Windows 10: Migrating Multiple Disk Setup from MBR to GPT without data loss?

Hello!

(I apologize in advance for the headache reading this will cause)

I'm trying to move my Windows 10 partition to another hard drive, and change the disk to GPT without losing data.
I'm trying to avoid a clean installation as it takes me several days and even weeks to install all the software and I need to keep working.
It is a music recording / mixing setup, so it will be great if I could divide some of my hard drives in more than 4 partitions.

I'd like to:

1) Move my WIndows 10 partition (MBR in Disk 2) to Disk 0 (changing it to GPT) [if this is at all possible]
2) Keep Disk 1 as it is (data that cannot be lost)
3) Use Disk 2 for different as basically a wildcard for other data, backups, old projects, etc.





Does anyone know how this can be done?


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I'll clarify why the messy partition setup...

Originally disk 2 wasn't part of the equation, I had a hard drive stopped working, and I sent it for an RMA.
In the mean time, I purchased disks 0 & 1, and installed as follows:

Disk 0:
- Partition 1: System Reserved
- Partition 2: Windows 7
- Partition 3: Data
Disk 1:
- Partition 1: Data
- Partition 2: Data
- Partition 3: Data

I received disk 2, I installed it, and a while later, Windows 7 failed (it stopped detecting the ethernet port for some reason and I couldn't make it work), I decided to do a clean install but I kept that partition in case I managed to find a solution.

I took the opportunity to install Windows 10 and try it out to see if I could still use all of my software and interfaces.

I proceeded to install it in disk 2, and the partitions ended up almost as you see in the disk management image above.

Disk 2:
- Partition 1: Windows 10
- Partition 2: Recovery Partition
- Most of the hard drive remained as unallocated space

It wasn't until I decided to finally delete the Windows 7 partition that I realized what a mess I had made proceeding that way.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _
Just in case it helps...................

I've already tried the following, which at the end it either booted windows but it had the flickering screen issue, or it didn't boot at all, it just stayed at that black screen with the blinking " _ " (underscore)...

Using Acronis True Image WD Edition and also Windows Backup and Restore, I had created an image of:
Windows 10 partition (Disk 2) +
System Reserved (Disk 0) +
Recovery Partition (Disk 2)

I moved the boot information to the Windows partition (disk 2) and proceeded to clean Disk 0, convert to GPT, created the partitions using the commands from the script shown here: UEFI/GPT-based hard drive partitions

I also tried installing Windows 10 again in the correct drive as to create the correct partitions during the installation, and then recovering the Windows partition image with Acronis True Image Recovery disk....

Then it had a Master Boot Record on Disk 1 (I have no idea how that happened)....

Nothing worked, and I started freaking out when Windows Recovery didn't work with the Image I created with Windows Backup... Although at the end I manage to make it work I'm right back where I started....
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _

:)

 

Convert only one partition on the disk from MBR to GPT

Step 2
Convert MBR to GPT without data loss

 

Convert MBR to GPT without data loss?

You can use AOEMI Partition Assistant, a freeware that allows you to
convert MBR to GPT without data loss. If you want to have a 100% security, you can backup your whole disk with the brother product - AOMEI Backupper.

 

Have you have made a copy of D onto disk 2 so you can delete everything on disk 0?

That should work as long as you unplug your other drives and make sure that you install UEFI.

I would make a USB Windows 10 installer (FAT formatted USB so UEFI will boot it).
Clean and convert disk 0 to GPT
Shut Down
Unplug drives 1 and 2
Set BIOS to boot UEFI
Install Windows 10, boot into it and check you have the correct EFI partitions as per your TechNet link.
Plug in disk 1
Boot from recovery disk and restore Windows to C partition on disk 0 from your image on disk 1
Unplug 1 again
Check it boots OK
Plug in both other drives again.
Tidy up

 

Thanks!

Yes, although it's gone now, Windows Recovery re-formated both Disk 0 & Disk 2.... No biggie, they were just sound libraries, I'm running Data Recovery now to see if I can get them back and avoid manually installing them again.

