Windows 10: GPT for OS move?

Problem: Can't use Refresh on my MBR boot drive because of UEFI/GPT restrictions. Alternative 1: It seems that none of the partition managers, commercial or Win-based will change the current C:\ MBR to GPT without wiping out the disk content. I have three partitions on the c: drive. If I clean the partitions (after backup) with Win 10 running, is enough of it in memory to allow a removal of the boot drive content and change the drive to GPT?? Alternative 2: would be to clean an available drive, apply a GPT boot table and use a utility to transfer the OS. Alternative 3: would be to clean a drive set it to GPT and do a clean install of v. 1511 (build 10586.318) that I have on hand. Then I'd have to manually install all the "lost" apps from the old drive.
I'm sure I'm missing some logical procedure here. Anyone out there have ideas? I'd be very grateful!

:)

 

Add Windows 7 to a new windows 10 Laptop

I also got a new laptop with main win 10 installed. I want to install win 7 as a dual OS. When i try to do so, the problem occur is that my disk is GPT disk. So what sould i do? Can i install win 7 as a dual OS in GPT disk? Is there anyway to convert GPT
disk to MBR disk without effected current OS?

 

System Image Restore

Yes it can make a difference when using the GPT format on a drive it is made to use with UEFI and Boots in a different way not using MBR. But I have Installed on GPT before and just have to add the OS partition to the Master Boot record manually so it would
boot.

When using a GPT formatted disk with a MBR system it is best used as storage and not for an OS.

I think the thing with MBR is if you make a boot record in the Master boot record that goes to a disk that does not have an OS or something that will not boot it will fail to boot.

 

Google shows lots of hits for convert mbr gpt without data loss

 

you can only do that on partition or hdd that hasn't bootloader

 

What are the three partitions on the MBR drive ??

You can use my Bootable PE Rescue disk (link in sig below)

Use macruim reflect to backup the OS partition to external drive..

clean and convert current drive to GPT
create a GPT partition layout > EFI, Reserve, OS, Recovery tools
restore the backup to the new OS partition

use the option in macrium to repair boot files

or you can do it manually via a bcdboot command

 

Depends on the goal - are you determined to have GPT?

Option 1
Set firmware to legacy (or cms)
Disable Secure boot

This will let you run the system on the existing MBR drive
Option 2
Run Belarc to get your software audit (including keys)

Make sure your Win10 install media is on a Fat32 formatted USB with - or - on a DVD

Leave firmware as UEFI
Disable Secure boot

Clean a spare drive (no partitions, not initialized MBR or GPT) - diskpart clean
Install Win10 - it will initialize the drive GPT and create the correct partition schema.
Install your favorite apps - but get the latest from the vendor site (too many bugs caused by old software)
Read through this tutorial and ask any other questions:
Windows 10 - Clean Install

 

GPT is only supported by UEFI...

 

Booting from a GPT disk is only supported by UEFI. Secondary drives partitioned with GPT do not require UEFI.