Jump to content

How to change from MBR to GUID?


maxell505
 Share

73 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

The system reserved partition suggests the original Windows install was mbr/legacy (if it was UEFI windows, it would be an EFI partition),  However, the partition table might be corrupted since when you ran GParted, it says it also has a GPT table/signature!

 

If you want to fix the partition tables properly so you can install OSX you can either

 

1) Try repairing them with Gdisk.  See SteveHHH's answer in this post from the ubuntu forums to remove GPT from the HDD (in your case, at the final step, I would not blank out the MBR).  This can be a risky process if you don't know what you are doing but might be able to save your current mbr Windows.   As with all things involving disk partitioning, make sure to back up all your data onto some external media.  You can save your current partition tables using Gdisk's option "b" eg running gdisk from OSX (might look slightly different in linux or windows):

diskutil list

/dev/disk0
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *500.1 GB   disk0
   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk0s1
   2:                  Apple_HFS OSXDell                 124.4 GB   disk0s2
   3:                 Apple_Boot Recovery HD             650.0 MB   disk0s3
   4:         Microsoft Reserved                         134.2 MB   disk0s4
   5:       Microsoft Basic Data SHARED DATA             249.8 GB   disk0s5
   6:       Microsoft Basic Data WIN7_X64                125.0 GB   disk0s6
   
   sudo gdisk /dev/disk0
   Password:
   
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 0.8.6

Partition table scan:
  MBR: protective
  BSD: not present
  APM: not present
  GPT: present

Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.

Command (? for help): ?
b	back up GPT data to a file
c	change a partition's name
d	delete a partition
i	show detailed information on a partition
l	list known partition types
n	add a new partition
o	create a new empty GUID partition table (GPT)
p	print the partition table
q	quit without saving changes
r	recovery and transformation options (experts only)
s	sort partitions
t	change a partition's type code
v	verify disk
w	write table to disk and exit
x	extra functionality (experts only)
?	print this menu

Command (? for help): b

2) Start from a clean disk  (here, the original windows install will be completely lost).  You can completely clear the partition tables from your hard drive using Windows Diskpart.exe from the command line (to clean your main HD, you will need to boot from your Windows install DVD, choose repair and then select command line):

 

eg to illustrate, I have "cleaned" disk 2.  In your case, select the disk corresponding to a size of 600GB

 

post-846696-0-33606800-1395868478_thumb.png

 

....then boot your machine with your OSX USB installer.

Use the partition tab in Disk Utility to divide your hard disk into partitions - I would recommend a 3 partition layout  for your 600GB HD:

150GB for OSX

150GB for Windows

300GB for a Shared Data Partition

Select GUID partition table as the partition scheme under options and choose HFS+ (Mac OS Extended Journaled) for all the partitions....
Then install OSX choosing the first partition....

We can format the Windows partition---->NTFS with the Windows Installer and later, the Shared Data partition----> FAT32 (FAT32 can be read & written to by both OS).

If you want to use Chameleon as bootloader (default for Niresh distro), you need mbr or hybrid mbr/GPT disk partitioning.

If you use the Clover bootloader, you can have a full GPT partitioned disk (with protective mbr instead of hybrid mbr)---->enables use of disks >2TB and more than 4 primary partitions.
 

Recommended reading

What is GPT/MBR/Hybrid MBR?

Manpage for GDisk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh my gosh. Thank you sooooo much for such a detailed explanation. I will be doing option 2. I am not going to be adding more storage to my computer so judging from that, which bootloader do you think I should use? All I am going to use Windows for, is for my Adobe programs and that is all. Nothing else. I really do not want a shared data partition. So Should I just select to have two partitions and make them both as Mac OSX Journaled and than install OSX on the first partition and than once I have that, I have to use my Windows 8 cd installer and install on the second partition and it automatically formats the second partition as NTFS, right? 

Edited by Gringo Vermelho
Redundant fullquote removed
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bootloader is a matter of personal preference and your technical ability.

 

Chameleon is "easier" for noobs, it is the default for the Niresh distro you use and is excellent for legacy booting.  Clover is better for more advanced users, newer machines with (u)efi firmware and will make your machine more "vanilla" eg can use full GPT with >4 partitions, provides pure (u)efi environment like "real mac" etc.

