Converting BIBM-non recognized GPT disk to MBR with TBOSDTS

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TeraByte Support(PP)
Posts: 1643
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:51 am

Re: Converting BIBM-non recognized GPT disk to MBR with TBOS

Post by TeraByte Support(PP) »

sigi wrote:
> Preparing in mind the deletion of the special partitions you indicated, I
> read
> http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/ucf/vi ... 5&start=10
> because I thought there might be relevant points. You (TeraByte
> Support(PP)) had a thirteen steps instruction there for getting rid of the
> 350MB partition. I noticed that in this thread "reagentc
> /disable" (Step 4) came well ahead of deleting the WinRE partition.

The main thing with disabling WinRE is to just do it before you delete the partition. If you delete it when it's enabled you lose the WinRE file. However, even if that happens you can still get it back by copying it from your backup. This is just a case of what is generally the easiest method. There are cases where you can't disable WinRE (can't boot into Windows, for example) so you don't worry about -- just use your backup.


> In KB 604 you discuss deleting special partitions (cf. fifth indent) under
> the heading "Before you begin", thus implying that deleting
> partions comes before "reagentc /disable". Please confirm what
> comes first. (Perhaps KB 604 needs another adaptation to better reflect the
> sequence of actions?)

Deleting the "extra/unneeded" partitions can be done either before or after the conversion. If you delete them before the conversion you can avoid the disk being converted to EMBR. If the disk does get converted to EMBR you can delete the partitions at that point and then convert to MBR if needed (you must use an EMBR capable program to delete the partitions). As with most things, there are multiple ways to accomplish the same task. With your type of conversion I would just delete them before running chgdtype since they're not needed and it saves doing the EMBR to MBR conversion afterwards.
sigi
Posts: 243
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:59 am

Re: Converting BIBM-non recognized GPT disk to MBR with TBOS

Post by sigi »

Although it may not be necessary (according to the TB Support posting of Oct 01, 2015 7:14 am), I would like to end up with four primary partitions prior to applying chgdtype.tbs.

Using Win8 Disk Management I was able to delete successfully Partition 01 (WinRE) and Partition 07 (OEM Recovery/Factory Restore partition) on HD-0 [cf. TeraByte Support(PP) » Wed Sep 30, 2015 11:30 am together with the attached photo in my preceding posting].

The other two partitions proposed for deletion by Paul Purviance, i.e. Partition 04 (OEM Partition) and Partition 06 (Recovery partition created with Windows 8.1 update) could not be deleted in Win8 Disk Management. There were no action items for these partitions. Only a Help item was offered.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

However, instead of clarifying now how to delete these two latter partitions, I would like first to ask whether I have not already attained as few as four primary partitions on the GPT disk The attached photo taken from the Windows Disk Manager after the deletion of Partitions 01 and 07 on HD-0 shows four "blue" partitions where the colour "blue" designates Primary Partitions. So, an EMBR should not become necessary for HD-0 after conversion. Is this correct or have I overlooked something?

The second photo in the Attachment shows the partitions after the two deletions as they are seen in the TBWinRE/IFW validation window. The partition numbering on HD-0 has of course changed as against the earlier photo taken in the same environment before the deletions. It shows five partitions. One of them should not be primary because the Windows Disk Manager photo shows only four Primaries. Which of the five partitions is not primary?
Attachments
Disk Manager after deletion of 2 ptns and restart.jpg
Disk Manager after deletion of 2 ptns and restart.jpg (168.78 KiB) Viewed 9125 times
IFW validation showing partitions after deleting 2 on HD-0 (half size).jpg
IFW validation showing partitions after deleting 2 on HD-0 (half size).jpg (236.01 KiB) Viewed 9125 times
TeraByte Support(PP)
Posts: 1643
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:51 am

Re: Converting BIBM-non recognized GPT disk to MBR with TBOS

Post by TeraByte Support(PP) »

Disk Management doesn't allow changes to partitions of certain types or if it thinks they're in use. DISKPART can be used instead. You should be able to delete them from IFW also.

