17 replies to this topic

[Joe_Miner]

Loaded windows 7 onto my SSD -- when I opened up the Computer my SSD was there as my C: drive but my WD Black 2T was not there. I checked Computer Management and it showed my WD as unallocated and asked me if I wanted to initialize it as MBR or GPT. What do people suggest and why (MBR or GPT)?

If it was a 3TB what would you suggest?

Thanks!

[ImTheTypeOfGuy]

MBR

GPT for 3TB

[Greg Welch]

they say GPT for 2TB or more

Edited by welchwerks, 23 September 2011 - 09:04 PM.

[timekills]

If it can be MBR then MBR. If it is a 2.3TB or greater hard drive, and you intend to use partitions that size or larger, then GPT. If it is a boot drive (I realize not the case here) and < 2.3TB then definitely stick with MBR for now.

[pcdoc]

Not much to add. For non EFI boards, it has to be MBR for booting but for storage drives like everyone says, it's about size.

[ikon]

like everyone says, it's about size.

Isn't it always??

Edited by ikon, 24 September 2011 - 01:33 PM.

[timekills]

Not much to add. like everyone says, it's about size.

That's what she said!


(I think we might have it right this time.)

[tojoski]

I looked into this one time and found that GPT was superior to MBR for a couple of reasons, most notably:

" GPT disks use primary and backup partition tables for redundancy and CRC32 fields for improved partition data structure integrity."

Source : http://msdn.microsof...e/gg463525.aspx

[ImTheTypeOfGuy]

That's what she said!


(I think we might have it right this time.)

Yes, finally.

[ikon]

I looked into this one time and found that GPT was superior to MBR for a couple of reasons, most notably:

" GPT disks use primary and backup partition tables for redundancy and CRC32 fields for improved partition data structure integrity."

Source : http://msdn.microsof...e/gg463525.aspx

thanks for the info.

[pcdoc]

Thanks for the information however there is one thing to note that is not covered. GPT partitions are not supported by most backup programs. Acronis needs a paid option, and others do not support it at all so use with caution and do your homework before going down this road to make sure that what you are doing for backup will work. The issue is not so much backup but restore portion is a problem.

[Joe_Miner]

I looked into this one time and found that GPT was superior to MBR for a couple of reasons, most notably:

" GPT disks use primary and backup partition tables for redundancy and CRC32 fields for improved partition data structure integrity."

Source : http://msdn.microsof...e/gg463525.aspx

Thanks -- I've been trying to read up on it -- appreciate the link. Do you use GPT then?

The big issue I'm seeing/reading with GPT is backup/restore. I'm wondering about experience with mirroring GPT drives?

Thanks for the information however there is one thing to note that is not covered. GPT partitions are not supported by most backup programs. Acronis needs a paid option, and others do not support it at all so use with caution and do your homework before going down this road to make sure that what you are doing for backup will work. The issue is not so much backup but restore portion is a problem.

Thanks PCDoc.

[tojoski]

Thanks for the information however there is one thing to note that is not covered. GPT partitions are not supported by most backup programs.

whs2011 supports gpt backup right? My raid array is a gpt partition and while I've only had do a restore once, it went off without a hitch.

Thanks -- I've been trying to read up on it -- appreciate the link. Do you use GPT then?

I use gpt for all of my data drives..mbr for boot drives of course as nothing I have supports efi

Edited by tojoski, 25 September 2011 - 01:47 AM.

[pcdoc]

whs2011 supports gpt backup right? My raid array is a gpt partition and while I've only had do a restore once, it went off without a hitch.


I use gpt for all of my data drives..mbr for boot drives of course as nothing I have supports efi

Quote


WHS 2011 does not support GPT natively. It will backup files from it if they are on your server, however if a GPT is on your client you are in for some trouble.

[diehard]

Here's a good post. GPT backups are discussed in the comments http://gcoupe.wordpr...me-server-2011/

WHS will backup GPT drives and restore files, but there are negative results when restoring a GPT boot partitions. GPT boot drives are found on UEFI supported motherboards running Windows 7.

[diehard]

I hope that by the time Windows 8 is released, Microsoft will fix the UEFI OS backup issue on WHS2011. I'm guessing that UEFI motherboards will become the new standard mainly because of the simpler graphics interface.

[tojoski]

Quote


WHS 2011 does not support GPT natively. It will backup files from it if they are on your server, however if a GPT is on your client you are in for some trouble.

Sorry for the thread Hijack, OP

I'm gonna eat my own words, as I just checked and my 2 data drives on my primary desktop are in fact MBR.. the only GPT partition I have is the 3.6TB raid array on the server..

Which interestingly enough, I was able to trick WHS2011 into backing up by configuring through "windows server backup" through RDP instead of the console... once configured the backup
configuration shows in the console

Here's a good post. GPT backups are discussed in the comments http://gcoupe.wordpr...me-server-2011/

WHS will backup GPT drives and restore files, but there are negative results when restoring a GPT boot partitions. GPT boot drives are found on UEFI supported motherboards running Windows 7.

Do you know if the windows server backup in 2008r2 has the same limitation? I have a client that is booting 2008r2 from a 5TB array, EFI supported server board and raid card of course, and using windows server
backup to backup the array..

[pcdoc]

The BYOB did a couple of podcast on this about 6 months ago. Tim tried several ways and could not get it to work and I tried using Acronis and it was a mess. The punchline is stay away from GPT for boot drives.