Converting BIBM-non recognized GPT disk to MBR with TBOSDTS

[sigi]

I had bought a new notebook (Medion AKOYA E7223 MD 98462) with Windows 8.1 pre-installed on the internal 500 GB SATA HDD. It is a GPT/UEFI installation with six partitions.

I then bought and installed a 250 GB SAMSUNG SSD into the notebook and put BIBM, a Win7 64-Bit Prof, and a LinuxMint on it.

The GPT HDD is not recognized by BIBM.

SETNUMHD could not correct the situation as can be seen in my BIBM forum thread viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1928.
My SETNUMHD efforts are described there starting on Page 5, 1st TB Support Posting of August 18, 2015 and ending on Page 6 with the last TB Support Posting of August 22, 2015

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Note:
It would be extraordinarily useful if one could refer to a specific posting by means of a posting number [#1, #2 etc.]. Couldn't you have your forum software changed accordingly?)
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The most concise presentation of what I have done wrt SETNUMHD is contained in the Attachment to the last posting on Page 5.


Since SETNUMHD cannot help me I tried to use TBOSDTS for GPT to MBR conversion in order for BIBM to see my converted MBR SATA HDD.

You can see my efforts in the Attachment. The command contained therein is taken from Page 16 of the "TeraByte OS Deployment Tool User Manual", reading:

"Install MBR code to a physical hard drive, or to a hard drive image file
SET MBR CODE 1.....................................install standard MBR code on physical hard drive HD1"

When starting the command, it immediately ended at the TBOSDTS\win prompt without noticeable reaction time or confirmation. Anyway, the result is still a GPT SATA HDD.

Have I made a mistake? What can I do now?

[TeraByte Support(PP)]

That command doesn't convert the disk. Have you run the TBOSDT chgdtype.tbs script? If so, were any errors or issues reported?
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=604

The conversion can also be done manually:
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=580

[sigi]

Dear helpers, would you please answer the questions in capitals.


1. Deleting partitions

The first link (id=604) is not applicable since BIBM cannot see my GPT HDD. The second link (id=580) raises the question which partitions to keep.

I have got six of them (some OEM). I think I should reduce to four for simplicity reasons. WHICH PARTITIONS SHOULD I DELETE AND HOW?



In id=604 it reads:
"Converting a GPT disk with more than four partitions (not including the Microsoft reserved partition and EFI System partition, which will both be removed) will result in an EMBR type disk configured with unlimited primary partitions."

IS MY FOLLOWING INTERPRETATION CORRECT:
Microsoft reserved partition and EFI System partition are irrelevant for the partition count because they are deleted automatically during conversion?

In other words, if I take the partitions listed in id=580 for OEM Windows 8, i.e.
OEM Windows 8
Partition 1: Recovery, 1000MB - (WinRE)
Partition 2: EFI System, 260MB
Partition 3: OEM, 1000MB
Partition 4: Microsoft reserved partition, 128MB (not visible in Windows Disk Management)
Partition 5: Windows 8, 651GB
Partition 6: Data, 25GB
Partition 7: Recovery, 20GB - (OEM Recovery partition)
I would have to delete only Partition 6 (Data, 25GB) in order to be left with 4 partitions (hence no EMBR)?

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2. Following the instructions in id=604

IS IT IMPERATIVE FOR A WIN 8 INSTALLTION TO DO STEP 1 (disable WinRE)?

I omitted this step in order to quickly test the chgdtype command (just steps 2 and 3) and got the error message that "runtbs" either contains a typing error or could not be found.

The Attachments show the path to my scripts folder in Win8 explorer and the script error message.

[TeraByte Support(PP)]

1. KB 604 still applies. chgdtype can be run from BIBM, but it can also be run from Windows, TBWinRE/PE, and Linux. In your case, I assumed you would run it from your other booted Windows.

For which partitions to delete, it depends on which you want to keep most. Since you have a backup image of the drive in it's original state there probably isn't any reason to keep the OEM Recovery partition on the disk (it wouldn't work after converted anyway). If you don't care if you have a separate WinRE partition it can be removed (WinRE would end up on the Windows partition when enabled). From the listing, what I would keep would be partitions 4, 5, & 6 or just 5 & 6.

Some of the partitions could be deleted before the conversion (e.g. the WinRE partition, OEM, Recovery). They could also be deleted afterwards, though you would need to use a program that supports EMBR (BIBM, IFW, IFD, IFL).

