How to Convert GPT Partitioned Disk to MBR Partition

In this article, I will explain how we can convert a GPT partition into MBR disk format.  The GPT partition is an update of MBR format scheme and this is available with UEFI/EFI  not with BIOS.

The GPT partition can be used on BIOS installed computers as well.  There are some advantages of using GPT partition and those advantages are:

1. With GPT formatted disk we can set up 128 partitions and on the other side with MBR we can set 4 partitions only.

2. In GPT formatted disk a single partition can support 256 terabyte of disk space. While MBR formatted disk only supports 2 terabyte of disk space.

GPT disks are supported by Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows Server 2003, Server 2008, Server 2012 and Server 2016.

Note: Converting a GPT Partitioned to MBR Partition will end up deleting all data from the Hard Disk. Make sure to Create a Backup before continuing.

To convert the GPT formatted disk to MBR we can use the disk part utility that is available in all Windows operating systems. Follow the following steps to convert the GPT formatted disk into MBR.

Click on start menu and start typing diskpart. It will show up on the top of the start menu.

Press enter and it will launch the Disk Partition tool for you. Type List Disk and it will show all of the disks attached to the computer.

If you have a GPT disk, it will show * under GPT.

Then type, Select Disk 1, you can select the disk which is a GPT disk.

Run the Clean command to delete everything on the disk.

Then type Convert MBR. It will convert the GPT disk into MBR format.

Now again type List Disk to see if the disk has been converted to MBR or not, you will now see that there will be no * under GPT.

This means that disk has been converted from GPT to MBR.

Type Exit to close the disk partition utility.

Muhammad Imran Habib

Imran is a technology evangelist with 8 years of experience working with some of the Industry leading companies. Imran's expertise includes On-Prem/Virtual Infrastructure deployments, IT Solutions for SMEs, End User Computing Support.

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