[lug] Conversion of BIOS Disks to UEFI (non-destructive)

[D. Stimits]

> On April 25, 2019 at 4:15 PM Zan Lynx <zlynx at acm.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> On 4/25/19 4:02 PM, D. Stimits wrote:
> > Basically, I know the UEFI partition has a protective MBR as a means of
> > preventing some non-UEFI software from destroying a disk it thinks is
> > empty. This is good, as it means the front matter of a BIOS disk has the
> > same structure (though there might be edits needed to that front
> > matter). There is also extra space at the start (beyond the protective
> > MBR) used to hold firmware (I'm not sure of the size, but I think it
> > might be roughly 2MB...I currently have only old style BIOS and can't look).
> 
> The problem is that the GPT (what you called UEFI) partition style is a
> lot bigger than a MBR. In order to convert a MBR into a GPT you'd almost
> certainly have to move or delete the first partition.
 
Yes, that's the part where I suggest reducing free space on existing partitions...to get the extra space needed for that.

> If you were willing to copy all of the partition data as you described
> then the easy way would be to take a new hard drive and create a new GPT
> with partitions for each of the old drive's partitions. Then you could
> block copy with dd or other tool the old partitions into the new partitions.

I'm just thinking that if it were possible, then one could come up with a tool and calculate all of that movement as the program runs.  I'm more curious about the algorithm than I am about this being practical.

> I would consider $100 for a new hard drive much cheaper than potentially
> losing all of my data.

Yes, but that would drive away the fun of drinking gallons of coffee and having the evil genius look! At least until I have to hit the restroom...

> But anyway, sure, if you are willing to move around a bunch of stuff to
> make the room, you could convert a MBR to a GPT.
> 
> -- 
>                 Knowledge is Power -- Power Corrupts
>                         Study Hard -- Be Evil

I guess what I'm doing is trying to be Evil...

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