Being an active Windows user, a lot of things you do depends on the ‘partitions’ you have. However, sometimes some errors and issues can mess with those partitions. In this post, we will discuss one such issue, The Invalid partition table error. This problem may appear in any version of Windows, be it Windows 7 /8/8.1 or 10. Therefore, I’ll tell you how to fix the Invalid partition table error on Windows 7/8/8.1 and 10. Additionally, I will keep explaining every required bit related to the Partition table and Invalid partition table error. So, let’s begin.
All you need to know about: Invalid partition table error
To begin with, I’ll explain to you everything you should know about the Invalid partition table error so that you can use the fixes efficiently and avoid encountering this error shortly. If are already aware of what a partition table is and what is Invalid partition table error, you can directly skip to the solutions for the problem. If not, I’d recommend you go through the full table of contents as knowing the cause of the issue is indeed required to resolve it better.
What is the Invalid partition table error?
A partition is a subset of a disk drive having a fixed size. It is treated as a unit by the operating system. A partition table is a table that is maintained on disk by the OS to describe the partitions on that disk. The Hard Drive is stored on a partition table to describe partitions as well as to record them. The Invalid partition table error occurs when there is any problem with the Partition table of your system. When this happens, you will face a black screen like you have seen above as the operating system will not be able to boot normally. In the worst-case scenarios, you might face problems like partition loss or system completely failing to boot.
Why does it happen?
Usually, two major causes result in the Invalid partition table error. Number one, there is any damage in the Partition Table, and Number two, there are two or more partitions marked as active in the system. Most of the time, the reason behind the Invalid partition table error is damage to the partition table. Among all partitions present on your drive, there should be only one set as active to boot from. When the MBR (Master Boot Record) detects that there are two active partitions on the current disk, then the loading process of the system halts. This, in turn, results in the Invalid Partition Table error. Some other causes of this error include a corrupted MBR, an incorrect Boot sequence or bad sectors in the hard drive.
How to Fix Invalid Partition Table Error?
Now that you have learned what the Invalid Partition Table error is, we shall move to the part about learning how to fix this particular problem. For that, I will provide you the Top 5 Solutions for this problem. You can use them one after another until you find the perfect fit for your situation. A step-wise guide is present with each solution so that you don’t feel stuck anywhere.
1. Reconfigure the Boot Sequence
If the appearance of the Invalid Partition table error is caused by too many external drives being connected to the computer, this solution will help. Follow these steps to solve the problem:
Step-1: Firstly, turn off your computer and unplug all the external drives and media bays.
Step-2: Now reboot your system and go into the BIOS interface.
Step-3: Next, configure the boot order. You can leave off everything except the internal hard disk.
Step-4: Finally, restart your PC and check if the error is gone.
Done.
2. Change the Partition Status through Diskpart
If the Invalid Partition table error is caused by two or more active partitions on your system, this solution will help. Follow these steps to solve the problem:
Step-1: Firstly, you have to boot your computer from the Windows installation disc.
Step-2: After going through some general selections, click on Repair your computer.
Step-3: Now select ‘Windows installation drive’ and proceed by clicking on Next.
Step-4: Next, choose Command Prompt in the ‘System Recovery Options box.’
Step-5: Type diskpart in it and press Enter on your keyboard.
Step-6: Now input ‘list volume’ and press Enter to check the active partitions. You will see a ‘*’ next to the name of Active volume(s).
Note: If there is only a single active partition present, then skip to the next solutions.
Step-7: Next, type ‘select volume driveletter’ to choose the volume to be changed to inactive status and press the Enter key. Then input ‘inactive’ and hit the Enter again.
Step-8: Finally, reboot your PC.
Done.
3. Rebuild MBR Manually
If the Invalid Partition Table error is occurring in your PC due to a corrupted master boot record, this solution will work for you. Follow these steps to solve the problem:
Step-1: Firstly, you have to boot your computer from the Windows installation disc.
Step-2: After going through some general selections, click on Repair your computer.
Step-3: Now select ‘Windows installation drive’ and proceed by clicking on Next.
Step-4: Next, choose Command Prompt in the ‘System Recovery Options box.’
Step-5: Now type the following commands and hit Enter:
- First Command: bootrec /fixboot
- Second Command: bootrec /scanos
- Third Command: bootrec /fixmbr
- Fourth Command: bootrec /rebuildbcd
Note: Notice the space before ‘/’ and don’t skip it.
Step-6: Restart your PC.
Done.
4. Use System Restore
This is a general solution in which the System restores itself to a passed point of time. Follow these steps to attempt System Restore to fix the Invalid Partition Table error:
Step-1: Firstly, you have to boot your computer from the Windows installation disc.
Step-2: After going through some general selections, click on Repair your computer.
Step-3: Next, choose ‘Startup repair.’ Now the system will start diagnosing for the issue and create a corresponding Restore point.
Step-4: Just follow the instructions appearing on your screen until you finish the procedure to complete the system restore process.
Step-5: Once done, restart your computer and you’re done.
Conclusion
So that is how you can fix the Invalid Partition Table error in a short period of time. And you now also now a bit more about the partition table. However, if you are still struggling with the error, I suggest you can Re-install Windows, or seek help from the professionals. If you don’t know how to re-install Windows, quick Googling would help. Or, you can ask me in the Comments section. Hope I was able to help you.
