MBR vs GPT: Which Partition Structure is Better for Your Data Storage?

What is GPT (GUID Partition Table)?

GPT (GUID Partition Table) is a modern partition standard that replaces MBR (Master Boot Record) to improve flexibility, security, and scalability in data storage management.

In contrast to MBR, which stores partition information in the first sector of the disk, GPT uses data structures scattered across multiple parts of the disk to improve reliability and redundancy. In addition, GPT can be used on storage devices with a capacity of more than 2TB, and supports up to 128 partitions in a single disk, much more than MBR which only supports 4 primary partitions.

GPT can only be used on systems that support UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), unlike MBR which can run on Legacy BIOS-based systems.

GPT was first introduced as part of the UEFI Specification to replace MBR, which has limitations in the number of partitions and storage size. As storage technology with a capacity larger than 2TB develops, GPT has become the main partition standard used in modern operating systems such as Windows 10/11,  macOS,  and Linux.

Operating systems that support GPT include:

• Windows (Windows 8, 10, 11) – It is mandatory to use GPT to boot in UEFI mode.
• macOS – All Mac devices use GPT by default.
• Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian,  etc.) – Supports GPT with both UEFI and Legacy Mode boot systems (with some additional configurations).

GPT Main Structure

GPT has a more complex structure than MBR, with several key components:

1. Primary GPT Header

• Located at LBA 1 (Logical Block Address 1).
• Contains information about the disk, including the location and number of partitions.
• It has CRC32 checksum, which is used to verify the integrity of the data.

2. Partition Table

• Store partition entries that can contain up to 128 partitions in a single disk.
• Each entry has a unique GUID to identify the partition type (e.g., Windows, Linux, macOS).

3. Backup GPT Header

• Located at the end of the disk as a backup from Primary GPT Header.
• It serves as a recovery mechanism if Primary GPT Header is damaged or corrupted.

Advantages and Disadvantages of GPT

Advantages of GPT

• GPT is capable of managing very large disk capacities, up to 9.4  ZB (Zettabyte).
• In contrast to MBR, which can only accommodate 4 primary partitions.
• GPT stores a copy of the header and partition table at the beginning and end of the disk to reduce the risk of data loss due to corruption.
• It uses CRC32 checksum to detect data corruption and enable automatic recovery.
• It can be used on Windows 10/11, macOS, and Linux without any problems.

Disadvantages of GPT

It cannot be used on systems that are still using Legacy BIOS without performing conversion or compatibility mode.

Older operating systems do not recognize GPT, so disks must be converted to MBR to be usable.

Converting MBR to GPT requires reformatting, except using third-party software that supports conversion without data loss.

MBR vs GPT Comparison: Which One to Choose?

Here are the main comparisons between MBR and GPT in the form of a table: