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Help converting a MBR boot disk to a GPT boot disk

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I run windows  7, 64 bit.  I use Acronis True Image  2016software.  My system drive (C:) uses MBR.  I would like to have this drive as a GPT disk.  It is my understanding  I can't do this without losing the data on the drive, because  it is the drive with Windows on it.

So what if I remove the C: disk from the system and install a new Seagate 3TB hard drive. Then using the Seagate Diskwizard, set it up as a large drive (over 2TB).  I assume it will be a GPT disk after this.

Then using Acronis, do a full system recovery using the Acronis DVD recovery disk to this new drive.  What I am not sure about is if the Acronis recovery will revert it back to a MBR type disk?

I am trying to upgrade to windows 10, and I think my failure to complete this upgrade is because the C: drive uses MBR style.

I hope this makes some sense as I am a bit out of my area of understanding Windows.

Thanks,

Jim  

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Is your computer capable of booting UEFI?  Below link is an example of what you want to do but the catch is your machine must be UEFI bootable.

http://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/documentation/ATI2016/index.html#2…

Below is another example of how things work with GPT and UEFI

http://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/documentation/ATI2016/index.html#2…

Hope that helps

Hello Enchantech,

I found on the WEB instructions on how to check to see if the computer uses BIOS or UEFI. I found that my computer uses BIOS, so I guess I can't get a system disk using UEFI.  Therefore I guess I can not upgrade to Windows 10.  Do you agree?

Thanks,

Jim

No I do not agree.  You can install Windows 10 to an MBR BIOS booted machine.  I have one myself that I upgraded.  What seems to be your issue with the upgrade?

From your description you could partition the 3TB disk into 2 partitions.  The reason for this is because there is a 2TB limit of MBR disks.  Once formatted, using a backup image of your Win 7 installation, recover that image to one of the partitions you created.  Then run the Win 10 upgrade.

Hello Enchantech,

I have tried many times to update from my windows 7, 64 bit to the new windows 10.  It appears to go all the way to the end of the upgrade, then fails with error message C19001001-20017.  I have search the WEB for help, and have tried many things.  Some of which are removing all external USB disk, remove a internal USB 3.0 card etc.  Nothing worked. 

In one of the responses, someone said that the upgrade REQUIRES a GPT disk and that BIOS will not work.  Thus, I started my research into this and found that my system disk uses BIOS.

If you have done a upgrade to windows 10, on a system disk using BIOS, then I am out of ideas.

Thanks,

Jim

 

 

I have upgraded several BIOS systems to Windows 10.  One Windows 7 computer failed to update through the Get Windows 10 app.  On that system I used the Windows 10 media creation tool to create USB installation media.  Then I ran setup.exe to perform an in-place upgrade to Windows 10 that completed without any issues.  Here is a link to the media creation tool.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

You can also use a Windows 7 key to perform a clean installation of Windows 10 using the most recent build if all else fails.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/activation-in-windows-10

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Jim,

I agree with all these nice folks.  You should be able to upgrade to win 10.

I had 3 machines, all BIOS/MBR,  that upgraded to Win10/64 without a single burp.

All OS drives were internal SATA and none over 2 TB.

One computer was a WIn7/64 Pro, one a Win8.1/64/Home and the other was a 8.1/64 Pro.

All upgraded online without a single burp.

OOPS, forgot one.... a Laptop with Win7.   It also upgraded online with no problem

Steve

 

I too have upgraded a mix of Windows 7 and 8.1 systems to Windows 10 on Legacy BIOS / MBR boxes without any problem, plus have done the same for some Windows 7 and 8.1 UEFI systems too.

See https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/when-installing-windows-10-i-received-the-error/884cf162-6cde-4ab7-bce4-f5916e4aaa22?auth=1 which suggests the following by a Microsoft MVP which may help here:

  • Disable (preferrably uninstall) your Antivirus utility before attempting the upgrade.
  • Restart a few times and try again.
  • Disable General USB Devices (example - Smart Card Reader). 
  • If you are using a SCSI hard disk, make sure you have drivers available for your storage device on a thumdrive and it is connected. During Windows 10 setup, click the Custom Advanced Option and use the Load Driver command to load the appropriate driver for the SCSI drive. If this does not work and setup still fails, consider switching to a IDE based hard disk.
  • Do a clean boot and try again.
  • If you are upgrading using the .ISO file, disconnect from the Internet during setup, if you are connected by LAN (Ethernet) or Wi-Fi, disable both and attempt setup again. 
  • If you are updating through Windows Update, when the download reaches 100% disconnect from the Internet LAN (Ethernet) or Wi-Fi and proceed with the installation.
  • If that does not work, try using the .ISO file to upgrade if possible.
  • If you are connected to a domain, switch to a local account
  • If you have any external devices attached to the machine, disconnect them (example, gaming controllers, USB keys, external hard disk, printers, non-essential devices).

    How to: upgrade from previous versions of Windows using Windows 10 ISO file

    How to download official Windows 10 ISO files

I have used the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool method of upgrading some of my systems - you have a choice of upgrading this PC immediately, or of creating the Windows 10 install media (on DVD or USB stick).  The important point is not to boot from the DVD or USB Windows 10 install media if you want to upgrade from an earlier release of Windows.  You can run the Windows 10 setup.exe from the install media from within your booted Windows.