How to convert GPT/UEFI to MBR Windows bootable?

And here I'm thinking about buying a new motherboard just so I can have UEFI!!

 

Dear readers of this thread, please consider one thing: this thread does not prove that UEFI/GPT is undesirable. I started this fuss of conversion only due to specific reason: the known to me time machines (Rollback Rx, EazFix, Comodo's one) cannot work with GPT disks.

BTW Comodo's time machie (CTM 2.8 ) got installed into this converted disk but then I suddenly found that it was protecting not the System partition C, but my data partition D! For the whole week! If I would do some risky changes (and I regularly do it when I use a time machine) then all my comp could go to havoc! All my valuable data could be lost! I'm not a novice in CTM and I do know how to install it. I definitely remember that I've installed it to protect only disk C.

Now I installed EazFix and it works perfectly so far.

 

Don't know where I got these ideas. I'm thinking I'll have trouble double/multi-booting, using Grub or other Linux loaders, and taking & restoring images with EaseUS ToDo Backup Advanced Server with UEFI.

 

Here is 2 easy options to convert from GPT To MBR.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26203-convert-gpt-disk-mbr-disk.html

 

No, that page simply describes how to delete all your partitions and then convert an empty disk from GPT to MBR.
The OP is asking how to convert from a booting GPT system to a booting MBR system, without having to delete and reinstall windows.

 

This should help.

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=580

 

Solarlynx, thanks for figuring out how to do this.
From the web page for Paragon HD Manager Prof http://www.paragon-software.com/home/hdm-professional/download.html
it seems the ability to convert GPT to MBR is not available in the 30 day trial, and only in the $99.95 paid edition.
I can't tell from the BIBM page http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootit-bare-metal.htm
if the ability to convert GPT to MBR is available in the 30 day free trial, or only after paying $39.95.

Jim, thanks for the pointers to the Linux GPT fdisk command that can do the GPT to MBR conversion for free.
And this page http://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/index.html gives pointers to downloading some
free Linux emergency disks that include GPT fdisk - PartedMagic, SystemRescueCD, and RIPLinuX.

 

Brian, Thank you very much for the pointer to that great info. As they wrote:

My Dell i660 with Windows 8 64-bit is similar to the example above, having 6 of those 7 partitions, missing only the Partition 6: Data.
I was hoping to not have to delete the first OEM (diagnostics) partition or the OEM recovery partition, so with just deleting the
microsoft reserved partition I would still have 5 partitions.
Reading about GPT fdisk, it would seem to allow me to convert the first 3 partitions to MBR primary partitions, and the other 2 to logical partitions.
I just haven't found enough time to try it yet.

 

Bob,

If that was my system I'd delete partitions 1,2,3,4,7

You can run diagnostics from the Dell CD and do your own image backups.

 

Sir, can i ask something regarding this process. Is it okay to do the conversion on windows environment while the disk that is going to be converted is currently functioning as the operating system? thanks

 

Hummm.. Interesting! Can I convert the disk that running Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit at the same time? Like Windows is running and converting that disk at the same time to MBR? Help?

 

You can't convert the running Windows drive. It needs to be done with the drive not being used.

 

Sorry for dealy - I'm a rare visitor in this Forum branch. You would better PM in such cases. As MudCrab already said - You certainly cannot do that if the HD is used. You must load from external USB drive or CD/DVD etc to do this conversion.