Convert GPT to MBR using Disk Management

1. Boot into your Windows (Vista, 7 or 8)
2. Click Start
3. Go to Control Panel
4. Click Administrative Tools
5. Click Computer Management
6. On the left menu, click Storage > Disk Management
7. 
   
   
   

   Select Disk Management from Storage
8. Right-click on each partition from the disk you want to convert from GPT. You must delete all partitions from the disk before you begin the converting process from GPT.
   To do so, click Delete Volume on each partition until the entire disk has unallocated space.
   
   

   Delete Volume
9. Right-click on the disk and click Convert to MBR Disk
10. Once the process is done, you can now create partitions on the new disk as you wish
11. Close Disk Management when done

Convert GPT to MBR using Command Prompt

If you’re not able to boot into Windows (Vista, 7 or 8) to run Disk Management and perform the converting process, you can also use Command Prompt (either from the original installation disc/USB or via Command Prompt from Easy Recovery Essentials).

You can perform these steps either by booting into Windows and running Command Prompt from Start > Run > cmd or by using the original installation disc to open Command Prompt, if you can’t access Windows.

To do so, follow these steps:

1. Insert the Windows installation disc and restart your computer
2. Boot from the disc by pressing any key at the “Press any key” screen
3. Go to System Recovery Options
   
   

   Windows Vista System Recovery Options
   
   

   Windows 7 System Recovery Options Screen
4. Click Command Prompt
5. Type:

   diskpart

6. Press Enter
7. Type:

   list disk

8. Press Enter
9. Remember the number of the disk (example: 2) you want to convert.
10. Type:

    select disk 2

    Where 2 is the number of the disk that’s going to be converted.
11. Press Enter
12. Type:

    clean

13. Press Enter
14. Type:

    convert mbr

15. Press Enter
16. Disk #2 is now being converted
17. You can type exit and hit Enter in Command Prompt to exit or continue setting up partitions on the new MBR disk.

To create new partitions using Command Prompt, follow these instructions:

1. Type:

   create partition primary

2. Press Enter
3. Type:

   list volume

4. Press Enter
Make sure the new volume is selected (look for the * on the left side) before you format the partition
5. Type:

   format fs=ntfs

6. Press Enter
7. Type:

   exit

8. Press Enter

If you don’t have access to a Command Prompt to run diskpart, use Command Prompt from Easy Recovery Essentials:

1. Download Easy Recovery Essentials
2. Burn the ISO Image. Follow our instructions on how to burn a bootable ISO image. If you’d like to have a recovery USB instead, follow our instructions on how to make a recovery USB.
3. Boot Easy Recovery Essentials from the CD, DVD or USB
4. Select Launch Command Line
   

To download Easy Recovery Essentials, click here.

More Information

Linked Entries

• bootrec
• diskpart

Support Links

• Easy Recovery Essentials for Windows – our repair and recovery disk.
  
  It’s an easy-to-use and automated diagnostics disk. It’s available for Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista. It’s also available for Windows XP and Windows Server.
  Read more at Windows Recovery Disks.
• The NeoSmart Support Forums, member-to-member technical support and troubleshooting.
• Get a discounted price on replacement setup and installation discs: Windows 7, Windows 8.

Applicable Systems

This Windows-related knowledgebase article applies to the following operating systems:

• Windows 7 (all editions)
• Windows 8 (all editions)
• Windows 8.1 (all editions)