixes.
To do that, you’ll need to enter BIOS and change the boot type. After doing that, you’ll be able to boot from the USB flash drive without any problems.
Invalid partition table can be an annoyingerrorand prevent your system from booting properly. The issue is most likely caused by your BIOS configuration or other USB devices, but you should be able to fix the problem using one of our solutions.
More about the topics:Fix Hard Drive issues,windows 10 fix
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
