How to convert an encrypted disk from MBR to GPT using Microsoft MBR2GPT.EXE and Drive Encryption MdeMbr2GptTool.exe tools

Technical Articles ID: KB89024
Last Modified: 2023-04-04 07:26:21 Etc/GMT

Environment

Drive Encryption (DE) 7.x

Microsoft Windows 10 (version 1703) Creators Update and later

For details of DE-supported environments, see KB79422 - Supported platforms for Drive Encryption 7.x.

Summary

The DE MBR to GPT tool (MdeMbr2GptTool.exe) works on Microsoft Windows 10 (version 1703) Creators Update and later (64-bit only). The tool works with the Microsoft MBR2GPT.EXE tool to convert a software-encrypted DE drive, from Master Boot Record (MBR) to the GUID Partition Table (GPT) partition style, without the need to decrypt the disk. For more information about Microsoft MBR2GPT.EXE, see this Microsoft article.

Package contents details of key files:

Package name - Mbr2GptPackageV2.zip
Extracted location - Mbr2GptPackage\

File	Comments
MdeMbr2GptTool.exe	MBR to GPT conversion executable
MdeMbr2Gpt.bat	Batch file to initiate the conversion
MfeEEBoot32.efi	32-bit UEFI boot file
MfeEEBoot64.efi	64-bit UEFI boot file
HWDefaultProductDetections.xml	Hardware Compatibility XML file

IMPORTANT:

The tool must be run from an administrator command prompt.
The MdeMbr2GptTool.exe looks for the Hardware Compatibility XML file called HwDefaultProductDetections.xml in the same directory. But, a specific file can be provided with the command-line switch -HWCompatXml using the convert command.

Example: MdeMbr2GptTool convert -HwCompatXml c:\Tools\HWCompat.xml

IMPORTANT: To obtain the latest Hardware Compatibility XML file, see KB81900 - How to use the Hardware Compatibility Settings tool for Drive Encryption.
The tool allows conversion of any Windows 10 (version 1703) Creators Update and later from MBR to GPT that's encrypted using DE software encryption. To view supported versions of Windows 10, see KB85784 - Windows 10 compatibility with products.
The tool only supports 64-bit platforms.
The tool doesn't support conversion of Opal-encrypted systems.
Once the Microsoft tool MBR2GPT.EXE has been run, any subsequent failure prevents the system from booting. There's no easy way to recover, even using the DE recovery tool DETech. On any critical system, taking a sector by sector backup is highly recommended.
The tool only works from the Windows desktop from the system being converted (no WinPE support).
The tool only works on active encrypted systems.

Solution

To use the MdeMbr2Gpt.EXE tool:

IMPORTANT: It's highly recommended on any critical system to take a sector-by-sector backup first. Any subsequent failures prevent the system from booting.

Boot into Windows on the target system.
Copy Mbr2GptPackage.zip into a folder on the system. For example, c:\DETOOL.
Open a command prompt as an administrator:
1. Click Start.
2. In the Start Search field, type cmd, and then press Ctrl+Shift+Enter.
3. If the User Account Control dialog window appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.
Change the directory by typing the following:

CD C:\DETOOL
To run the batch file, in the command prompt window, type the following:

MdeMbr2Gpt.bat
Once the batch file has completed with no errors noted, restart the system.
During the boot sequence, enter the BIOS and access the firmware settings.
Change the boot type to UEFI and save the changes.
Restart the system.

Workaround

Fully decrypt and uninstall DE before using the Microsoft tool:

NOTE: See the respective DE product guide for assistance.

Configure a policy in ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) to fully decrypt and deactivate DE.
Configure an ePO deployment task to uninstall DE components.
Perform the steps provided by Microsoft to convert a disk from MBR to GPT and change the firmware to UEFI.

For instructions, see this Microsoft document.
Use an ePO-deployment task to install DE components.
To activate and encrypt the clients, enforce a policy.

Related Information

Background details about MBR2GPT.EXE

Microsoft Windows 10 Creators Update and later provide an in-place UEFI conversion tool (MBR2GPT.EXE). The tool allows customers to change their hard drive partition structure from MBR to GPT without the need to reformat. The tool allows customers to use security features such as Secure Boot and Device Guard that require UEFI. For further details, see this Microsoft document.

Attachment

Mbr2GptPackage_Ver2.zip
1.2MB • < 1 minute @ broadband

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How to convert an encrypted disk from MBR to GPT using Microsoft MBR2GPT.EXE and Drive Encryption MdeMbr2GptTool.exe tools

Environment

Summary

Solution

Workaround

Related Information

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Affected Products

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Knowledge Center

How to convert an encrypted disk from MBR to GPT using Microsoft MBR2GPT.EXE and Drive Encryption MdeMbr2GptTool.exe tools

Environment

Summary

Solution

Workaround

Related Information

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