(Solved) How can I use GParted to convert MBR to GPT without data loss?

Matthew_Wai · Post by **Matthew_Wai** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 11:42 am

I have Linux Mint 17.3 "Rosa" - Cinnamon (64-bit) on a live DVD.
I have an MBR HDD containing a system reserved partition, a Windows partition (C) and a data partition (D).
A new version of Windows 10 will be released next month, and I will clean install it.
Assuming I want to use GParted to convert MBR to GPT without data loss on partition D before clean installation in the UEFI mode, what should I do? Does the following work?
http://slavisa-jovanovic.com/linux/2015 ... o-gpt.html

austin.texas · Post by **austin.texas** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 11:59 am

Back up the data you want to keep to an external storage, and use Gparted > Device menu > New partition table > GPT
That will delete all existing data on the hard drive - which is why you need a complete backup.

grizzler · Post by **grizzler** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:59 pm

Matthew_Wai wrote: Does the following work?
http://slavisa-jovanovic.com/linux/2015 ... o-gpt.html

Yes, in my experience gdisk does work. But do make a backup, just in case.

Matthew_Wai · Post by **Matthew_Wai** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 6:46 am

Open Terminal after booting it from the Linux DVD and then run the following (sda = my hard disk):

1. sudo gdisk /dev/sda
2. W
3. Y

Is that correct? Do I have to call GParted before running them?

grizzler · Post by **grizzler** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:18 pm

GParted isn't involved. You need a CD or DVD which has the gdisk command and that could be the GParted Live CD.

Assuming sda is still the hard disk if you boot from the CD/DVD, /dev/sda should be correct. And that looks like a lower case w on the site you linked to.

Sorry, but it's been a while since I converted the partition tables of my machines.

Matthew_Wai · Post by **Matthew_Wai** » Sat Mar 18, 2017 10:14 am

On GParted there is no way to convert MBR to GPT, but on Terminal there is. See the screenshot below.
What is the difference between gdisk and GParted?
If it were a GPT HDD, would the 'W' command convert it to MBR?

gdisk_775x739.jpg

grizzler · Post by **grizzler** » Sat Mar 18, 2017 4:26 pm

What do you mean what's the difference between gdisk and GParted? They're two different programs! Why would you expect them to be the same?

According to gdisk's man page, the w command writes the changes made in the program's memory to disk. So if you started by asking gdisk to change a GPT disk to MBR (assuming there is such a function - I didn't check) then w would be the last step in the process.

Check out the man page for more info on gdisk.

Matthew_Wai · Post by **Matthew_Wai** » Sun Mar 19, 2017 2:23 am

GParted, Gdisk, and Fdisk are three different partition tools, and all of them are part of Linux Mint, right?
What is the URL of the Gdisk main page?

grizzler · Post by **grizzler** » Sun Mar 19, 2017 2:47 am

The gdisk webpage is http://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/
It has a link to the man page, among lots of other things, but using the command man gdisk in a terminal should bring that up as well.

Matthew_Wai · Post by **Matthew_Wai** » Sat May 06, 2017 2:42 am

I did it without data loss.

用 Linux 把 MBR 轉換成 GPT.jpg

Krischu · Post by **Krischu** » Sun Jul 21, 2019 3:27 am

Why are the jpg screenshots not visible in this thread?

Website · Post by **Moem** » Sun Jul 21, 2019 3:31 am

Krischu wrote: ⤴Sun Jul 21, 2019 3:27 am Why are the jpg screenshots not visible in this thread?

They were lost because it's such an old thread. If you have a question about this, please start a new thread. Thanks!

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(Solved) How can I use GParted to convert MBR to GPT without data loss?

(Solved) How can I use GParted to convert MBR to GPT without data loss?

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Re: How can I use GParted to convert MBR to GPT without data loss?

Re: How can I use GParted to convert MBR to GPT without data loss?

Re: How can I use GParted to convert MBR to GPT without data loss?

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