 

You can select 2 partitions if you don't want to share data between OSX & Windows.  If you are mainly going to be using OSX, you can give Windows say 60GB and OSX 540GB.  NB To create a hybrid mbr, which you will need if you use chameleon, format the Windows partition as FAT in Disk Utility  (this is a quirk with DU since hybrid mbr is automatically created by OSX when preparing a bootcamp drive).  Keep the Windows partition as HFS if you are aiming for a pure GPT disk (with protective mbr instead of hybrid mbr)--->this requires Clover and a UEFI windows install (see how to create a UEFI bootable Windows USB).

 

Re Windows

While you are in the Windows Installer, you will need to select custom install (advanced).  At the "Where do you want to install Windows" screen, choose drive options (advanced)  and then select the Windows partition to format to NTFS:

post-846696-0-75134000-1395873078_thumb.png

post-846696-0-08351000-1395873106_thumb.png

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the bootloader screen type -v before booting. Then take a pic of where it stops.

I did not think that anyone would reply this fast. I will post the picture tomorrow because I have already started the Windows installation, and you know how long that takes  -_-  -_-  -_-

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like it is hanging on initializing your graphics (HD3000)...

 

I assume the Mavericks install onto your hard drive completed successfully and you are using chameleon?

 

Are you using MacBookPro 8,1 SMBIOS to enable HD3000?

 

Try boot flags

-v -f GraphicsEnabler=Yes UseKernelCache=No dart=0

 

If this doesn't work, you might have to delete all your graphics kexts from /S/L/E....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like it is hanging on initializing your graphics (HD3000)...

 

I assume the Mavericks install onto your hard drive completed successfully and you are using chameleon?

 

Are you using MacBookPro 8,1 SMBIOS to enable HD3000?

 

Try boot flags

-v -f GraphicsEnabler=Yes UseKernelCache=No dart=0

 

If this doesn't work, you might have to delete all your graphics kexts from /S/L/E....

Yes the installation of Mavericks was successful but I cannot boot into it. I did not use m.u.ltibeast so I do not have any kexts that I have installed. 

Let me try this and report back with results.

 

Ok it actually booted this time but if you look closely you can see that in the middle of my laptop screen, the pixels are like red and green. Also the screen is stretched or something. I cannot access the next button so I can continue with the setup.

 

post-1161338-0-12192900-1396042917_thumb.jpg

 

post-1161338-0-14760900-1396042948_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm, looks like the native resolution of your panel is not supported and you will have to enable "dual link" for the HD3000 (need dual link for resolutions greater than 1366x768)....

 

This is relatively easy if you use Clover as bootloader - see Clover wiki to add this to config.plist

<key>DualLink</key>
<integer>0</integer>

For chameleon, I believe you will have to create and edit a DSDT that injects it-see Noobs Guide Post Install Graphics Section or have it injected by device properties "EFI string".

 

Edit

Correct, DSDT needs a patch.  You can extract your native DSDT in Windows using AIDA64 (extreme edition) and patch it with the Windows version of DSDT Editor.  You can also install transmac in Windows to create/access the /Extra folder in your Mavericks partition.

 

As a temporary work-around to access and work in Mavericks, you can also try connecting your machine to an external monitor.

 

PS DSDT is not a kext.  Place DSDT.aml, SMBIOS.plist and  org.chameleon.Boot.plist ---->/Extra

Kexts eg FakeSMC.kext belong in /System/Library/Extensions and should be installed with a utility eg kext wizard, kext utility to ensure correct permissions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm, looks like the native resolution of your panel is not supported and you will have to enable "dual link" for the HD3000....

 

This is relatively easy if you use Clover as bootloader - see Clover wiki

<key>DualLink</key>
<integer>0</integer>

For chameleon, I believe you will have to create and edit a DSDT that injects it-see Noobs Guide Post Install Graphics Section.

So I should follow these steps right? If I do, than how would I load and install kexts when I cannot even get into Mavericks. How would it be possible to do this?

 

Follow the below steps to enable HD3000

 

1. Make sure vanilla AppleIntelGraphicsHD3000.kext and AppleIntelSNBGraphicsFB.kext are loaded.

 

2. Open DSDT.aml file using Macaisl or DSDTEditor application and look up for Device GFX0 or IGPU. Then find the address 0x00020000. Its should be something like this 

Device (GFX0)

{

Name (_ADR, 0x00020000)

Now paste the below code exactly after the above code as shown below shown below.