The Microsoft Reserved partition will be removed in the conversion and wouldn't count (Disk Management doesn't show it). Also, the EFI System partition will be removed and free a slot, unless you want to use a System Reserved partition. In either case, the count would be four or less so the conversion would be to MBR.
sigi
Posts: 243
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:59 am

Re: Converting BIBM-non recognized GPT disk to MBR with TBOS

Post by sigi »

Thank you Paul for your guidance.

I had experimented before with diskpart just to display the situation and not yet trying to delete the two remaining superfluous partitions. Surprisingly, it listed 3 partitions only for disk 0 (see
ATTACHMENT 1).

I then tried to delete the two remaining superfluous partitions in IFW just to learn what the procedure would be (I had not seen any delete menu item or button before in IFW). It was not as straightforward as I had hoped. I worked through Steps 1 to 5 of the Chapter "Using Image for Windows to Restore an Image" of the IFW Manual until I arrived at Step 6 (page 92 of the Manual) where I found the Delete item in the context menu of the destination partition (which need not be the proper one to host the partition to be restored but can be any partition that I want to delete) (See ATTACHMENT 2).
At that point I deleted successfully the two partitions in question. The result after the first deletion is shown in ATTACHMENT 3

Is there a shorter way of deleting partitions in IFW?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------


I then thought I was prepared to run chgdtype.tbs. But there is more to it than I had foreseen. I am not good at command line operations and make a lot of syntax mistakes, which results in a perceived never-ending trial-and-error phase. I finally managed somehow to run chgdtype.tbs (without parameters!) starting from my TBWinRE/TBLauncher – Command Prompt where I accessed the path to the unzipped "tbosdts_pro_bootit_en" folder (contained in Win7), which is "D:\TBOSDTS Pro for BootIt\TeraByte OS Deployment Tool Suite Pro for BootIt V1.61a" in the Recovery Environment. I ended up with the following error message:

"D:\TBOSDTS Pro for BootIt\TeraByte OS Deployment Tool Suite Pro for BootIt V1.61a\scripts\chgdtype.tbs
Interface not supported."

So, would you please give me the correct command lines for applying chgdtype.tbs to the GPT disk from within the TBWinRE (which TBLauncher Item?) and from within the booted Win7 (on SSD)?
Attachments
diskpart after deleting 2 partitions (Att. 1).jpg
diskpart after deleting 2 partitions (Att. 1).jpg (85.5 KiB) Viewed 9108 times
deleting 2 further ptns with TBWinRE_IFW Restore (Att.2) .jpg
deleting 2 further ptns with TBWinRE_IFW Restore (Att.2) .jpg (213.86 KiB) Viewed 9108 times
result of deleting 2 further ptns with TBWinRE_IFW Restore (Att.3) .jpg
result of deleting 2 further ptns with TBWinRE_IFW Restore (Att.3) .jpg (213.09 KiB) Viewed 9108 times
TeraByte Support(PP)
Posts: 1643
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:51 am

Re: Converting BIBM-non recognized GPT disk to MBR with TBOS

Post by TeraByte Support(PP) »

sigi wrote:
>Surprisingly, it listed 3 partitions only for disk 0 (see
>ATTACHMENT 1).

Instead of using "detail disk" you should use "list partition".

> Is there a shorter way of deleting partitions in IFW?

You just need to get to that step of the Restore or Copy wizard.

> I finally managed somehow to run chgdtype.tbs
> (without parameters!) starting from my TBWinRE/TBLauncher – Command Prompt
> where I accessed the path to the unzipped "tbosdts_pro_bootit_en"
> folder (contained in Win7), which is "D:\TBOSDTS Pro for
> BootIt\TeraByte OS Deployment Tool Suite Pro for BootIt V1.61a" in the
> Recovery Environment. I ended up with the following error message:
>
> "D:\TBOSDTS Pro for BootIt\TeraByte OS Deployment Tool Suite Pro for
> BootIt V1.61a\scripts\chgdtype.tbs
> Interface not supported."
>
> So, would you please give me the correct command lines for applying
> chgdtype.tbs to the GPT disk from within the TBWinRE (which TBLauncher
> Item?) and from within the booted Win7 (on SSD)?

