MBR to GPT: How to Convert MBR to GPT in Windows 11/10/8/7 [New Method for 2022]

How to Convert Disk from MBR to GPT in Windows 11/10? This page includes three practical and reliable methods to help you easily convert MBR to GPT.

If you're trying to change the disk partition style, pick any of the methods listed here to convert disk from MBR to GPT without losing data.

When to Convert MBR to GPT

As two styles of the Windows partition, both MBR (Master Boot Record) and GPT (GUID Partition Table) are widely used on computer hard disks and other storage devices. Nowadays, more and more users are converting disks from MBR to GPT.

However, many users are not clear about when they need to convert MBR disk to GPT disk. Here are some specific moments or situations where you may need to convert MBR to GPT:

• Create more than four primary partitions on a disk. • Use all the space on a disk larger than 2 TB. • Install Windows on an EFI/UEFI disk. • Receive an error message, as shown in the following image: "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On an EFI system, Windows can only be installed to a GPT disk."

In any of these cases, you'll need to convert the disk from MBR to GPT.

Whether you want to convert a data drive from MBR to GPT without losing data or change the boot drive from MBR to GPT while installing Windows, you can easily accomplish the task with any of the following methods.

Method 1: How to Convert MBR to GPT with Partition Master Tool

Applies to: Converting data drives and the system drive from MBR to GPT without losing data or reinstalling Windows.

Reliable disk converter – Partition Master Tool enables you to convert disks from MBR to GPT with only a few clicks directly. It outshines Disk Management and DiskPart in the following two aspects:

Keep all partitions: During the disk conversion, Partition Master will not delete any partition. No data loss: While converting a disk from MBR to GPT or vice versa, Partition Master ensures all data is safely stored on the disk.

Steps to convert MBR to GPT without data loss:

Step 1: Download and run the Partition Master tool on your Windows computer.

2. Right-click the MBR disk you want to convert, and select “Convert to GPT Disk.”

Step 3: Then, locate and click the “Perform 1 action” button on the toolbar, select “Apply,” and start the conversion process.

Optional step: Switch to the UEFI mode after converting the system boot disk to GPT

If you convert your Windows system disk to GPT, make sure you enable UEFI boot mode on your computer so that the operating system can start. Here's how:

Step 1. Restart your computer and press F2, F8, F12, or Del to enter the BIOS boot menu.

Step 2. Locate the boot options menu and enable UEFI mode.

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Step 4. Save the changes and exit the BIOS, then reboot your computer from the GPT disk.

Then wait patiently as your computer boots automatically from the GPT disk.

Method 2: How to Convert MBR to GPT via Disk Management

Applies to: Data disks must be deleted and data lost when converting from MBR to GPT.

To convert a data disk to GPT, you must delete all partitions on the MBR disk in Disk Management. Otherwise, the "Convert to GPT Disk" option will be unavailable in Disk Management. After removing the existing partitions, you'll see that option available.

Steps to convert an MBR disk to GPT in Disk Management: 1. **备份数据**: 在进行任何磁盘转换之前，确保备份所有重要数据。转换过程可能会导致数据丢失。 2. **打开磁盘管理**: 右键点击“我的电脑”或“此电脑”，选择“管理”，然后在弹出的“计算机管理”窗口中选择“磁盘管理”。 3. **创建一个分区**: 如果你的MBR磁盘上有未分配的空间，你需要先将其创建为一个分区，因为转换过程中不能有未分配的空间。右键点击未分配空间，选择“新建简单卷”，然后按照向导完成操作。 4. **启动命令提示符**: 以管理员权限运行命令提示符。点击“开始”按钮，输入“cmd”，在搜索结果中找到“命令提示符”，右键点击并选择“以管理员身份运行”。 5. **运行转换命令**: 在命令提示符中输入以下命令，然后按回车键。请将`X:`替换为你的磁盘驱动器号（例如，如果你的磁盘是D盘，则应输入`diskpart /disk:1 clean`）： ``` diskpart select disk X: clean convert gpt ``` 6. **验证转换**: 返回“磁盘管理”，你应该会看到磁盘类型已从MBR更改为GPT。 7. **扩展分区**: 如果需要，你可以现在将GPT分区扩展到之前MBR分区的全部空间。在“磁盘管理”中，右键点击GPT分区，选择“扩展卷”，然后按照向导操作。 8. **重新安装操作系统**: 如果你打算在GPT磁盘上安装新的操作系统，可能需要使用支持UEFI启动的安装媒体，因为GPT磁盘与传统的BIOS不兼容。 请注意，上述步骤可能会因不同的Windows版本略有差异，务必谨慎操作，避免数据丢失。

Step 1: Right-click "This PC" or "My Computer," select "Manage," and then click "Disk Management."

