How to Check Disk Using GPT or MBR in Windows

Knowing whether your disk uses GPT or MBR is essential for various technical purposes, such as operating system installation, partition management, and hardware compatibility.

An understanding of this type of partition also helps in ensuring data security and integrity. In this article, we will discuss how to check disk partition type in Windows and conversion steps between GPT and MBR.

Understanding GPT Partitions

GPT (GUID Partition Table) is a new standard for partition table layout on hard disks that is part of the UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) specification. GPT replaces  the older MBR (Master Boot Record) partition system, offering a variety of important advantages, including:

• More Partition Support: Unlike MBR which only supports up to four primary partitions, GPT allows up to 128 primary partitions on each disk.
• Larger Disk Size: GPT can manage disks with a capacity of more than 2 TB, a limitation that MBR has.
• Better Data Security: GPT stores multiple copies of the partition table across disks, increasing resistance to data corruption.
• CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check): GPT uses CRC to verify the integrity of partition table data, reducing the risk of data corruption.

Understanding MBR Partition

MBR (Master Boot Record) is an old standard for partition table layout on hard disks, first introduced in 1983. MBR is still used on many systems, but it has some limitations compared to GPT. Here are some characteristics and limitations of MBR:

• Limited Number of Partitions: MBR only supports up to four primary partitions. If more than four partitions are required, one of the primary partitions must be converted to an extended partition, which can contain logical partitions.
• Max Disk Size: MBR can manage disks with a maximum capacity of 2 TB. Disks larger than 2 TB cannot be fully used with MBR partition systems.
• Boot Structure: The MBR stores information about disk partitions and boot loader code in one sector of the first disk, known as the Master Boot Record. If this sector is damaged, it can cause the entire disk to become inaccessible.
• Operating System Compatibility: MBR is compatible with almost all operating systems, including older versions of Windows and various Linux distributions.

MBR is often used on older systems or in scenarios where extensive compatibility with a wide range of devices and operating systems is required, albeit with the limitations already mentioned above.

Why is it important to know the type of disk partition?

Knowing whether your disk uses GPT or MBR is essential for a variety of technical and practical purposes. Here are some reasons why this is important:

Operating System Compatibility

• Windows and Linux: Modern operating systems like Windows 10/11 and the latest Linux distributions generally support GPT and can utilize it for advanced features. In contrast, older versions of Windows (such as Windows XP) and some legacy operating systems only support MBR.
• MacOS: Mac computers use GPT by default for compatibility with UEFI features.

Size and Number of Partitions

• Large Disk Size: GPT can manage disks with more than 2 TB capacity, while MBR is limited to 2 TB. If you are using a large disk, GPT is the right choice.
• Number of Partitions: MBR only supports up to four primary partitions. GPT allows up to 128 primary partitions without the need to create an extended partition.

Data Security and Reliability

• Redundancy: GPT stores multiple copies of the partition table across disks, which helps recover data if one part of the partition table is corrupted.
• CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check): GPT uses CRC to check the integrity of partition tables, reducing the risk of data corruption. MBR does not have this feature, making it more susceptible to data corruption.

Bootability

• UEFI and BIOS: GPT is required to boot in UEFI mode, which is standard on modern computers and offers faster boot times and additional security features. MBR is used to boot in traditional BIOS mode.

Partition Management and Data Recovery

• Partition Management: Knowing the partition type helps in disk and partition management, including operations like resizing, merging, and deleting partitions.
• Data Recovery: In case of disk damage, knowing whether the disk is using GPT or MBR can guide you in choosing the right data recovery tools and methods.

How to Check If Disk Is Using GPT or MBR in Windows

Method 1: Use Disk Management

1. Press the key combination Win + X on your keyboard.
2. Select Disk Management from the menu that appears. Alternatively, you can press Win + R, type diskmgmt.msc, and press Enter.
3. In the Disk Management window, you will see a list of all disks connected to your computer, along with their partitions.
4. Identify the disk you want to check. These disks are usually labeled like Disk 0, Disk 1, and so on.
5. Right-click on the disk label you want to check (for example, Disk 0).
6. Select Properties from the context menu that appears.
7. In the Properties window, go to the Volumes tab.
8. Under Partition Style, you will see if the disk is using GUID Partition Table (GPT) or Master Boot Record (MBR).

Method 2: Use the Command Prompt

To check if your disk is using GPT or MBR in Windows, you can use Command Prompt. Here are the steps:

1. Press Win + X on your keyboard.
2. Select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the menu that appears. Alternatively, you can press Win + S, type cmd, right-click on Command  Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
3. Type the following command in the Command Prompt window and press Enter:

diskpart

4. Once inside the DiskPart utility, type the following command and press Enter:

list disk

5. The DiskPart utility will display a list of disks connected to your computer. Note the GPT column in the list. If there is an asterisk (*) in the column, the disk is using GPT. If there is no asterisk, the disk uses MBR.

Method 3: Use PowerShell

You can also use PowerShell to check if your disk is using GPT or MBR. Here are the steps:

1. Press Win + X on your keyboard.
2. Select Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the menu that appears. Alternatively, you can press Win + S, type PowerShell, right-click on Windows  PowerShell, and select Run as administrator.
3. In the PowerShell window, type the following command and press Enter:

Get-Disk

4. PowerShell displays a list of all disks connected to your computer along with detailed information. Pay attention to the PartitionStyle column. This column will indicate whether the disk is using GPT or MBR.

How to Convert Disk from MBR to GPT or Vice Versa

Preparation Before Conversion

Before you perform the disk conversion from MBR to GPT or vice versa, make sure to:

• Backup Data: Make sure you have backed up all important data from the disk to be converted. Conversion can cause data loss, so make sure to back it up first.
• Pahami Risiko: Understand that the conversion process can delete all partitions and data existing on the disk. Make sure you are prepared for the risk of losing this data before proceeding.

Convert Using Disk Management (Windows 10/11)

1. Press Win + X on your keyboard.
2. Select Disk Management from the menu that appears.
3. Right-click on each partition on the disk you want to convert and select Delete Volume. Make sure to back up the data from that partition first if needed.
4. Right-click on the disk you want to convert and select Convert to GPT Disk or Convert to MBR Disk as you need. Follow the instructions that appear to complete the conversion process.

Convert Using Command Prompt

1. Press Win + X on your keyboard.
2. Select Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu that appears.
3. Type diskpart and press Enter.
4. Type list disk and press Enter to see a list of disks connected to your computer.
5. Type select disk <nomor_disk> to select the disk you want to convert. Be sure to replace <nomor_disk> with the appropriate disk number.
6. Use the clean command to delete all partitions from that disk. Make sure to back up the data from that partition first if needed.
7. If you want to convert to GPT, type convert gpt. If you want to convert to MBR, type convert mbr. Press Enter to complete the conversion process.

Conclusion

Knowing whether your disk is using GPT or MBR is an important step in system and data management. By following the guide above, you can easily check and convert disk partition types.