How to Convert MBR to GPT via CMD Prompt Windows 11/10/8/7?
Quick Navigation
- Reasons to convert MBR to GPT
- Steps to convert MBR to GPT via CMD in Windows 10/8/7
- CMD alternative: convert MBR to GPT without data loss
- Convert MBR to GPT via CMD during OS installation
- Summary
Reasons to convert MBR to GPT
GPT is a better partition table standard than MBR, offering advantages such as improved partition table size, support for more partitions, and better error handling, making it a popular choice for users who want to convert from MBR to GPT.
①GPT (GUID Partition Table) supports a disk larger than 2TB, whereas MBR (Master Boot Record) supports up to 2TB hard disk.
②MBR (Master Boot Record) has a limitation of 4 primary partitions, whereas GPT (GUID Partition Table) allows for up to 128 primary partitions. This makes GPT a more flexible and modern partitioning scheme compared to MBR.
③GPT, unlike MBR, stores partitioning and boot information in multiple locations, making it easier to recover when corrupted.
④The official announcement states that UEFI is required when upgrading Windows 10 to Windows 11 via the "Check for Update" feature.
How do I change from MBR to GPT via CMD in Windows 11/10/8/7
To change a disk from MBR to GPT in Windows 11/10/8/7, you can use the CMD command line. To do this, follow the steps:
Notes:
①This method requires you to delete all partitions on the selected disk, so please back up all the data in advance.
② To convert the system disk from MBR to GPT using CMD, you need to enter the WinPE mode as the system-related partitions cannot be deleted within Windows.
Step 1. Open an elevated Command Prompt: Press Win+R to open the Run dialogue, type cmd, and hit Enter.
Step 2. In the elevated Command Prompt window, type diskpart and press Enter to launch DiskPart, then execute the following commands in sequence: list disk, select disk #, clean, create partition primary, format fs=ntfs, and assign letter=Z. Replace # with the number of the disk you want to format.
▶list disk (display all the online disks)
▶select disk n (n represents the number of the target MBR disk)
▶clean (remove all partitions on the target disk if there are)
▶convert gpt
This demonstration is based on converting a data disk. After the conversion is finished successfully, type "Exit" and press "Enter" to leave this window.
CMD alternative: convert MBR to GPT without data loss in Windows 11/10/8/7
Before converting a MBR disk to GPT via CMD, it's essential to backup the MBR disk to avoid losing important data. Fortunately, it's possible to convert both data and system MBR disks to GPT without deleting partitions or losing data, thanks to software like Qiling Disk Master Professional, which can perform this conversion without removing existing partitions. (Note: the demo version can be used to simulate the operation.)
Supported OS: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows XP/Vista (32-bit and 64-bit)
Step 1. Install and run Qiling Disk Master, then right-click the disk you want to convert to GPT and select "Convert to GPT".
Step 2. Waiting to convert partition.
Wait for a while, the conversion will be finished.
Convert MBR to GPT via CMD during OS installation
If you encounter the error "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI system, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks" during the Windows installation process, you can resolve this issue by converting the MBR partition table to GPT via Command Prompt during installation. This involves using the built-in Command Prompt to execute specific commands that will convert the disk from MBR to GPT, allowing you to proceed with the Windows 10 installation.
Notes:
①Converting the system disk to GPT using CMD will result in the loss of all data on the system disk.
②Before converting your boot disk from MBR to GPT, ensure your motherboard supports UEFI boot mode, as you'll need to switch from Legacy BIOS to UEFI after the conversion.
Step 1. Boot your computer from the Windows installation CD/DVD.
Step 2. Wait for the "Windows Setup" screen.
Step 3. To open the command prompt window, press the "Shift + F10" keys together on the keyboard.
Step 4. Type "Diskpart" into the CMD window.
To convert a disk from MBR to GPT, first, run the command "list disk" to identify the disk you want to convert. Then, select the disk you want to convert by typing "select disk #" where # is the number of the disk you want to convert.
If you can't boot from a DVD, you can use Qiling Disk Master Professional to create a bootable flash drive, which can also convert MBR to GPT without needing to boot into Windows or delete existing volumes/data.
Note: To proceed, you'll need an empty USB drive and a working Windows computer to connect it to.
Step 1. To create a bootable USB drive, install and launch Qiling Disk Master Professional on a working PC, then click "Tools" and select "Make Bootable Media" to follow the wizard and create the bootable media.
Step 2. Plug the created bootable USB drive into the computer with the OS installation issue, set the USB drive as the first boot priority, and boot from it.
Step 3. After logging in, you will enter the main interface of Qiling Disk Master Professional. From there, right-click the system disk and select "Convert To GPT" to proceed.
The remaining steps are similar to those described earlier for converting a data disk to GPT. The process involves creating a new GPT disk, cloning the existing data to the new disk, and then replacing the old disk with the new one.
Wrapping things up
Converting a Master Boot Record (MBR) disk to a Globally Unique Identifier Partition Table (GPT) can be done using the Command Prompt (CMD) or Qiling Disk Master. The CMD method involves using the `diskpart` command, but it requires deleting existing partitions, which can result in data loss. In contrast, Qiling Disk Master is a more reliable option that allows for a safe conversion of MBR to GPT without deleting existing partitions or losing data, making it a wiser choice for this task.
If you're running a Windows Server operating system, you can try Qiling Disk Master Server, which offers all the features of the Professional edition, including migrating an OS to an SSD or HDD, copying a MBR disk to a GPT disk or vice versa, and converting a dynamic disk to a basic disk without removing volumes, and is more compatible (supporting both Server and Windows PC).
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