Difference Between GPT and MBR the latest versions of Windows, especially coinciding with the rise of the UEFI systems MBR is being replaced by a new style of partitions, GPT, more reliable, modern and ready to end the main limitations of the MBR structure. When you format a hard drive, style tables are best known MBR partitions. This style format has more than 30 years working in most operating systems.

What is Difference Between GPT and MBR

With Windows 8, 10, Microsoft began to set GPT as partition table to default to reformat the disk. Gradually replacing MBR will GPT style partition as default. Both are two different ways to create and manage tables partition a hard drive.

MBR stands for Master Boot Record, is the standard that was launched in 1983 and today remains fully functional, however, despite the years start it as technology advances. One of the main limitations of this style is the maximum partition size that can work with 2 TB (although it is possible to overcome software, although not recommended). Another limitation, though not very important, is that MBR can only work with 4 primary partitions, so to create more than 4 must resort to the extended partitions.

GPT stands for GUID Partition Table, is the new standard that is replacing MBR and is associated with the new UEFI systems. Its name comes from that each partition is associated with a globally unique identifier (GUID), so long a random identifier each partition in the world could have its unique ID. Today, GPT has no limits beyond which establish the operating systems themselves, both in size and number of partitions (for example, Windows has a limit of 128 partitions).

The reliability of GPT disks is much higher than the MBR. While on this second partition table is stored only in the first sectors of the disk, being in trouble if you this is lost, corrupted or overwritten, GPT creates multiple redundant throughout the entire disc copies so that in case of failure, problems or errors, the partition table is automatically retrieved from any such copies.

In terms of compatibility, when creating or editing partitions, the partitioning tool should it be compatible with this new format, otherwise, a kind of activates protection to prevent incompatible tool confuse the partition table GPT with a MBR “plain” and can be overwritten partitions.

As for operating systems, Windows can only boot from GPT disks in 64 – bit versions from Vista onwards. 32 – bit systems, but they cannot boot from these discs, if they are able to read and write to them without problems. Modern versions of Linux are also compatible with these discs, and even Apple has started using GPT as default partition table rather than your own APT (Apple Partition Table).