New
#11
diskpart
lisk disk
If there is asterisk int he GPT column, the disk must be booting in UEFI mode. If there is no asterisk, the disk is MBR and there is 99% chance it is booting in legacy BIOS (CSM) mode.Code:Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22000.434] (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. C:\windows\system32>diskpart Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.22000.1 Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. On computer: RAIDER DISKPART> list disk Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt -------- ------------- ------- ------- --- --- Disk 0 Online 953 GB 0 B * Disk 1 Online 465 GB 0 B * DISKPART>
Also, the comment UEFI or MBR is referring to two different things. UEFI is a mode of booting. MBR is a partitioning type. There is UEFI booting v. legacy BIOS (or CSM) booting, and there are MBR partitioned v. GPT partitioned disks. MBR can be booted in either legacy BIOS or UEFI mode. GPT can be booted only in UEFI mode.
For the move the old system has files and the new system has files, drivers and applications?
Why not just move the files to the new system.
This way everything is fresh and not contaminated by old registry entries, old drivers, and old applications?
There are multiple TF threads where OPs had difficulty converting MBR2GPT.
So think about a work around if it is needed and occurs.
The problematic computer can be booted to the BIOS to see the current settings:
Legacy
UEFI hybrid (with CSM)
UEFI native (without CSM)
If it has the Legacy setting then you know that the drive is MBR.
Check if Disk is MBR or GPT in Windows
Check if Windows 10 is using UEFI or Legacy BIOS
Last edited by zbook; 20 Jan 2022 at 23:23.
[QUOTE=Megahertz;2365979]The Dell E5430 laptop (2013) has a 2.5" SSD (Legacy- MBR or EFI-GPT)
The Dell XPS 8940 desktop has a M.2 NVMe EFI-GPT and a 3.5" HDD
Megahertz.
Here's where I'm at, following your instructions, and where I'm stuck.
First, I learned that my 2.5" SSD (that I want to boot WIN 10 from) is MBR.
Now, ny XPS is fully updated with WIN 11. I've:
- Created a Drive image backup from the XPS 8940 M.2 NVMe and save it to the 3.5" HDD.
- Detached (SATA or power cable) the 3.5" HDD and remove the M.2 NVMe. (better safe than sorry)
I put the MBR SSD in the XPS, but it wasn't recognized as a bootable disk.
Now my problem is HOW to convert the 2.5" SSD to EFI-GPT.
I can boot to WIN 11 and the MBR SSD shows up as a readable drive (E:\).
Is there any way to convert the readable drive to EFI? I read the instructions "If MBR, convert to EFI-GPT using MBR2GPT" But that seem to require that the conversion is done to a bootable drive, which E: is not.
- - - Updated - - -
[QUOTE=Megahertz;2365979]The Dell E5430 laptop (2013) has a 2.5" SSD (Legacy- MBR or EFI-GPT)
The Dell XPS 8940 desktop has a M.2 NVMe EFI-GPT and a 3.5" HDD
PS. I made a WIN 11 boot disk with the XPS WIN 11, which I assume is the USB installation drive you referred to. I tried to boot the XPS machine from it, but it wasn't recognized. I also have a USB stick with a WIN 10 boot disk, made from a WIN 10 PC.
The BIOS is probably set to boot only from a EFI-GPT drive, that is why it doesn't boot.
Detach (SATA or power cable) from the 3.5" HDD and remove the M.2 NVMe.
To convert the Legacy-MBR (2.5" SSD) from the old computer to EFI-GPT, I suggest you boot from a Win 11 or win 10 installation drive. At the Windows Setup screen, press Shift+F10 simultaneously to open a command line prompt and type:
mbr2gpt /validate
if ok to convert
mbr2gpt /convert
Once converted, you can boot from it and Windows will ajust itself for the new hardware.