Comparing with MBR style disk, GPT has more advantages. For example: overcome the 2TB restriction, and create more than 4 Primary partitions on a disk. If operating system has been installed or data has been saved on a MBR disk, it can't be better if you can convert MBR to GPT nondestructive. To convert MBR to GPT in Windows Server 2022, there are 3 ways with Windows inbuilt tools and third party software. There's "Convert to GPT Disk" option when you right clicking the front of a MBR disk in Disk Management tool, but it's always grayed out until you delete all partitions on it. This article introduces how to change MBR disk to GPT with MBR2GPT command and third party disk partition software without losing data.
How to convert MBR to GPT for system disk
Operating system and programs are installed on system disk, therefore, you should pay more attention. There are third party software claim that they have the ability to convert system disk to GPT in Server 2022 without losing data. But you'd better accomplish this task with Windows inbuilt tool. From Windows Server 2019, MBR2GPT command is added to help convert MBR disk to GPT easily and safely.
Conditions to run MBR2GPT command in Server 2022
Although MBR2GPT is easy to use, your disk partition configuration must meet the requirements below. Otherwise, the conversion will be failed.
- There must be no Logical drive on this MBR disk. If there is, follow the method to convert Logical partition to Primary.
- There are maximum 3 Primary partitions on this disk. If there are 4, follow the method to move one partition to another disk.
- There should be no Windows non-supported type of partition on this disk such as EXT2, EXT3.
MBR2GPT will validate the disk partition layout in advance, if the validation failed, the conversion won't continue. If it converts successfully, the changes cannot be undone and there's no Windows native tool to convert GPT to MBR without losing data.
How to convert MBR to GPT in Windows Server 2022 with MBR2GPT command:
- Make a system backup in advance and make sure your computer supports UEFI booting.
- Press Windows + R keys together, input cmd and press Enter.
- In the command prompt window, input mbr2gpt /disk:0 /convert /allowFullOS and then press Enter. If your system disk is not 0, replace it with the right number.
One more point: if you convert MBR to GPT via this command without extending the System Reserved partition, there will be an EFI partition created behind C drive. This is not an issue to NIUBI Partition Editor, because it can resize and move this partition. But to Windows Disk Management, it can't do anything to EFI partition.
If you want to make the EFI partition on the left and make C drive adjacent to other data partition. Follow the method to extend system reserved partition.
How to change MBR to GPT for data disk
MBR2GPT command can only convert system MBR disk to GPT. If you want to convert a MBR disk with only data to GPT, you have to run third party software. With NIUBI Partition Editor, only several clicks are needed. You can convert MBR to GPT in Windows 2022 server without losing data in several minutes.
How to convert MBR to GPT in Server 2022 without data loss:
- Download NIUBI Partition Editor, right click the front of the MBR disk and select "Convert to GPT Disk".
- Simply click Yes to confirm, then a pending operation is added.
- Click Apply on top left to take effect, done.
Watch the video how to convert MBR to GPT in Server 2022/2019 with both tools:
Besides converting MBR to GPT in Windows Server 2022/2019/2016/2012/2008, NIUBI Partition Editor helps you do many other disk partition management operations such as shrink, extend, move, merge, convert, defrag, hide, wipe partition and scan bad sectors.
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