MBR (Master Boot Record) and GPT (GUID Partition Table) are two different partition styles, both of which are widely used in storage devices. Any new-added hard drive has to be initialized to be MBR or GPT before it can be formatted and made ready for data storage. By default, the hard drive will be initialized to MBR. However, nowadays, more and more users are changing MBR to GPT for the following reasons:
Briefly, those are decided by the MBR limitations and GPT advantages (PS.: you can take a look at the comparison table).
How to convert MBR to GPT? This first tool that comes into most users should be the Disk Management. However, it can only convert an empty disk to GPT or MBR. In other words, you have to delete all partitions on the disk, so you will lose all data inside. Besides, the Disk Management cannot convert a system disk from MBR to GPT since you are not allowed to delete the system partition.
So, today, we would like to share you a safe method of converting MBR to GPT without data loss in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7. That is using the partition manager: AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. It enables you to convert the MBR disk to a GPT disk without deleting the partitions and data. So, you can avoid the data loss issue.
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7
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Applies to: converting both data and OS disk from MBR to GPT without data loss or Windows reinstallation.
Step 1. Install and launch the software. Right click the target disk and choose “Convert to GPT Disk”.
Step 2. Click “OK” to confirm your operation.
Step 3. Click “Apply” to commit the pending operation.
Above steps also work on converting the boot disk from MBR to GPT. Thus, you won’t lose the OS data so that you don’t need to spend time in reinstalling OS from scratch, which matters to most computer users.
Above is how to convert MBR to GPT partition style. However, some users would like to change the partition stylefrom GPT to MBR for some reason. For example, if they are using the 32-bit Windows versions (Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows Server editions), it is necessary to change GPT to MBR since only the 64-bit Windows versions will boot from GPT while MBR disks are supported by all Windows versions.
Moreover, when your computer is currently booted in legacy BIOS (and only supports legacy BIOS mode), but you are trying to install OS on the GPT disk, you will receive "Windows Cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style" error during OS installation. Thus, you have to change GPT to MBR.
No matter in either situation, the AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional is available to help you. Just right-click the disk, choose “Convert to MBR Disk” and follow the instructions.
If you are changing system disk to GPT disk, please ensure the computer motherboard supports the EFI or UEFI boot mode. After conversion, you have to enable the UEFI boot mode on your computer to successfully boot from the GPT disk.
Step 1. Restart PC and press F2, F8, F12, Del to enter the BIOS boot menu.
Step 2. From the BIOS main menu screen, select Boot.
Step 3. From the Boot screen, select UEFI/BIOS Boot Mode.
Step 4. Use the up and down arrows to select UEFI Boot Mode, and then press Enter.
Step 5. To save the changes and exit the screen, press F10.
If you just changed GPT to MBR disk, please change UEFI to Legacy instead.
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7
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