Windows 10: Do I need 2 Recovery Drives in MBR - can't add 5 partition

I have an HP computer with an MBR setup running Windows 10 Version 20H2. I want to dual boot my machine with Linux, which would usually be an easy thing to do except for 2 Recovery Drives taking up 2 of the only 4 partitions allowed in MBR. Instead of getting a menu to be able to remove one of them, I get a Help option which is basically useless. The main C: drive gives me a warning about changing to a dynamic drive if I try to work with that one. So I am stuck with a huge amount of wasted space in my C: drive that I will never use.

:)

 

clone MBR HD to bootable GPT partition?

Hi,

1. You cannot convert mbr to gpt without data loss. otherwise, you can follow directions here:

FROM WINDOWS RECOVERY CONSOLE:

To change a master boot record disk into a GUID partition table disk using a command line

• 
  Back up or move the data on the basic master boot record (MBR) disk you want to convert into a GUID partition table (GPT) disk.
  
• 
  Open an elevated command prompt (right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as Administrator) and type diskpart. If the disk does not contain any partitions or volumes, skip to step 6.
  
• 
  At the DISKPART prompt, type list disk. Make note of the disk number you want to convert.
  
• 
  At the DISKPART prompt, type select disk <disknumber>.
  
• 
  At the DISKPART prompt, type clean.
  

2. I'd suggest converting your vista drive to a virtual machine, load that up on your windows 10 system and use a program like virtualbox to run it.

 

Do I need 2 Recovery Drives in MBR - can't add 5 partition




I have an HP computer with an MBR setup running Windows 10 Version 20H2. I want to dual boot my machine with Linux, which would usually be an easy thing to do except for 2 Recovery Drives taking up 2 of the only 4 partitions allowed in MBR. Instead of getting a menu to be able to remove one of them, I get a Help option which is basically useless. The main C: drive gives me a warning about changing to a dynamic drive if I try to work with that one. So I am stuck with a huge amount of wasted space in my C: drive that I will never use.

 

Do I need 2 Recovery Drives in MBR - can't add 5 partition

Convert the drive to uefi gpt using mbr2gpt ?