Step 2: Right-click each partition on the target MBR disk and select "Delete Volume".

Step 3. Click “OK” to confirm the deletion of the partition, and then repeat Step 2 to delete all partitions on the drive.

4. When the entire disk is displayed as “Unallocated”, right-click on the MBR disk and select “Convert to GPT Disk”.

When the conversion is finished, close the “Disk Management” window. You can now create as many partitions as you want on the new disk, or install a new operating system on the drive.

Method 3: Convert MBR to GPT Using DiskPart

Applies to: You must perform the Clean partition step when using the DiskPart command to convert a data disk from MBR to GPT.

Since converting from MBR to GPT with DiskPart will wipe the entire disk, make sure to back up your data beforehand. Proceed with the conversion from an MBR disk to GPT by following these steps:

Step 1: Click the "Start" button, and type in cmd.

Step 2. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

Step 3: Type diskpart and press Enter.

When prompted for permission, click Yes.

Step 4. Enter each of the following commands in order, pressing Enter after each:

• List disks
• Select disk 2 (replace 2 with the number of your MBR disk)
• Clean
• Convert to GPT

DiskPart will remove all partitions on the disk and convert it to GPT in the process.

Step 5: When the conversion is complete, type exit.

After that, you can proceed to create partitions on the new GPT disk and install a new UEFI system, and so on, without any hindrance.

Tip: If you forgot to back up your files and want to undo the cleanup command, you can use Tools > Partition Recovery to retrieve your partitions and files.

Additional Tip: How to Convert MBR to GPT Without an Operating System Converting MBR (Master Boot Record) to GPT (GUID Partition Table) without an operating system might require using a bootable rescue media. Here's one method, but note that this process can result in data loss, so back up important data before starting: 1. Create a bootable USB drive or DVD: You can use a tool like Rufus to create a bootable media from a computer with an installed operating system, using Ubuntu, Windows, or any other Linux distribution that supports GPT conversion. 2. Set your computer to boot from USB or DVD: Access the BIOS or UEFI settings and change the boot order to prioritize booting from USB or DVD, then save and exit. 3. Boot into the rescue media: Insert the USB drive or DVD, restart your computer, and it should boot from the media you selected. 4. Open a terminal: In most Linux rescue modes, you can open a terminal by pressing `Ctrl + Alt + T`. 5. Use the `gdisk` tool to convert MBR to GPT: - First, list all disks by typing `sudo fdisk -l`. - Identify the disk you want to convert, e.g., `/dev/sda`. - Enter `sudo gdisk /dev/sda` to open the gdisk utility for that disk. - In the gdisk command-line interface, type `p` to view the current partition table. - Type `w` to save changes and exit, which will delete the MBR partition table and create a new GPT partition table. - Confirm the save by typing `y`. 6. Create a new ESP (EFI System Partition) and MSR (Microsoft Reserved Partition): Since converting MBR to GPT deletes all partitions, you'll need to recreate them. Use gdisk's `n` command to create new partitions and ensure correct type codes (ESP as EF00, MSR as EF02 or C12A). 7. Format the new partitions: Use `sudo mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/sda1` to format the ESP partition, where `/dev/sda1` is the actual device name of the ESP partition. 8. Mount and install ESP and MSR partitions: Mount the ESP partition with `sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt`, then copy EFI boot files to that partition. For Windows systems, you'll also need to assign the MSR partition to the system. 9. Reinstall the bootloader: Depending on your OS, you may need to reinstall GRUB (for Linux) or reconfigure your BIOS/UEFI to point to the new ESP partition. 10. Exit and reboot: After completing all steps, exit the rescue environment with the `exit` command, then restart your computer. Your hard drive should now be converted from MBR to GPT. Please note that this process may vary slightly depending on your hardware and operating system, so make sure you understand your system and back up your data before making any changes.

Some may wonder how to convert MBR disk to GPT without operating system or during Windows installation. It's more complex to convert MBR to GPT without OS compared with the above solutions.

