Should I Use MBR or GPT on an Old PC?

When it comes to deciding between MBR and GPT for an old PC, it's important to consider the operating system and the type of storage device. For older versions of Windows, MBR is the better option. However, if you're using a Windows operating system higher than Windows 7 on an SSD system, GPT is the way to go. GPT is much better for modern systems and high-capacity storage devices.

Windows 10 can be installed on both MBR and GPT, depending on the computer's firmware. If your computer has the BIOS firmware, you can only install Windows 10 on an MBR disk. If your computer's firmware is UEFI-based, you can only install Windows 10 on a GPT disc. If your computer has a BIOS-compatible UEFI firmware, you can install Windows 10 on an MBR or GPT disc. GPT disks automatically back up the main GPT header and partition entries in the last sectors of the disk.

This MBR protector ensures that old tools don't confuse the GPT drive with an unpartitioned drive or overwrite their GPT data with a new MBR. If a third-party application is used, no data loss occurs during the conversion from GPT to MBR or MBR to GPT. If you have an external hard drive or SSD and your PC supports the GPT partition, you must format the drive with GPT. For example, if you prefer a faster boot time, it is recommended to use a GPT disk as the system disk; if the computer is BIOS-based, choose MBR as the system disk; while if you use a disk of less than 2 TB for data storage, both GPT and MBR work well. In conclusion, when it comes to deciding between MBR and GPT for an old PC, it's important to consider the operating system and type of storage device. For older versions of Windows, MBR is better suited.

However, if you're using a Windows operating system higher than Windows 7 on an SSD system, GPT is the way to go.