Getting files off a GPT OS disc

[Mr. Mulder]

Ahoi thar,

Friends laptop died, took the hdd out put it in a caddy, plugged it into mine and disc is GPT Protected and its also the OS disc with all the system files. I think I need to convert it to MBR without data loss to be able to grab the files off it? Have tried some pro software versions of AOMEI but every option to convert to MBR is grayed out. I don't want to use disk part as I think that "cleans" the disc and then I won't get to see if there's any pics of her hawt bewbs on there the laptop it came out of is completely dead so can't go back..

[anon]

Uh, what OS are you running? Windows has supported GPT since Server 2003.

[Mr. Mulder]

Win10 and is does see the disc through disc management as GPT protected it's just not mounting it and won't let me do a thing with it other than create partition... I wondered if converting to MBR would force it to show?

[anon]

I don't think much would be accomplished by converting to MBR, since the partitions should be visible and readable either way. And as you said before, it's not a good idea to experiment when you're tasked with recovering data.

Get a copy of BootICE and check if it will let you list the partitions and assign drive letters from there. If it can't see anything, the partition table must have been wiped; in that case you'll have to use DiskGenius or similar software to recreate it.

[rotansharma]

Turn off the PC, and put in the Windows installation DVD or USB key.

Boot the PC to the DVD or USB key in UEFI mode.

From inside Windows Setup, press Shift+F10 to open a command prompt window.

Open the diskpart tool:

Identify the drive to reformat:

[MacGyverSG1]

He doesn't want to format the drive! GPT is used to partition a HDD/SSD larger than 2TB. What computer did it come from? What OS is running on it? You can try reading the drive with EaseUS Partition Master. But, the problem sounds like the HDD has a GPT partition with a 64-bit OS installed and you are trying to read it with a 32-bit OS. Hook the HDD to a PC with a 64-bit Windows installed or Mac (depending what OS is on the HDD).

[anon]

What computer did it come from? What OS is running on it?

Good questions, I assumed a Windows laptop but it could be anything.

the problem sounds like the HDD has a GPT partition with a 64-bit OS installed and you are trying to read it with a 32-bit OS.

I think you're mixing things up a bit; booting Windows from a GPT disk does require a 64-bit version, as well as UEFI enabled and active. But merely mounting and using one can be done by any version from Server 2003 onwards, regardless of whether it's 32 or 64 bit.

[MacGyverSG1]

From what I have read, trying to access a boot drive with GPT and 64-bit OS on another computer with 32-bit OS (Windows) causes the message "GPT Protected". I don't have first hand experience, but I guess many people have come across this. Until we know what OS is installed on HDD it's all guess work. If Mr. Mulder's computer is 32-bit Win10 and MBR boot drive (Legacy, not UEFI), that may be causing issues. Kind of like when you install a HDD/SDD to boot OS, install Windows on it and use "IDE" mode. If you change it to "AHCI", the computer won't boot.