How to Convert HDD to GPT using CMD or a GUI Tool

When do you convert HDD to GPT?

MBR (Master Boot Record) and GPT (Globally Unique Identifier Partition Table) are two kinds of partition styles. They differ in many aspects:

In a nutshell, the GPT partition style has the advantage over MBR. If you are in the following condition, it is recommended to convert the disk into GPT:

1. You own a disk larger than 2TB.
For example, if you have a 4TB MBR HDD, the disk space beyond 2TB will show as unallocated space and you can’t use it to store data. To make full use of HDD with a large capacity, you can convert it to GPT.

2. You want to create more partitions for classified storage.
MBR disk allows you to create four primary partitions or three primary partitions & one extended partition. To own more primary partitions, it is ok to convert the disk from MBR into GPT.

3. You encounter an error.
On EFI systems, you'll meet "Windows cannot be installed to this disk, The selected disk has an MBR partition table" warning while installing Windows OS. To settle out this issue, it is not a bad choice to change the hard disk drive to GPT.

Two easy ways to convert HDD to GPT

Before converting a hard disk drive into GPT, you need to have a basic understanding of operating system requirements:

◤ GPT disk is not supported in Windows XP 32-bit, Windows 2000, Windows NT 4, or Windows 95/98 in reading, write and boot. It will present GPT protective partition.

◤ You can use GPT disk in Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7, Vista, Windows Server 2003/2008(R2)/2012 (R2)/2016/2019/2022 (both 32bit and 64bit) for data storage; if you want to use GPT HDD as the boot device, your system should be 64bit and the motherboard should support UEFI.

Make sure that GPT disk can be supported by the operating system that you are using; then you can select one between the two offered simple yet effective ways to convert hard disk drive into GPT.

✔ Easily convert HDD into GPT using a GUI tool without losing data

When your hard disk drive is allocated with multiple partitions and you don’t want to lose data stored on it, or when you need to convert a system disk but don’t have Windows installation media, it is a wise decision to turn to a third-party MBR to GPT converter tool. Here AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional is introduced. This amazing and reliable tool allows you to convert data or system hard drive into GPT without deleting any partition. What’s more, it can change a disk from GPT to MBR partition table without data loss.

Now, install it and have a look at how it works (Here takes converting a 3TB HDD to GPT as an example).

PS: It is available to download its demo version and have a try at first!

Step 1. Run AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. Locate the HDD needs converting, right click it and choose Convert to GPT.

Step 2. You can click OK and Yes to confirm MBR to GPT conversion for this disk.

Step 3. Back to the main interface, click Apply and Proceed to execute the operation.

✔ Convert HDD to GPT using CMD [clean disk is needed]

If your HDD is initialized with MBR but it is not allocated, or it is allocated but without necessary data, you can convert the MBR hard drive into GPT using CMD.

Step 1. Press Windows + R simultaneously, input cmd and press Enter key.

Step 2. Then, input diskpart and hit Enter key.

Step 3. Run the commands listed below:

• list disk
• select disk n (n refers to the number of the hard drive that you want to convert to GPT.)
• clean
• convert gpt

When you see Diskpart successfully converting the selected disk to GPT format, you can type exit and press Enter to close the window.

★Notes:

 If your disk is unallocated, you can omit the “clean” command.

 Since the “clean” command will erase all data on your disk, you’d better back up important data in advance.

 To convert an HDD with OS installed into GPT using this method, you can insert a Windows installation media into the computer, and boot from the installation disc. Then press “Shift+ F10” to access Command Prompt and run the commands aforementioned.

 But if your computer is running Windows 10 V1703 or later versions, you can use a built-in MBR2GPT tool to convert MBR-formatted system disk into GPT partition format without data loss.

Wrap thing up

Now, surely you have realized how to convert hard disk drive to GPT partition style. Apart from MBR to GPT conversion for HDD and SSD, AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional can be helpful in fixing many issues. For example, if you have accidentally deleted a partition, it can recover the lost partition easily; or if your C drive is full after an update, it enables you to extend the C drive without losing data.e, it enables you to extend C drive without losing