Cloning my SSD to an extern SSD so i can transform the Format into GPT

Question

Hey everyone,

I would like to install Windows 11 on my PC but my current SSD ist formatted as a MBR (Master Boot Record). I figured out that that is the problem why i cant upgrade to W11.
Now I got a portable 1tb SSD which i would like to use to clone my current SSD on so i can boot of the portable SSD. After that i would like to convert the old SSD to a GPT (GUID partition table) format and afterwards clone the content back.

Is this even possible? I already used the Acronis True Image tool to clone the SSD but the portable SSD shows an Error when booted from.
Did i clone wrong or was the whole idea not possible?
AND most important how would it be possible to format my SSD to GPT without loosing all its content. (with the fewest effort possible :D)

Thanks for the help

JK

Answer 1

Hi @Joel Kromer ,

maybe taking a look on MBR2GPT.exe is worth a try:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/mbr-to-gpt

MBR2GPT.EXE converts a disk from the Master Boot Record (MBR) to the GUID Partition Table (GPT) partition style without modifying or deleting data on the disk.

Taking a backup before using any of this tools is strongly recommended!

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(If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you)

Regards
Andreas Baumgarten

Answer 2

In addition to converting the disk to GPT you might need to rebuild the bootloader.

bcdboot c:\Windows /s c: /f UEFI has helped me for this

Answer 3

Please perform the following steps:

1) Post an image of Disk Management (widen these two columns so that no characters are cutoff: Volume and Status, and widen row 0 so that no characters are cutoff) > post an image or share link into this thread. For share links please use one drive, drop box, or google drive.
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2503-how-post-screenshot-disk-management.html

2) Download and install Minitool partition wizard > click launch > post an image or share link into this thread
https://www.partitionwizard.com/

3) Open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste: (all at one time)

diskpart
lis dis
lis vol
sel dis 0
det dis
lis par
sel par 1
det par
sel par 2
det par
sel par 3
det par
sel par 4
det par
sel par 5
det par
sel par 6
det par
sel dis 1
det dis
lis par
sel par 1
det par
sel par 2
det par
sel par 3
det par
sel par 4
det par
sel par 5
det par
sel par 6
det par
sel dis 2
det dis
lis par
sel par 1
det par
sel par 2
det par
sel par 3
det par
sel par 4
det par
sel par 5
det par
sel par 6
det par

Post images or share links of the commands with results into this thread.

4) Open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste: (all at one time)
reagentc /info
bcdedit /enum all

Post images or share links of the commands with results into this thread.

5) There are prerequisites for MBR2GPT: The disk must be the system disk, not an external disk

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