blog posts

How to convert mbr disk to gpt?

In this article, we want to get acquainted with two formats or in other words partitioning styles, including the old MBR format and the new GPT format and check how to convert them. Stay with Falnik.

To buy new systems, you can enter any desired page from laptop price or computer price and check different models. By registering the proforma invoice, our experts will contact you in the shortest possible time.

Introduction of MBR and GPT formats in hard disk partitioning

Every day we see the advancement of storage technology and of course the increase of the storage capacity of hard drives, as a result the use of old partitioning formats is not the answer for new equipment.
The MBR format is considered an almost old format and cannot meet the new storage needs. Instead, the GPT format is a good alternative to the MBR format and covers the limitations of this format. These limits include the maximum number of partitions, maximum storage capacity, and redundancy.

What is the MBR format?

MBR stands for Master Boot Record. When the drive is formatted, a sector is created in which the information related to the partitioning structure and boot partition of the operating system and other information is placed. The MBR format can only support up to 2 TB of capacity and does not recognize partitions larger than 2 TB, so if you want your partition to have a capacity of more than 2 TB, you should use the GPT format. Also, in this format, you can only create a maximum of 4 primary partitions and redundancy is not supported.

What is the GPT format?

GPT stands for Guid Partition Table. When the system uses Firmware or middleware interface (for example, UEFI is another popular middleware, BIOS), GPT format must be used to install the operating system. Also, in this format, there is no partition size limit and the partition size can be up to 9.4 ZB. Another advantage of this format is the ability to create 128 partitions. Therefore, GPT format is more flexible than MBR format and has better performance.

Important note: To convert mbr format to gpt and vice versa, you must first make a backup copy of your data because all your data will be deleted.

Important note: To convert mbr format to gpt and vice versa, you must first make a backup copy of your data because all your data will be deleted.

How to distinguish between MBR and GPT

Press Windows + X to detect mbr or gpt and to detect the current partition format of your system. In the opened page, click on the Disk Management option and now, as in the image, right-click on the desired partition and select the Properties option.

In the window that opens, click on the Volumes tab. Now pay attention to the Partition Style section to see the system partitioning format.

How to convert mbr to gpt and convert gpt to mbr

In response to the question why do we convert MBR to GPT?

We must say that each drive is used based on the capacity required for each partition and the number of partitions with one of the MBR and GPT styles.

Also, as mentioned, the system firmware is also the determining factor in the choice of formats. UEFI and BIOS are two firmwares.

Important note: To convert mbr to gpt format, you must first make a backup copy of your data because all your data will be deleted.

convert mbr partition to gpt; Using the Disk Management panel

To convert mbr partition to gpt, first select Disk Management option by pressing Windows key + X and enter the disk management panel.
Now you have to delete all desired disk partitions by right clicking on them so that you can format that disk. After deleting all disk partitions, right-click on the desired disk and select Convert To GPT or Convert To MBR according to your needs. In this way, the mbr hard drive is converted to gpt.

Convert MBR disk to GPT using command prompt

To run Command Prompt in the Windows environment, use the combination keys Windows + R, then write the word cmd and press Enter.

In the opened window, type notepad and press enter.
Connect your hard drive or flash drive to the system and click open from the file section.
Select your memory file and back up the information.
Now enter Diskpart command.
Then enter the List disk command to display a list of your system’s disks along with their specifications and volumes.

The desired disk is selected through the Select disk * command (instead of the * sign, enter the number of the desired disk). Then enter the Clean command to delete all the information on that disk.
Now, if you want to convert the target disk to MBR format, enter the Convert to MBR command. But if you want to convert your disk to GPT, enter the Convert to GPT command. Then enter the Exit command and exit.

Convert mbr partition to gpt when installing Windows

During Windows installation, when you reach the first screen of Windows installation, press Shift+F10 keys to open Command Prompt. Now you can follow the steps of the second method in the above material.

programs and software to change hard drive format to gpt and mbr

There are many software that can change hard drive format to gpt and mbr, examples of these software are Minitool Partition Wizard, AOMEI Partition Assistant and EaseUS Partition Master tool. But some of these peripheral software may cause irreversible problems on your hard disk, and due to the importance of user data, we have refrained from raising issues related to peripheral software and only official and guaranteed ways. We have examined.

MBR2GPT

Microsoft’s MBR2GPT tool is now available as part of the Windows 10 Creators Update. The free MBR to GPT tool can support systems running Windows 10. However, you can use it to convert your MBR drive to GPT with minimal hassle.

First you need to check your disc number. Complete the Start Menu search for program management and select the best match. Next, you must select Disk Management and select the desired drive. You can right-click on the disk number and after selecting Properties, open the Volume Check option and select the current partition type as MBR.

Now press the combination keys Windows + X and then select Command Prompt from the desired menu. You should right-click on the Command Prompt section and select Run as Administrator.

Now you need to validate the disk you want. Enter mbr2gpt /validate /disk:[enter your disk number here] /allowFullOS and wait for validation. You will receive an error if the disk cannot meet the conversion requirements.

Type mbr2gpt /convert /disk:[enter your disk number here] /allowFullOS and press Enter to start the MBR to GPT conversion process. The conversion is done in the fastest time and only takes a few seconds. Do not forget to put the drive number in the desired box.

Now you need to change your operating system to UEFI mode to boot. After the system reboots, press the BIOS/UEFI entry key. Change the boot type to UEFI mode instead of Legacy Mode or something similar.

EaseUS Partition program

If you plan to convert MBR to GPT without losing data, using EaseUS Partition can definitely be effective. Some may find this program easier than other methods. Don’t forget that you have to pay $39.95 to use EaseUS Partition, and this tool is already available for free and is now a part of your operating system.

Log in to the EaseUS Partition Master website. Purchase and download or install the software.

Next, you need to enter the program and wait for it to load your drives. Then find the drive you want. Select the disk and right-click on it and choose the option to convert MBR to GPT.

Select the Apply option in the toolbar. After selecting the mentioned option, the system will restart. You will enter a new page that shows the conversion process.
You need to change your operating system to UEFI mode to boot. After the system reboots, press the BIOS/UEFI entry key. Change the boot type to UEFI mode as opposed to Legacy Mode.

So you will see that EaseUS Partition Master can simplify the process of converting MBR to GPT, but the speed is lower compared to Microsoft’s tool.

Conclusion

As you can see by now, GPT has more advantages than MBR, but you may be worried about converting MBR to GPT. In this article, we tried to teach the best methods of converting MBR to GPT so that you can get the desired result easily and in a short period of time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Microsoft’s free utility as effective as EaseUS Partition Master? Yes; You can also use the mentioned free tool to convert MBR to GPT.

Is it possible to destroy data during conversion? If you follow the mentioned tips, nothing will happen to your information.