Converting NTFS to GPT

[angelicamaryak]

So I have a 4 TB internal drive and only 2TB are allocated. I know in order for me to use the unallocated space, I need to convert to GPT, however from what I researched, GPT is only convertable from an MBR format. I have an NTFS format and using AOMEI Partition Assistant Pro, can only convert to FAT32. Is there a way to convert from NTFS to GPT? I just confirmed through disk management that I am using MBR. My BIOS is Legacy not UEFI. I have tried using both AOMEI Partition Assistant Pro and EaseUS to convert MBR to GPT, however options for converting NTFS to FAT32 only appear.

UPDATE: Well I guess I can't do much since my MOBO only does Legacy BIOS instead of UEFI.

 

[Karadjgne]

You are mixing formats. Fat32/ntfs is a file system. MBR/GPT is a format. New versions of windows are ntfs based, old versions/DOS was Fat32 based. MBR is normally used default for drives 1Tb and under, GPT is for 1Tb and over.

If it helps to think of the drive as a book, then the format (MBR/GPT) would be the kind of book (paperback/hard cover) and the file system (fat32/ntfs) would be the font type (old English, Ariel etc) and the OS is the story the books about.

So. If your drive is MBR, you'll need to convert to GPT to use the full 4Tb. If it's already GPT, there's nothing to convert, windows7/8.1/10 is ntfs and has nothing to do with the way the boot files are organized.

 

[angelicamaryak]

You are mixing formats. Fat32/ntfs is a file system. MBR/GPT is a format. New versions of windows are ntfs based, old versions/DOS was Fat32 based. MBR is normally used default for drives 1Tb and under, GPT is for 1Tb and over.

If it helps to think of the drive as a book, then the format (MBR/GPT) would be the kind of book (paperback/hard cover) and the file system (fat32/ntfs) would be the font type (old English, Ariel etc) and the OS is the story the books about.

So. If your drive is MBR, you'll need to convert to GPT to use the full 4Tb. If it's already GPT, there's nothing to convert, windows7/8.1/10 is ntfs and has nothing to do with the way the boot files are organized.

Still though, everything i looked up says I should be able to change from MBR to GPT using soecific origrams, however when I do so, the only ones that show are converting NTFS to FAT32, which made me think those were my formats. I understand what you are saying, its just every solution I've found to change MBR to GPT ends up with NTFS and FAT32 thrown at me instead.

 

[Paul NZ]

Does the mobo have a UEFI BIOS?? If it doesnt there's no point trying to change it to GPT

 

[angelicamaryak]

Does the mobo have a UEFI BIOS?? If it doesnt there's no point trying to change it to GPT

System Info BIOS Mode shows Legacy, not UEFI. I just confirmed through disk management that I am using MBR (obviously)

 

[Pinhedd]

Does the mobo have a UEFI BIOS?? If it doesnt there's no point trying to change it to GPT

System Info BIOS Mode shows Legacy, not UEFI. I just confirmed through disk management that I am using MBR (obviously)

You cannot convert a system disk (a disk on which the operating system is installed) from MBR to GPT if the motherboard firmware is not UEFI compliant because this will render the operating system unbootable.

 

[Paul NZ]

If it doesnt say UEFI BIOS in the BIOS then yup you cant change it to GPT on a system disk as above. It'll make it unbootable

If you want to use a hdd bigger than 2 TB (and if you want to use all of it), you should buy a UEFI based mobo.

2 / 2.1 TB is the limit on a non-UEFI based system

 

[angelicamaryak]

If it doesnt say UEFI BIOS in the BIOS then yup you cant change it to GPT on a system disk as above. It'll make it unbootable

If you want to use a hdd bigger than 2 TB (and if you want to use all of it), you should buy a UEFI based mobo.

2 / 2.1 TB is the limit on a non-UEFI based system

Well good to know. Looks like I am stuck with the 2TB then. I built this P.C. a few years ago so it wont need any new upgrades, especially a MOBO.

 

[USAFRet]

Well good to know. Looks like I am stuck with the 2TB then. I built this P.C. a few years ago so it wont need any new upgrades, especially a MOBO.

Or, get a smaller drive for the OS.
A 1TB HDD, or maybe an SSD.

Have the 4TB for all that 'other stuff'.

 

[Karadjgne]

Using MBR you'll just have to make 2-4 partitions on that 4Tb drive, as long as no single partition is larger than 2.1Tb, there shouldn't be an issue. Just make sure that the 4Tb is not connected when installing the OS to a separate drive, or it'll try to save the system reserved stuff to the hdd (usually as (B:/system reserved) and that'll limit you to the 2.2Tb partition on that drive and won't allow further partitioning.

 

[angelicamaryak]

Well good to know. Looks like I am stuck with the 2TB then. I built this P.C. a few years ago so it wont need any new upgrades, especially a MOBO.

Or, get a smaller drive for the OS.
A 1TB HDD, or maybe an SSD.

Have the 4TB for all that 'other stuff'.

I may consider doing this then, since when I built the computer, I didn't bother putting in a SSD.

 

[Pinhedd]

If it doesnt say UEFI BIOS in the BIOS then yup you cant change it to GPT on a system disk as above. It'll make it unbootable

If you want to use a hdd bigger than 2 TB (and if you want to use all of it), you should buy a UEFI based mobo.

2 / 2.1 TB is the limit on a non-UEFI based system

Well good to know. Looks like I am stuck with the 2TB then. I built this P.C. a few years ago so it wont need any new upgrades, especially a MOBO.

You're only stuck with MBR on boot disks. GPT can be used on non boot disks regardless of the underlying motherboard firmware. You can make use of your 4TB drive by installing a second drive that is 2TB or smaller and moving your OS to that drive.