So you have two options:

• You could boot from a Windows installation media and use the CMD command to convert the disk. But that's too complicated for most people.
• You could create a bootable USB with tools like Partition Master, and easily accomplish the task from there. Even novices can give it a try.

To make things easier, we recommend using a partition manager tool with bootable disk support:

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To do this, you need to install the software on a healthy computer first. Then create a bootable disk on a USB drive, start your PC from the disk, and convert the MBR to GPT without an OS or during your own Windows installation.

Here are the detailed steps you need to follow:

Step 1: Prepare a disk or drive like a USB drive, flash drive, or CD/DVD disc. Connect it properly to a bootable computer. Then, launch the Partition Master tool, find the "WinPE Creator" feature, and click on it.

Step 2: Depending on which device is connected to your computer, select either USB or CD/DVD, and then click Continue.

Create a Bootable Disk Wizard

Step 3: Connect the WinPE bootable disk to your computer. Restart your computer and press F2 or Del when you see the startup screen to enter BIOS. Set the boot order to "Removable Device" (bootable USB drive) or "CD-ROM Drive" (bootable CD/DVD) above the hard drive. Press "F10" to save and exit.

Step 4. Restart AOMEI Partition Assistant. Right-click the MBR disk you want to convert and choose "Convert to GPT Disk". Then, you will see the operation to be executed.

5. Click the “Execute Operation” button in the top-left corner. Then, click “Apply” to begin converting the MBR disk to GPT.

It's your turn now. Take action immediately and convert MBR disk to GPT without hesitation.

This page reveals 3 major solutions for you to try to successfully convert MBR to GPT disk.

To convert data or system disk from MBR to GPT without data loss or OS boot issue, Partition Master is the best choice. Its "Convert to GPT" feature doesn't require deleting partitions, thus causing no data loss.

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• For free disk conversion tools, you can try using Disk Management or DiskPart. Remember to back up your data before deleting partitions to convert from MBR to GPT.

Some also recommend using the built-in Windows tool MBR2GPT.EXE to convert from MBR to GPT. However, this tool is only available in the Windows Creator's Update and later, and is much more complex than the method above. You can refer to Microsoft's own MBR to GPT conversion solution for more details.

Aside from answering the “Should I use MBR or GPT?” and “How do I change from MBR to GPT?” questions, at the bottom of this page, we've gathered three more frequently asked questions about converting MBR to GPT that might interest you.

Frequently Asked Questions About Converting MBR to GPT

Continue reading and find the answer to your question here:

1. Which is better: GPT or MBR?

Here's a chart comparing MBR and GPT that can help you decide which to use for your disk:

MBR vs GPT: Which Is Better?

Conclusion: GPT disks have advantages over MBR disks in many ways.

From the comparison table, it's evident that GPT disks have several advantages over MBR disks, such as:

• Faster boot times: GPT UEFI boots faster than traditional MBR BIOS boot modes, allowing for quicker loading of the operating system.
• Better operating system compatibility: GPT offers better compatibility with a wide range of operating systems, including Windows Server and macOS, compared to MBR.
• Advanced data protection: GPT includes a backup of the primary GPT header and partition entries, providing enhanced protection for data on the disk.

In short, if you need to install the latest operating system on a disk and want fast boot times, GPT is the way to go. GPT supports booting in UEFI mode, which loads the operating system faster than the traditional BIOS mode on an MBR disk.

2. Should I use MBR or GPT for my SSD?

According to the comparison table of MBR and GPT at the beginning of this article, we have reasons to believe that GPT is more suitable for SSD disks.

GPT supports more than four primary partitions on an SSD. It allows for storage space greater than 2 TB (in contrast to MBR). Additionally, it has better compatibility with newer UEFI-based systems.

3. What happens when you convert MBR to GPT?

Basically, how to convert MBR to GPT mainly depends on the method you'd like to use for the MBR to GPT conversion.

If you used the Partition Master tool as recommended in Method 1 above, you will see that only the partition style has changed; your data and partitions should be exactly as they were before.

However, if you use either Windows Disk Management or the free DiskPart tool to convert an MBR disk to GPT, three things will happen to your disk:

1. 1. Data loss;
2. 2. Lost partitions;
3. 3. Partition style change: from MBR to GPT.