 

For MacBookPro 8.1 (0116 Device ID)

Method (_DSM, 4, Serialized)

{

Store (Package (0x0E)

{

"AAPL00,backlight-control",

Buffer (0x04)

{

0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00

},

"AAPL00,DualLink",

Buffer (0x04)

{

 

 

 

EDIT: I AM USING CHAMELEON. SORRY I FORGOT TO TELL YOU EARLIER.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This might sound very stupid but I am not able to even open DSDT editor on my computer.

 

I have clicked on the batch file and the regular application file but nothing will open. I tried using the AIDA64 program but it will not let me access the ACPI tool. I attatched screenshots. I feel so stupid right now  :wacko:  :wacko:  :wacko:  :wacko:  :wacko:

 

post-1161338-0-96287600-1396060291_thumb.png

 

post-1161338-0-84879200-1396060294_thumb.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Google is your friend - if you search for "extract dsdt aida64", you get good results like this.

 

The ACPI tool has been removed from AIDA64 at v4.00. Try this version 3.20 that still works:

http://www.aida64.com/downloads/aida64extreme320zip
http://www.aida64.com/archives

 

DSDT Editor requires java  - download for windows and install, then double click the file "DSDTparser.jar" to start the program.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Google is your friend - if you search for "extract dsdt aida64", you get good results like this.

 

The ACPI tool has been removed from AIDA64 at v4.00. Try this version 3.20 that still works:

http://www.aida64.com/downloads/aida64extreme320zip

http://www.aida64.com/archives

 

DSDT Editor requires java  - download for windows and install, then double click the file "DSDTparser.jar" to start the program.

Ok so I extracted my dsdt and than named it as an .aml file and than I opened the .aml file on DSDT editor and than I copied and pasted the code from the noobs guide link you provided me in the exact spot where the link told me to place. The only thing is that I do not know how to save it. I do not want to save it wrong and not make any mistakes. Please help me. Thank you.

post-1161338-0-05005800-1396127997_thumb.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Click on the IASL menu to compile the edited DSDT....

post-846696-0-71013800-1396129065_thumb.png

If there are any errors make sure to fix them first (remarks and warnings are OK)....

post-846696-0-31799100-1396129172_thumb.png

Click on "Save AML as"

post-846696-0-39383200-1396129280_thumb.png

Name it as DSDT.aml

post-846696-0-41547300-1396129312_thumb.png

 

PS

DSDT Editor also has some other useful patches that are applicable to your laptop inside /Patches/Notebook Core i Sandy Bridge you might like to try eg I would recommend you apply the DTGP patch.

 

post-846696-0-39960400-1396130487.png

post-846696-0-33425300-1396130518_thumb.png

post-846696-0-71354000-1396130547_thumb.png

post-846696-0-44164100-1396130563_thumb.png

 

Again, after applying each patch, compile, fix errors, then save as DSDT.aml.  The edited DSDT.aml should be copied over to the /Extra folder in your Mavericks partition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Click on the IASL menu to compile the edited DSDT....

attachicon.gifDSDT1.png

If there are any errors make sure to fix them first (remarks and warnings are OK)....

attachicon.gifDSDT2.png

Click on "Save AML as"

attachicon.gifDSDT3.png

Name it as DSDT.aml

attachicon.gifDSDT4.png

 

This edited DSDT.aml should be copied over to the /Extra folder in your Mavericks partition.

 

I have two errors. How am I supposed to fix them. do they even matter?

post-1161338-0-34050600-1396130287_thumb.png 

I have two errors. How am I supposed to fix them. do they even matter?

attachicon.gifUntitled.png

I clicked on fix errors but nothing happened so I clicked it a few more times and three more errors showed up:

post-1161338-0-09297700-1396130513_thumb.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The autofix errors button may or may not help - it is no use clicking on it multiple times if it didn't help the the first time.  You will have to manually fix the errors in this case.  The error description will provide a clue as to the problem...

 

Error in line 19 "name already exists in scope" - you can delete line 19

Error in line 6076 "object does not exist (DTGP)" - you need to apply the DTGP patch like I recommended in post #70.

 

Upload (in zip format) your native DSDT.aml you extracted with AIDA64 so others can look at it (if they have time).

 

You really should be asking these questions in the DSDT part of the forum or post-install section since the original question you asked has already been answered...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...

Try downloading a tool called GParted. It is a Linux Live CD. Burn it (or put it on a USB drive) and boot from it. You should be able to format your drive as HFS+.

 

Then, boot into the installer, open Disk Utility, select your HFS+ partition, and click the Enable Journaling button in the toolbar. You should then be good to go.

 

 

I did it but I can't still install OS X Yosemite

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...