How To Convert MBR to GPT or GPT to MBR

How to convert MBR to GPT

The MBR – This is an old partitioning technology of hard drive. Though it has some limitations for modern usage which makes GPT better off. But almost all the available operating system supports MBR and MBR hard drives can be used on almost all computers.

The GPT – This is a modern partitioning technology. Newer versions of Windows use GPT by default such as Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. Windows such as Windows 7 can’t boot using GPT drives.

There are two ways to convert MBR to GPT or GPT to MBR:

VIA WINDOWS

With Windows Disk Management and Disk part tools, you are allowed to convert and empty hard disk. You have to delete all existing partitions first. Backup is necessary incase you have important information on it. Keep that to a safe place.

1.   Press Win Key + R to activate Run Command or Search for Run in the Windows search tab.

2.   Type “diskpart” and Press Enter

3.   In the DISKPART command environment, input the following commands and press Enter to Success.

a.   list disk

b.   select the disk you want to clean carefully

c.   clean (erases the entire disk)

d.   convert gpt or convert mbr (pending on what you want to convert to)

e.   exit

VIA PARTITIONING SOFTWARE

Unlike Windows Tools, you can convert to MBR or GPT without erasing your drive or losing your data. You can use AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional or EaseUS Partition Master or any other software. Here, I am using EaseUS Partition Master. Click Here to download my copy of EaseUS.

a.   Open the EaseUS Partition program

b.   Click on the Disk to be converted (Disk 1) (yours may be disk 1 as well or disk 2 or disk 3, check carefully)

c.   In the Operations pane, Click “Convert GPT to MBR or Convert MBR to GPT” pending on what you want to do.

d.   Then, Click “Apply” to save changes

e.   Select Yes in the dialog

f.   Then OK to update System Information

Note: In some cases, backup is essential, not losing your data depends on the read/write performance of your disk reader.

Cheers!!!

Proudly AdeDanCompTech

How To Create a Bootable Flash Disk Using Rufus

How to create a bootable Flash disk or Compact disC or Digital Versatile disC

Bootable flash disk or CD or DVD is what is needed to reformat or reload a PC. The needed operating system is written to the flash drive or CD or DVD then used to reformat of reload the intended PC. You can create a bootable disk of any Windows.

To create a bootable disk, you will need the following:

1.   Windows ISO File

2.   Good flash disk or Compact disc or DVD

3.   A working PC

4.   Bootable USB software

Windows ISO File - You can download this from Microsoft Store: For Instance, Windows 8.1

a.   Visit: www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/

b.   Make your choice between the available Windows (7 or 8.1 or 10)

c.   Select an Edition and Confirm

d.   Select Product Language and Confirm

e.   Choose your download between 32-Bit and 64-Bit

f.   Your download starts immediately

Once you have downloaded the windows ISO or in case you already have the Windows ISO. Then, it’s time to create the bootable disk. For the creation, you can use any of the following:

1.   Windows USB/DVD Download Tool

2.   UNetbooting

3.   WinToFlash

4.   Universal USB Installer

5.   Rufus etc.

In this article, I will be using Rufus. You can download my copy of Rufus Here 

How to create a bootable flash disk using Rufus

a.   Plug in your flash disk

b.   Open the software program (Make sure your flash disk is detected in the device)

c.   Click the SELECT button

d.   In the opened box, locate where your Windows ISO file is downloaded (Downloaded files are normally stored in the Download Folder in My Documents)

e.   Select the Windows ISO file and Click Open

Back to the Rufus Window,

f.   In the Partition Scheme, Choose MBR (Master Boot Record)

Note: Windows 7 is MBR at Default, Windows 8.1 and 10 will give you GPT (GUID Partition Table). So you can choose between the two pending on your hard disk partition technology. Most hard disk takes MBR no matter the technology used in the partitioning. Click Here to know more about MBR and GPT.

g.   Finally Click Start and Click Ok at Warning dialog to continue

h.   Once it is completed, it will indicate Ready

i.    Safely remove flash and use as desired

Cheers!!!

Proudly AdeDanCompTech

MBR (Master Boot Record) VS GPT (GUID Partition Table)

MBR (Master Boot Record) vs GPT (GUID Partition Table)

What You need to know.

When creating a bootable flash disk or initializing a disk for the first time in Windows, you might be asked to choose between MBR or GPT. Many users get confused at this stage and don’t know which to choose. In this article, you will understand what the MBR and GPT is.

The MBR – This is an old partitioning technology of hard drive. Though it has some limitations for modern usage which makes GPT better off. But almost all the available operating system supports MBR and MBR hard drives can be used on almost all computers.

The GPT – This is a modern partitioning technology. Newer versions of Windows use GPT by default such as Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. Windows such as Windows 7 can’t boot using GPT drives.