2. You don't need to disable WinRE first if you are going to use the chgdtype script and you're going to keep the partition. In your case you have a backup of the partition already so you can easily extract the winre.wim file to reactivate later if there are issues. Disabling WinRE is one of those things that often easier to do first and makes it a lot easier to fix afterwards if there are issues. In some cases it wouldn't be possible to disable first (like if you couldn't boot into that Windows) and you would just have to leave it or delete it and repair it later.

From your TBOSDT screenshot it appears you are running the Trial version of TBOSDT. You need to download the TBOSDT Pro for BootIt version from your account and use that. The Trial version does not support running scripts and doesn't include chgdtype. Also, you will probably find it easier to run tbosdt.exe (or tbosdtw64.exe) first and then use the "runtbs chgdtype" command from the TBOSDT prompt.

[sigi]

Thank you very much for your detailed guidance. I highly appreciate that and I am confident that it will bring me forward. Digesting this material may however take some time.

For the moment I would like to make a minor correction to my previous posting and pose a brief supplementary question:

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sigi wrote:

snip
> The first link (id=604) is not applicable since BIBM cannot see my GPT HDD.
> The second link (id=580) raises the question which partitions to keep.
snip

TeraByte Support(PP) wrote:
> 1. KB 604 still applies. chgdtype can be run from BIBM, but it can also be run from
> Windows, TBWinRE/PE, and Linux. In your case, I assumed you would run it from your
> other booted Windows.
snip

I mixed up the two links. Of course I should have written:
"The second link (id=580) is not applicable (at least steps 3 to 5) since BIBM cannot see my GPT HDD. The first link (id=604) raises the question which partitions to keep."

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What makes you think that I use a trial version of TBOSDTS? The mere fact that the chgdtype script was not found? Or are there other characteristics like in BIBM the registered name at the bottom of the program window? I have not found my name in the IFW program window either although I bought IFW. Am I perhaps utilizing the unregistered version of IFW? How can I be sure to use the registered version of various TB products?

[Brian K]

sigi,

You need to download...

TeraByte OS Deployment Tool Suite Pro for BootIt V1.61a

... from the TeraByte download page. https://www.terabyteunlimited.com/product-download.php

Install it. Mine goes to...

C:\Program Files (x86)\TeraByte Unlimited\TeraByte OSD Tool Suite Pro for BootIt

Right click tbosdtw.exe in the win folder and Run as Admin. Enter your BIBM name and product key. Close the command prompt window. Double click chgdtype.tbs in the scripts folder.

[TeraByte Support(PP)]

The trial version doesn't include tbosdtw64.exe (it's not shown in the screenshot). Also, you don't have to install it if you don't want to. You can just unzip and run tbosdtw.exe or tbosdtw64.exe in the win folder, then change to the scripts folder and run chgdtype.

[sigi]

I obiously choose the wrong product for my first attempt. I may have downloaded a trial version prior to bying and installing IFL, unzipped that trial version and put it in a TBOSDTS folder in the root directory. That is what I presented in the Win8 explorer screenshot attached to my posting of Sep 26, 2015.

The purchased version of Image for Windows, which came bundled with TBOSDTS Pro installed to the Program Files (x86) folder and contains a Terabyte OSD Tool Suite Pro folder where I detected the desired tbosdtw64.exe and chgdtype.tbs.
By the way, the start menu shows an abridged list of scripts (chgdtype.tbs missing there).

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TeraByte Support(PP) wrote:
> 1. KB 604 still applies. chgdtype can be run from BIBM, but it can also be
> run from Windows, TBWinRE/PE, and Linux. In your case, I assumed you would
> run it from your other booted Windows.
snip

The proposal to run chgdtype from my other booted Windows is not not needed because I can use my TBWinRE CD that I had made from my Win8 after having installed IFW there.

The Attachments show the TB scripts in Win8 Explorer and in TBWinRE.

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Next thing on my to-do list will be disabling WinRE. There will certainly be issues to report back or ask questions.

[Brian K]

sigi,

Sorry mate but you are still using the incorrect TBOSDT.

[sigi]

I am utterly perplexed. Why is this the incorrect TBOSDT? It contains tbosdtw64.exe as well as chgdtype.tbs. What is wrong or missing?