Cloning from MBR to GPT

[BobT]

Is it possible to clone a boot disk, MBR partitions, win 7, into/onto
an identical or larger GPT disk? Is specific software (Acronis,
Macrium, whatever) appropriate to do this?

The goal is to create a working, bootable system disk on a larger GPT
disk, starting with a smaller MBR disk. The key words here, of
course, are working and bootable. It is certainly posible to do a
file by file transfer from one to the other, but I don't think that
will end up with a bootable system disk.

 

[Rod Speed]

Is it possible to clone a boot disk, MBR partitions,
win 7, into/onto an identical or larger GPT disk?
Yes.

Is specific software (Acronis, Macrium, whatever) appropriate to do this?

Yes, Acronis True Image.

The goal is to create a working, bootable system disk on a
larger GPT disk, starting with a smaller MBR disk. The key
words here, of course, are working and bootable. It is certainly
posible to do a file by file transfer from one to the other, but I
don't think that will end up with a bootable system disk.

If you do it that way, the worst you would have to do
is a repair install on the GPT disk once you are done.
Win7 stupidly calls that an upgrade install.

 

[Ed Light]

Not sure what GPT is, but using BootIt Bare Metal I have copied stuff to
another drive partition by partition. You can set one partition as
active (booting). Even if you don't register it -- you can boot from CD
or thumb drive and cancel the install, going into Maintenance mode.

It's pretty geeky and complicated, but you can get quick help on their
newsgroup terabyteunlimited.com port 1199.

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootit-bare-metal.htm

I have a registered version and use it as the full partition manager,
boot manager, and imager.

Note, if you are copying to a disk with the new smaller sectors then
there are some special settings to set first so it aligns partitions
with them properly. There's an article in the faq. Just get help on the
newsgroup.
--
Ed Light

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