Final answer:
To install Windows on a GPT disk, the system must have UEFI firmware. GPT supports larger hard drives and more partitions than MBR, and it requires UEFI because of its advanced features and security benefits. A tool called mbr2gpt can convert MBR to GPT if upgrading from BIOS to UEFI.
Step-by-step explanation:
To install Windows on a GPT (GUID Partition Table) disk, the key condition that is required is that the computer must have a UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) firmware instead of the older BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). This is because GPT disks are only supported on systems that are using UEFI.
The advantages of GPT include support for larger hard drives (more than 2TB) and more partitions (up to 128 on Windows), compared to the older MBR (Master Boot Record) partitioning scheme. Additionally, GPT includes redundancy and protective features that can prevent data loss and also offers faster boot and shutdown times.
If your system has a traditional BIOS, you will not be able to boot from a GPT disk. Instead, you'll need to use an MBR disk or convert the BIOS to UEFI, if such an upgrade is possible for your system. To convert an existing MBR disk to GPT, Microsoft provides a tool called mbr2gpt that can perform the conversion without loss of data.