To clarify, since WIndows Recovery didn't let me restore unless I let it re-format both disks....

Will it work with only that disk 0? Or will it ask for disk 2 as it happened before?

Should I create a Backup Image with Windows Backup that contains only the Windows Partition?

Or am I missing something?

 

slight misunderstanding I think......

He mean't use the Acronis Recovery disk to restore only C: partition you backed up, over top of the NEW C: partition made with the Clean install of Win10, not use the Windows Recovery disk and Image as it will Restore the Whole Drive not just C:\

Macrium Reflect is also good for doing this kind of thing.


KB

 

Thank you both!

For sure, I'm still not sure how he understood anything before *Biggrin I can't wrap my head around what I wrote

I'll re-image and try this again disconnecting the hard drives. Hope Windows doesn't have any more surprises in store for me...

 

adrian , your C:\ is already the New Clean win 10 is it not ? so no Point reimaging it .... try replacing your Acronis C:\ Image of old Win10 on newly Installed C: partition...

maybe that's what you meant?

 

The Acronis image was in Disk 2, and was lost when I restored the Windows Backup Image, everything is back as if I never did anything.
It re-partitioned / and over-wrote everything in both disks 0 & 2, including partitions that were not saved in the Image...
That was very odd, and I believe I'll never use Windows Backup again because of that....

 

You must either have included those disks in the Backup or they contained Windows Files it considers essential for Windows repair , eg you moved you User Folder or as I do move your library Folders off C: so there is more space on the SSD Boot Drive , it will also backup the drives they were on....

It's why I now Use Macrium , it's Free and does a great job....

At least you didn't loss too much then, it's all back and you can try again *Smile ....

get Macrium *Smile

and look at this link to a post I made a while back fixing MBR to GPT disks with Topgun's help.

Solved Small Wrinkle in Anniversary Update....MBR Disk - Windows 10 Forums

 

At risk of sounding like my mother when she says: "But I didn't touch anything!" lol, I recall having selected only the System Reserved + Win Partition + Recovery Partition, and no I haven't moved any folders outside C:\ ... Now that I will be able to have more partitions I might...... And I'll be prepared for when I make the jump to an SSD...

I'm checking that other thread and I'm starting to think that's why I wasn't offered the anniversary update.

I actually downloaded Macrium yesterday as well, but didn't bother to make yet another image with it.... I think I'll go ahead and use that instead, my Acronis True Image is for Western Digital drives only (if I can trust the name...)
Macrium Reflect Free Version: 6.2.1549 (8 September 2016)

Thank you for sharing that thread, when I read that you had a second Recovery Partition created after the upgrade I was getting *Mad in advance *Biggrin

 

yep fixed that too *Smile

you should be putting win10 on the ssd now and then dong all this ....if finances available of course


.

 

Yes - that is what I meant. If you are planning to use Macrium (and I would) then more like this:

Clean and convert disk 0 to GPT
Use Macrium to image Windows Partition (currently on disk 2) to disk 1 (or external drive). No need for system reserved only C:
Make a Marcium recovery disk.
Shut Down
Unplug drives 1 and 2
Set BIOS to boot UEFI
Install Windows 10, boot into it and check you have the correct EFI partitions as per your TechNet link.
Plug in disk 1
Boot from Macrium recovery disk and restore Windows to C partition on disk 0 from your macrium image on disk 1. I.e replace your newly installed C drive contents with the contents of what you are using now.
Unplug 1 again
Check it boots OK
Plug in both other drives again.
Tidy up

Agree with putting OS on SSD. When you do this it will be pretty trivial to use Macrium to move everything on disk 0 to new SSD though if you want to make the move to GPT first.

 

No money to invest in an SSD right now...
I'm finishing copying the image and then to the tedious part of disconnecting the hard drives .......
Thanks for the help and summing up the steps =)

 

Best of luck with it. Do say if you run into any issues.