How to Convert a GPT Disk to a MBR Disk

A disk is a separate physical hard drive. This will show you how to convert a GPT (GUID - Globally Unique Identifer) disk to a MBR (Master Boot Record) disk in Windows Disk Manager or in a command prompt. By default Windows uses MBR disks.

While all Windows can boot from a MBR disk, you can only boot from a GPT disk if you have a operating system (see below) that supports GPT and your motherboard has a EFI BIOS and is enabled. Windows 7 and Vista does support booting from a GPT disk.

You can still have a separate GPT disk as a data disk if your operating system (see below) supports reading a GPT disk, even if your system disk that Windows is installed on is still a MBR disk.
Differences Between MBR and GPT Disks:

• MBR disks are supported (readable) by all Windows operating systems.

• GPT disks are only supported (readable) by Windows server 2003 SP1 +, XP 64-bit, Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008.

• MBR disks use the standard BIOS partition table.

• GPT disks use extensible firmware interface (EFI).

• MBR disks supports up to 2TB per single partition.

• GPT disks supports up to 256TB per single partition in Windows.

• MBR disks supports up to 4 Primary partitions or 3 Primary partitions and 1 Extended partition with up to 128 logical volumes in the extended partition.

• GPT disks supports up to 128 Primary partitions.

• Removable disks are MBR disks by default.

• Removable disks cannot be converted into a GPT disk.