Windows 10: Partition oddity with GPT

I was going to do a Linux Mint upgrade and ran into a partition problem. I had an overlapping partition. I got that straightened out, but when I run Gparted I get the following message and would like to repair the partition table accordingly.
While it is a Linux message; the problem also encompasses the Windows environment and just wonder if anyone has a solution.
I did a firmware update on my SSD and wonder if that was the cause.

libparted Warning (as superuser)
/dev/sdc contains GPT signatures, indicating that it has a GPT table. However, it does not have a valid fake msdos partition table, as it should. Perhaps it was corrupted- passibly by a program that doesn't understand GPT partition tables. Or perhaps you deleted the GPT table, and are now using and msdos partition table. Is this a GPT partition table.

:)

 

Western Digital 3TB drive for windows 10

first thing for the boot drive is,

the motherboard BIOS / UEFI must support access to GPT HDDs

with MBR you cannot create a partition larger than 2TB nor can it be extended

when preparing the disk you must set it to GPT before creating partitions

when you start the installation you need to start with either a blank disk (no partitions) convert to GPT before creating partitions or continuing the installation

or prepared the disk in advance setting it as GPT and either creating partition(s) in advance or having windows do the partitioning during installation

also note x86 / 32-bit cannot be setup on or boot from GPT

GPT requires the x64 / 64-bit version

 

Windows 10 1709 64bit, windows image restore to a new drive fails, error 0x80042302

I checked a couple more system disks of 512GB on different PC's that had the partitions created by the install of a fresh windows 10 1709.

The partitions look all the same and in the same order:



1) 499MB GPT NTFS (Recovery partition) Status None

2) 100MB GPT FAT32 (EFI System partition Status Active & System

3) 16MB GPT Other (Reserved partition) Status None

4) 476.3 GB GPT NTFS (Data Partition) Status Boot

The EFI partition would be 260MB for an ADF disk (4K sectors)

 

It sounds to me like the Protective MBR contained in Track 0 of the disk has been corrupted. You could use Gparted to clean the disk to remove all partitioning information and then convert the disk back to GPT again which should fix it.

For more the Protective MBR and GPT look here: Windows and GPT FAQ - Windows 10 hardware dev

 

Removed partitions and re partitioned with Gparted; have loaded W10 and Linux Mint. So far so good.

 

I just did some studying up on GPT partitioning here: What’s the Difference Between GPT and MBR When Partitioning a Drive?
It seems somehow and I don't know how; my system adopted a partial GPT table and that is why Gparted could only see one unused partition. When I re-installed I tried to use GPT and install Windows. I didn't know then however, that my system had to be UEFI or it couldn't boot to GPT. So back to the drawing board and MBR. I've made a back up of my partition table should it happen again. So I guess this is solved.
Thanks Railtech I read your enclosed GPT link also. I'm waiting for my Dell Studio to break down so I can upgrade and have UEFI, but it keeps chugging along and does everything I need and then some.