GRUB/MBT-->GPT partitioning on BIOS-based Motherboard

mibadt · 2013-12-17 05:15:38

Hi,
I have a BIOS-based motherboard, dual (1.5TB) drive, dual boot (Arch/Win7, both 64b) PC, and use GRUB (current, not legacy) bootloader installed on the Win7 HD.
Both HDs were MBR formatted and include several partitions. Both OS-fully updated (up to 3 days ago).
Two days ago the Win7 HD (which also includes the Arch separate /var and swap partitions) sent a SMART Alert it's about to fail.
Thus I've installed a new, larger (3TB) replacement drive.
To overcome MDSOS/MBR limitations, I've partitioned the new drive using GPT (GUID) and prepared a new 2M BIOS GRUB (first) partition per the Wiki's recommendation.
Using live clonezilla, I managed to clone the Windows (C), and var partitions (although I've lost some win data which was on a separate partition).
Now I plan to chroot into Arch and reinstall GRUB on the new drive (and edit fstab to reflect UUID changes).

As I have no GPT experience, I would appreciate answers to the following questions:
1. Have I forgotten anything?
2. Should I convert also my Linux HD (the one that did NOT fail) to GPT or can I leave it MBR?
3. My former (failed) Win partition was boot flagged. Do I need to boot flag the BIOS GRUB or the (new) Windows partition (both on the "new" drive)?
4. On the new drive, I've creaed a 2.6TB NTFS partition (photo storage, replacing a former 1.2 TB one). Will Win 7 recognize it?

Thanks!

WonderWoofy · 2013-12-17 05:37:57

Windows determines how it should boot by how it is partitions. Though I think this is an incredibly silly way to do it, if it is MBR/ms-dos partitioned, then it will boot with the legacy bios. If it is GPT, then it thinks it is UEFI. So if your mobo doesn't have UEFI, then you will have to use MBR/ms-dos partitioning.

mibadt · 2013-12-17 08:51:58

I wish I could!
The problem is that MBR limits disk size to 2.2 TB max!
Any ideas?
Thanks

progandy · 2013-12-17 09:19:21

You can try to boot from the BIOS into an UEFI environment, then continue to Windows:
http://www.rodsbooks.com/bios2uefi/index.html
As far as I know, you'll have to reinstall windows from scratch.

Edit: Since you still have an MBr disk, it would be easier to move linux to the new disk and install windows on your mbr disk. Win7 on MBR should have no problems to recognize a GPT disk after booting.

Last edited by progandy (2013-12-17 09:25:25)

mibadt · 2013-12-17 09:54:26

Thanks all!

Arch Linux

#1 2013-12-17 05:15:38

GRUB/MBT-->GPT partitioning on BIOS-based Motherboard

#2 2013-12-17 05:37:57

Re: GRUB/MBT-->GPT partitioning on BIOS-based Motherboard

#3 2013-12-17 08:51:58

Re: GRUB/MBT-->GPT partitioning on BIOS-based Motherboard

#4 2013-12-17 09:19:21

Re: GRUB/MBT-->GPT partitioning on BIOS-based Motherboard

#5 2013-12-17 09:54:26

Re: GRUB/MBT-->GPT partitioning on BIOS-based Motherboard

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