I am currently running Win 8.1 in my PC. I got 1TB internal HDD and only 50 gb free. Problem is my win 8.1 is installed in a GPT Disk. I wan't to upgrade from Windows 7 to Win 10. For that I'd have to format the my Internal 1TB HDD and then create MBR. I can't do it because I can't backup 900+ gb of data as of now. So I am thinking, I got my 1tb external HDD and I got 40 gb free space in that. If I install windows 7 in external drive and upgrade to 10 then when I am upgraded and activated to Windows 10, I can just remove the external HDD and Format my 150 gb C:/ drive partition of Internal HDD after backing up its data. I can then install Windows 10 fresh on C drive (150gb) Internal HDD 1TB. The problem is I am installing win10 on a different HDD now. I know Microsoft will have my Hardware ID for activation by now. So if my hard disk is changed, will win10 stay activated after a fresh install on a different HDD? That's the only solution I can think of regarding the GPT MBR dilemma. If you got better and an easy method please share. Thanks.
I would advise you install Windows 8.1 in the 150GB HDD and upgrade it to Windows 10 to get activated. That makes a lot of sense as you don't want to lose the 900GB of data in the 1TB HDD. Perhaps you can use the 1TB as external hard disk, if there is no room for it in your CPU.
No. You've misunderstood it mate. That's not what I'm asking. Please read the post again. I have to install windows 7 first on a MBR disk and then upgrade to Win10 MBR. Then fresh install Win10 again on a GPT disk.
There is nothing like MBR disk. It is only a partition format. However, if that is the case using a single system for a different partition formats, you can use disk utility or management tool to do that. I think it is possible as long as your previous Windows version you are going to upgrade from has a valid license.
So let me get this straight. GPT and MBR are for only for partitions and not the whole HDD? I have 3 partitions on my Internal 1TB HDD. C drive is 150gb and windows 8.1 is installed in it with GPT. I can back up C drive's data. Can I then format C drive only from Windows 7 setup and install Win7 on it with MBR?
Yes, you can but you are not going to be able to boot to your Windows 8.1. You will be using it as secondary drive for storage or backup of important files.
The HWID is generally ties with your motherboard, so if you changed the storage for the system drive, your PC will be activated if you perform the clean install, and once you connect to the Internet. By the way you can install Windows 7 in the GPT partitioned drive.
It's much easier if you have the spare hard drive or SSD (or if your friend have one for spare) to install Windows 7 then upgrade to Windows 10. Or if you are expert on the BIOS mod you may try to find the BIOS with the SLIC table to perform the OEM activation then upgrade to Windows 10.
So the whole reason you're wanting to go to 7, then to 10, is so you can use the DAZ loader on MBR? Why not go from 8.1 to 10, then clean install 10? Okay, nevermind. Apparently the recommended way is from Win 7 Dazzed to Win 10.
Can anyone confirm that if I boot to Win 7 setup (from USB) on my current Windows 8.1 GPT installation on 150gb C:/ drive which is a part of 1TB Hard drive and I currently got Total 3 partitions (C:/ D:/ and E:/), Will I be able to format my C:/ drive to MBR without affecting or losing data in the other 2 partitions?
ues format only drive c: . the real question is do u have a genuine windows 8? u cant install an mbr on a gpy disk before wiping out the whole drive. one thing u can try is to use partition wizard, convert your gpt disk to mbr. u wont lose any data, then fresh install windows 7 to your drive c only. use daz , activate and upgrade to windows 10. once u are on windows 10 fully upgraded , use partition wizard covert your mbr disk to gpt, then fresh install windows 10 this time, and skip activation. its a very lengthy procedure but its the only way
FYI, whether your going from MBR to GPT or Vice Versa your 'REWRITING' the Boot Sector of your HDD. If anything was to go wrong you'd lose the whole partition table. Or in English 'Everything on the HDD' If the data on that HDD is so important that you can't lose it. Wait a few days/weeks/months and get another HDD for the upgrade. Remember the Free Upgrade offer last a whole year.
I just want to install win10 right now because I have waited so long. What if I install 7 on my external HDD (MBR) and then upgrade to 10 on my external HDD. After making sure that my Win10 is activated on External HDD. I can just plug out Ext HDD and Fresh Install on my C:/ internal HDD. This internal HDD is already in GPT and I can install Win10 on it. Only question is will win10 stay activated because my hardware is changed i.e hard disk. Will it affect HWID and win10 activation status?
I heard that changing out your HDD won't invalidate your activation. If I were you I'd unplug the drive in your main system so it's safe and sound, and install Windows 7 on the external drive. Go on from there I guess.
I can't take out Internal HDD easily because It's a laptop. I could unscrew the bay below and unplug the internal HDD. Will laptop boot without internal?
get an external hard disk backup all your data on it format your internal hard to MBR install Win 7 upgrade 10 and activate format to GPT clean install windows 10 recopy your data
I don't have another HDD man. Both Internal 1TB and External 1TB are almost full. 50 GB free in one and 45 in another and I can't backup data now.
"What if I install 7 on my external HDD (MBR) and then upgrade to 10 on my external HDD. After making sure that my Win10 is activated on External HDD. I can just plug out Ext HDD and Fresh Install on my C:/ internal HDD. This internal HDD is already in GPT and I can install Win10 on it. Only question is will win10 stay activated because my hardware is changed i.e hard disk. Will it affect HWID and win10 activation status?" AFAIK Windows 7 can be installed on external without any formatting and MBR will be written on it. With the above procedure my internal HDD won't lose data either, only C drive 150 gb will be formatted and I can backup C drive. Internal HDD is already on GPT so no need to reformat the entire internal HDD.