If you included TBOSDT for BootIt in the TBWinRE build then you should just need to run the chgdtype script from the Scripts menu of TBLauncher. Or you could run the TBOSDT item in the TBLauncher and then run the script from the TBOSDT prompt. To include TBOSDT for BootIt in the build you just need to go into TBWinPE/RE Builder settings and change the TBOSDT path to point to the folder with the unzipped TBOSDT for BootIt files. Then recreate the build and boot media.

If you are going to run TBOSDT for BootIt directly from the unzipped folder make sure to run the version of the EXE that is compatible with the TBWinRE build. Most likely, you would need to run tbosdtw64.exe (x64 version).

1. Open a Command Prompt.

2. Change to the drive and directory with TBOSDT for BootIt. Run:
cd /d "D:\TBOSDTS Pro for BootIt\TeraByte OS Deployment Tool Suite Pro for BootIt V1.61a\win"

3. Start TBOSDT. Run:
tbosdtw64

4. Run the chgdtype script. Run:
runtbs ..\scripts\chgdtype

To run TBOSDT and launch the script at the same time, in Step 3 above you would run:
tbosdtw64 ..\scripts\chgdtype
sigi
Posts: 243
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:59 am

Re: Converting BIBM-non recognized GPT disk to MBR with TBOS

Post by sigi »

Thank you very much for the guidance.

Before I proceed I have an additional question on KB 604:
There is no reboot mentioned in the article. Does that mean that after having run the chgdtype script WinRE has to be re-enabled before rebooting?
TeraByte Support(PP)
Posts: 1643
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:51 am

Re: Converting BIBM-non recognized GPT disk to MBR with TBOS

Post by TeraByte Support(PP) »

In Step 10 you boot back into Windows. WinRE should be enabled from the running Windows system. It can be done anytime after booting into Windows -- doesn't have to be done immediately.
sigi
Posts: 243
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:59 am

Re: Converting BIBM-non recognized GPT disk to MBR with TBOS

Post by sigi »

I think I managed to make a start with running the chgdtype script in my Win7. The Attachment shows some screenshots. I would like to know whether everything looks right until now and what the "System reserved" partition is. Is it the EFI system partition shown in the disk manager screenshot?

If so, what shall I do with it? Shall I select "Set the system partition active"?

What if I decided not to have one as KB 604 offers in Step 5 where it reads:
"If a System Reserved partition is not required you can reduce the number of partitions needed by not creating one".
It is already there and I fail to see how I could get rid of it in this context if I wanted to.
Attachments
chgdtype script execution (screenshot).jpg
chgdtype script execution (screenshot).jpg (123.62 KiB) Viewed 9082 times
chgdtype script - system reserved partition (screenshot) .jpg
chgdtype script - system reserved partition (screenshot) .jpg (168.25 KiB) Viewed 9082 times
TeraByte Support(PP)
Posts: 1643
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:51 am

Re: Converting BIBM-non recognized GPT disk to MBR with TBOS

Post by TeraByte Support(PP) »

The System Reserved partition is the booting partition that Windows normally uses. It's 100MB in size and will use a primary partition slot. If you choose to create one the script will configure it for booting. If you choose to set the system (Windows) partition active it will configure that partition for booting. If you're not going to use BitLocker you don't need the System Reserved partition. Additionally, when multi-booting it's usually easier to not have to deal with it.

Whichever option you select the EFI System partition is going to be deleted.
sigi
Posts: 243
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:59 am

Re: Converting BIBM-non recognized GPT disk to MBR with TBOS

Post by sigi »

In the last command line window you have to choose between two items which both imply that you (will) have a System Reserved partition after the operation.

Or could I select the second action without worries because it would go to nowhere anyway?

Would closing the window by clicking the X in the top right corner be a solution?
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