When setting up a new disk in Windows 8 or 8.1, the system will ask you want to use the MBR or GPT partition. GPT is a new standard, and gradually replace the MBR.
GPT has brought a lot of new features, but still has the best compatibility MBR. The new standard is not Windows-specific GPT – Mac OS X, Linux, and other operating systems also use GPT.
Before using the new disk, you must be partitioned. MBR (Master Boot Record) and GPT (GUID Partition Table) are two different ways to store on disk partition information. The partition information contains information partition from where to start, so the operating system to know which sector belongs to which partition, and which partition is bootable. When you create a partition on the disk, you must make a choice between MBR and GPT.
MBR limitations
MBR means “Master Boot Record”, the first IBM PC DOS 2.0 proposed in 1983.
The reason is called “Master Boot Record”, because it is present in a special boot sector at the beginning of the drive. This sector contains the boot loader and drives installed operating system logical partition information. The so-called boot loader is a small piece of code, on the other partition for greater load on the load drive. If you install Windows, Windows boot loader initial information is placed in this region – if the MBR of information is covered by that Windows can not start, you’ll need to use the Windows MBR repair function to make it back to normal. If you install Linux, you will usually located in the MBR is GRUB loader.
MBR maximum support 2TB disk, it can not handle more than 2TB capacity disk. MBR also only supports up to four primary partitions – if you want more partitions, you need to create so-called “extended partition” and create logical partitions in it.
MBR has become the industry standard disk partition and boot.
GPT advantage
GPT is intended for GUID Partition Table. (GUID meaning globally unique identifier). This is a new standard is gradually replacing the MBR. It complementary –UEFI UEFI to replace the old BIOS, while GPT then replace the old MBR. The reason is called “GUID Partition Table” because each partition your drive has a globally unique identifier (globally unique identifier, GUID) – This is a randomly generated string can guarantee for the Earth Each GPT partition is assigned a unique identifier entirely.
This standard does not that limit the MBR. Disk drive capacity can be much larger, large operating system and file system support no law. It also supports a virtually unlimited number of partitions, only restriction is that the operating system supports up to 128 –Windows GPT partition, but you do not need to create an extended partition.
On MBR disks, partitions and boot information is stored together. If this part of the data is overwritten or destroyed, things trouble. Relative, GPT stored on multiple copies of the entire disk information in this section, so it is more robust and can recover corrupted information in this section. GPT also save the information for these cyclic redundancy check (CRC) to ensure that it is complete and correct – if the data is destroyed, GPT will find the damage and recover from elsewhere on the disk. The MBR is powerless to these questions – only after the problem occurs, you will find that the computer does not start, or disk partitions are missing it.
Compatibility
Use GPT drives will contain a “protective MBR”. This MBR would think there is a GPT drive occupies the entire disk partitions. If you are using honest MBR disk tools GPT disk management, you will only see a partition occupies the entire disk. This protective MBR Disk Utility does not guarantee the old disk to GPT disk space as there is no deal with the MBR partitions and overwrite information already exists GPT.
On UEFI-based computer system, all 64-bit versions of Windows 8.1,8,7 and Vista, as well as its corresponding server version, can only boot from the partition GPT. All versions of Windows 8.1,8,7 and Vista can read and use GPT partitions.
Other modern operating systems also support GPT. Linux built GPT support. Apple MAC computers based on Intel chips are no longer using their own APT (Apple Partition Table), switch to GPT.
Note
For more than 2T hard disk requires the MBR partitioning scheme can only support a maximum 2TB hard drive, 2.5T hard drive must use the GPT partitioning scheme! Let’s take precautions to see Windows on GPT partition is supported:
- Â Windows 95/98 / ME, Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, Windows XP 32-bit version does not support GPT partition, only view GPT protective partition, GPT will not be loaded or publicly to the application;
- Windows XP x64 edition only use GPT disks for data manipulation, only based on the Itanium processor (Itanium) The Windows system to boot from a GPT partition;
- Windows Server 2003 32bit Server Pack for all versions of Windows 2003 can be used after a GPT partitioned disks for data manipulation, only based on the Itanium processor (Itanium) The Windows system to boot from a GPT partition;
- All versions of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, can use GPT partitioned disks for data manipulation; but only the EFI system motherboard supports booting from GPT.
See here, we know that in order to use the hard drive 2.5T:
- First, you have to give 2K and XP 32-Bit Edition, Vista changed or does not love cute cute WIN7;
- You have to put on the motherboard BIOS to throw, EFI motherboard replaced, or even replaced with Vista, and only when the hard disk from the disk with the 2.5T.
Otherwise, we can only look on in despair 2.5T hard, rushing to drool.
We recommend that you use the GPT disk partition. It is more advanced, more robust, and all computer systems in their shift. If you need to maintain compatibility with older systems – such as starting Windows on the computer using traditional BIOS, you need to use the MBR.
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