Converting SSD with Win7 from GPT to MBR

[miras2000]

Hi,

I recently upgraded my PC to new SSD 240G drive, installed a fresh Win7 install on it. Everything was going fine for a few days until I added new 1 TB seagate HDD to the system as storage. Since then every time my PC boots up I get a error message saying no boot record found. I have to physically disconnect HDD, boot into windows on SSD then reconnect it again. After days of searching the net I found it has something to do with SSD being GPT drive, and HDD is a MBR disk.
My question is: is there any way to convert SSD to MBR without the hole shebang of reinstalling windows, drivers, updates, programs etc. ; or some tinkering with BIOS perhaps ?
Any advice hugely appreciated.

By the way booting order in BIOS is set to: 1. Windows Boot Manager, 2.SSD, 3.CD
once I change it to 1. SSD, it will not boot.

Thanks very much
Mark

[Speedy Gonzales]

Boot manager sounds right. Is it 64 bit? If it is disable secureboot (if it's enabled), Win7 x64 doesnt support it

[miras2000]

hi, it is 64 bit, where do I find secureboot? its not listed in Gigabyte Bios settings..

[wainuitech]

The boot manger must be used other wise it wont boot ( as discovered) Just make sure when attaching the 1TB drive the boot order hasn't changed ( it often will) to answer the other question.

Heres the full instructions: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/.../dn451252.aspx BUT as it points out

If the disk has a volume on it, you can’t convert it back to a basic disk. You must delete the volume before attempting to convert the disk back to a basic disk.

Guess what that means

[miras2000]

Is there a possibility of creating image/copy of existing win7 installation and then, after conversion to MBR, restore it ?

[Speedy Gonzales]

hi, it is 64 bit, where do I find secureboot? its not listed in Gigabyte Bios settings..

I think it's normally in the BIOS. Dont know where it is on yours tho, I've never built a GB system