Difference between MBR and GPT

MBR	GPT
Introduced by IBM for DOS PC in 1980	Introduced by LINUX
It is an old partition table system	It is a new partition table system
It can only handle hard drives that are 2TB or less	It can handle hard drives that are less than or more than 2TB
It supports 4 partitions	It supports 128 partitions
There is no way to know about data corruption	Problem can be noticed and able to attempt its recovery
Data cannot be easily recovered	Data can be easily recovered

In summary, there might be some reasons to stay with MBR such as hard drive storage capacity but with GPT, you have faster speeds, unlimited partition, significantly larger storage capacities, resilience etc.

Note: If a computer uses UEFI, it will only support GPT. So when you upgrade such computer, it may be necessary to convert to MBR to GPT at first. And if it uses legacy as most computer does, it can use either MBR or GPT pending if the Windows to be installed is UEFI based or not. Click Here to learn how to convert MBR to GPT

Cheers!!!

Proudly AdeDanCompTech

How To Upgrade To Windows 10 For Free

How to upgrade to windows 10 for free

It no news that Microsoft has warned it users that upgrade is a must for all PC users. Since Microsoft stopped its support for Windows 7. Yes, Windows 10 has lots of problems but Windows 7 has hit the scrap heap. Millions of users have jumped to Windows 10 for the safety of their data and Microsoft charges about $139 for the standard edition. But there is a legal way you can still upgrade your PC for free.

Free Windows 10 upgrades are still available

Yes, this is no joke. Despite Microsoft ended its free Windows 10 upgrade offer to all users on July 30, 2016, the company has (in my opinion, knowingly) left open a loophole. There’s just one snag: you will need a legal copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8 to do this. 

 

Tip: if you don’t have one, you can buy a legal copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8 at third part retailers for a fraction of the cost of a Windows 10 licence. Home licences update to Windows 10 Home, Pro licences update to Windows 10 Pro, so choose carefully. 

 

With that caveat out the way, here’s how you get your Windows 10 free upgrade:

a.   Visit the website: www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

b.   Click 'Download Tool now' - this downloads the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool.

c.   When finished, open the download and accept the license terms 

d.   Choose: 'Upgrade this PC now' then click ‘Next’

e.   Choose ‘Keep personal files and apps’

f.    Click ‘Install’ (note this takes some time and involves multiple restarts)

g.   Once installed, open: Settings > Windows Update > Activation to activate your Windows 10 digital license...

OR enter your (genuine) Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 product key if you haven’t previously activated your old version of Windows

 

If you’d like to check your license has successfully been activated afterwards, open: Settings > Update & Security > Activation. 

 

Note: A Windows 10 license is tied to your hardware. As such, if you need to format your computer for any reason Windows 10 will reactivate automatically. Click Here to learn how to create a bootable flash disk incase you are formatting or reloading your computer.

 

Tip: if you change multiple components in your PC as part of a device upgrade, Windows 10 may mistakenly think you’ve bought a new PC and refuse to register the license automatically. Thankfully, Microsoft has a simple process you can follow if that happens. 

 

Click Here to learn more of how to upgrade your Windows 10 version to the latest version 2004 (May 2020 Update)

 

Source: Microsoft Windows

 

Cheers!!!

 

Proudly AdeDanCompTech

How To Upgrade Your Windows 10 Old Version To The Latest Version 2004

Upgrading your Windows 10 version to the latest version 2004

Microsoft Windows has made Windows 10 May 2020 update available to customers around the world as a free update. So, if your PC is still running the old version (1507….1903, 1909), you can use this opportunity to update to the latest version 2004 (May 2020 Update). Click Here to know the new features in the May 2020 Update.

There are several ways to update to the new version 2004. In this article, I will discuss two ways:

Yes, many customers may receive the update automatically in the Windows Update under Settings when they connect to the internet. You can as well update to the new version from there.

Start Button → Settings → Update & Security (On Windows Setting) → Windows Update

Note 1: If you have received the update automatically, it will be shown as Optional Updates Available. Click “Download and Install now” to proceed.

Note 2: If you have not, you can search for updates again and again.

To save your data and stress of updates:

Go through the website update

a.   Visit the website: www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

b.   Click Update now and Download the Windows10Upgrade9252.exe (6.0MB)

Note: Here, I used Edge browser, for other browsers, it should download automatically.

c.   Go to your Downloads and Open the file downloaded

d.   Once opened, click Update Now and proceed

Download the ISO file:

a.   Visit the website: www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

b.   Click Download Tool now and download the MediaCreationTool2004.exe (18.6MB)

Note: Here, I used Edge browser, for other browsers, it should download automatically.

c.   Go to your Downloads and Open the file downloaded

d.   It will show a window getting things ready for you

e.   In the next window, click Accept

f.   In the next window, Choose Create installation media and click Next

Note: Choosing “Upgrade this PC now” will proceed to upgrade your PC at once.

g.   In the next window, click Next if you are satisfied with your PC recommended settings

Note: If not satisfied, deselect the “use the recommended option for this PC” and select your language, architecture and edition (especially if you want the 32-bit architecture), then click Next

h.   In the next window, choose ISO file and click Next

i.    In the pop-up window, select a path (where to save for easy access), enter a Filename such as Windows 10 May 2020 Update and click Save

j.    Finally, the download will begin. Make sure to download successfully (100%) (better to download when you have enough data and power backup)

k.   Once the ISO file is downloaded, use as desired to reformat / reload / reinstall your PC or any PC

Click Here to learn how to create a bootable Flash disk as you will be needing it to reformat or reinstall.

