It sounds like you've run into one of the most common "gotchas" when installing Windows on modern hardware. Don't worry, you aren't "bricking" anything; your PC is just confused by a mismatch between how your motherboard is trying to boot and how the SSD is organized.
Here is the short version of what to do:
The Best Fix: Change your BIOS settings
You're right, GPT is newer and better. The error happens because your install USB is booting in "Legacy" mode instead of "UEFI."
- Restart and jump into your BIOS (usually F2, F12, or Del).
- Find the Boot menu and change the mode from "Legacy" (or CSM) to UEFI.
- Save and try the install again. It should work perfectly on the GPT disk now.
The Backup Fix: Use DiskPart
If you can't change the BIOS settings, you can convert the drive to MBR, but yes, this will permanently erase all data on the disk.
- On the error screen, hit Shift + F10 to open the command prompt.
- Type: diskpart > list disk > select disk X (your SSD) > clean > convert mbr.
- Close the window and refresh the installer.
My advice is to try the BIOS/UEFI fix first. GPT is much better for modern PCs and is actually required if you ever plan on moving to Windows 11.
Good luck with the new build!
