How Can I Change GPT to MBR Without Losing Data?

Summary: Although MBR is the outdated technology but most of the user still needed it. So, in this post we will discuss the methods to convert GPT to MBR via manual methods i.e. Using Command Prompt & Windows Interface.

Quick Overview of Master Boot Record & GUID Partition Table

when you purchase a new hard disk and want to deployed it with Windows 10 or 8 then OS asked you to whether you want to use MBR or GPT. As most of the user don’t know about the benefits of using GPT over MBR. Due to lack of information most of the looking for the solution to convert gpt to mbr during windows 10 install without data loss.

MBR and GPT both are types of partition table. MBR is the very first boot sector located at the beginning of the drive. It stores the boot loader for the installed OS and information about the logical partitions created in the hard drive.

GPT is the GUID based partition table which completely overcome the limitations of MBR.
On a MBR partitioning information and the boot data store at one place. If the data is overwritten or corrupted then in such case you have face severe issues while on the other hand GPT stores the multiple copies of this data across the disk, so one can easily recover the same very easily.

Top Free Methods to Convert GPT to MBR Without Losing Any Data

Technically, there are two different methods are available to convert GPT to MBR without losing any data. We will discuss the same in this section

1. Convert GPT to MBR Via Windows Interface
2. Change GPT Partition Style to MBR via Command Prompt

Method 1: Change GPT Partition Style to MBR From Windows Interface

You need to follow the below mentioned steps to easily convert GPT partition to MBR

1. First of all you need to backup or move all the volumes of the GPT disk which you want to convert into MBR disk.
2. If the disk any partitions or the volume then right click on each and then delete the volume.
3. Right click on the GPT disk which you want to convert into MBR partition and then click convert to MBR disk.

Method 2: Changing GPT Partition Style to MBR With Help of Command Line

The methods to convert GPT partition to MBR is little bit complex with command line. So please create the backup and save it on safe location preferably external storage device.

1. Open Windows search and then type Command Prompt
2. The run it as the administrator
3. A new Command Prompt interface open up on the screen.    
4. Type diskpart. (If the disk doesn’t contains the partitions or volumes then skip to step 8)  
5. Then your systems went into the state of the diskpart where command line starts with DISKPART>
6. In the same command line, type list disk. Please note the number of the disk which you want to delete   
7. Then after type the select disk
8. At the DISKPART> type clean.
   Note: The clean command will delete all the partitions or volumes on the disk
9. Then after type convert mbr in the DISKPART> command line.

Since far we have discussed the methods to convert GPT to MBR via two different manual methods. It is recommended that before using any described methods, create the back of the disk for safe hands. If any of the operation performed abnormally then you must have proper plan B ready to prevent any type of data loss.