 

Cheers!!!

Proudly AdeDanCompTech

Features Missing or Replaced in the Windows 10 May 2020 Update (Version 2004)

Windows 10 May 2020 Update Version 2004: Features that are being played down by Microsoft

Microsoft has given details about the features they are no longer working on in Windows 10, which some of them has been removed in the latest version 2004. It is claimed that these features are no longer under active development and might be removed in future update.

With every Windows 10 update release, there are new features added and there are inactive features that are being removed.

The three features Microsoft is no longer developing in the Windows 10 2004 version include:

a.   Companion Device Framework – This was restricted to approved developers and was designed to enable IoT devices to be used as an external authentication device for Windows Hello on Windows 10 PCs that lacked the function. For example, an infrared camera for facial authentication.

b.   The legacy Microsoft Edge browser – This has been replaced with Microsoft’s new Chromium-based Edge browser, which isn’t shipped with Windows but is available automatically via Windows Update.

c.   Dynamic Disks – Microsoft says this feature will be fully replaced by the RAID-like Storage Spaces software in a future release. The feature helps protect data from drive failures.

Features removed from Windows 10 version 2004 include:

a.   Cortana – With the latest release of Windows 10, Microsoft decided to release its Cortana Assistant as a standalone app. This version of the Cortana app was made available last week for systems running Windows 10 version 2004. Microsoft plans to update and improve the app via updates from the Microsoft Store over coming months. Eventually it will integrate Cortana with Teams so that people can use voice commands on the Teams Mobile Clients.

b.   Windows To Go

c.   Mobile Plans and Messaging Apps

 

Source: Microsoft Windows

Cheers!!! 

Proudly AdeDanCompTech

SSD (Solid State Drive) vs HDD (Hard Disk Drive)

SSD (Solid State Drive) vs HDD (Hard Disk Drive)

What you need to know.

The disk drive of a computer is one of the factors to consider when buying a computer. When you are buying a new computer or looking for a way to upgrade your machine. You will see a lot of references to the two available drives, but which one is best for you?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this article, we will look at the differences between SSD and HDD, the Pros and Cons to help you determine which is best for your needs.

The HDD – This is the traditional disk drive that most desktop or laptop computer possess. It contains a circular disc (platter) that stores data. The disc spins allowing data to be written or read. The faster it spins, the faster the operation and performances of the HDD. The modern HDD uses SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Advancement) port while the Old HDD uses IDE (Integrated Drives Electronics) port to connect to the mother board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The SSD – This is a newer storage technology but as been around for a while. If you have a modern laptop, it is likely to use an SSD. SSD has no moving parts as it uses NAND flash memory. The more the NAND memory chips, the more storage capacity it has. The latest SSDs have large capacities similar to HDDs (512GB – 2TB).

Many SDDs come with SATA III ports, which means they can be easily installed in place of a HDD. Many also come in 2.5 inch format smaller than HDD. However, using the SATA III (maximum data speed is 600MB/s) can reduce the performance of the SDD since it was meant for HDD.

For a faster performance of SDD, you can get SSDs that have a PCIe connection (for a smaller board, you may want to take the space of the graphics cards or sound cards). Another common connection for SSDs is the M.2. The M.2 SSDs are typically smaller than other SSDs.

NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is the newest SSD technology, and offers incredibly fast data transfer speeds.

 

 

 

 

Differences between the SSD and HDD

Factor	SSDs	HDDs
Price	They are more expensive per gigayte.	They are less expensive.
Access Times	They are faster with no or little access time of 0.1ms.	They are slower with access time of about 5.5 – 8.0ms.
RPM (Revolution Per Minute)	They have no moving parts, so no RPM.	They are determined generally at 5,400 RPM or 7,200 RPM.
Speed	An SSD with SATA III reads at about 550MB/s and writes at about 520MB/s with maximum output at 600MB/s determined by the SATA III port. PCIe or M.2 SSDs average speed range from around 1.2BG/s – 1.4GB/s with maximum output at 2.2GB/s.	A HDD with SATA III at 5,400 RPM will have speeds of around 100MB/s, while a 7,200 RPM will be 150MB/s.
Energy Savings	They consume between 2 and 5 watts.	They consume between 6 and 15 watts.
Backup Rates	Faster backup rate	Slower backup rate
CPU Power	SSDs have an average I/O wait 1% on the CPU.	HDDs have an average I/O wait of about 7% on the CPU.
Reliability	SSDs have a failure rate of less than 0.5%.	HDDs failure rate fluctuates between 2 – 5%.
I/O Performance	SSDs deliver at least 6000 io/s.	HDDs reach up to 400 io/s.

In summary, which is best for you? SSD or HDD? Yes, SSDs are faster, more robust and more power-efficient, HDDS are more affordable especially when it comes to larger capacities.

Cheers!!!

Proudly AdeDanCompTech