Use Rufus to generate a bootable USB drive.
Use Rufus to generate a bootable USB drive.
You should open Rufus, select the USB drive, and choose the appropriate format. Since your MSI Z97 G45 supports GPT partitions, you can set it up accordingly during installation.
The official Windows (7) USB/DVD download utility is compatible with Windows 8.1, which means you can use it instead.
UEFI can be quite challenging to manage in certain scenarios, so it's better to rely on older systems and follow familiar methods. This applies not only for creating bootable USB drives but also for various other tasks.
Learn the steps to set up Windows 8.1 using a GPT partition for UEFI. Transitioning from legacy to UEFI involves updating your boot configuration and creating the appropriate partition structure.