Convert to GPT Disk Greyed Out in Windows 2012
When initialized disk to MBR disk and partitioned, convert to GPT disk option will grey out unless you delete all of the partitions and make entire disk unallocated space again. However, delete all partitions are troublesome and impossible for disk contains system; we need to do the conversion without losing data or system.
Well, Windows Server Disk management replacement Macrorit Partition Expert Server Edition is capable of converting MBR to GPT disk without data loss, and will not ask you to delete all partitions.
You may have noticed the limitation of MBR disk, 2TB at most are supported in Disk Management, 4 primary partitions at most can be created on MBR disk. giving a disk with more than 2 TB, and need more partitions than 4, MBR is not the right choice. GPT disk, on the other hand, should be the first concern.
How to fix Convert to GPT Disk Greyed out problem?
- Download portable partition software Macrorit Partition Expert server edition, run it from the zip file;
- Click on the target disk, and choose Convert to GPT Disk;
- Confirm and Commit in the main window;
In GPT disk, there's no limitation of 4 primary partitions at most can be created; you can create as many as you like. After all, 128 partitions limitation from Windows is not that easy to create. Beside, disk space over 2TB cannot be used problem will not happen on GPT disk; you can make full use of disk space.
Server Disk management greyed out options
Windows Server Disk Management always greyed out its options when conditions won't meet its requirements, from Server 2003 to Server 2012, maybe it will keep this in Server 2012, and we can only know options are greyed out but no hints for us to solve them. Fortunately, we have Windows Disk Management replacement, Macrorit Partition Expert, which solved listed greyed out problems and will solve more problems in Disk Management:
- New partition greyed out in server 2003
- Extend Volume greyed out in Server 2008 2012
- Shrink Volume Greyed Out in Windows 2008, Windows 7 /10
- Convert to GTP disk greyed out in server 2008, 2012
There're more greyed out problems in Disk Management, but they're not problems in Partition Expert, try to use it to fix them next time your server disk management fails you.
Summary
Windows Disk management and command line / prompt are indeed powerful tool to disk partition, but limitations within them will confuse users and it's a really complex job for novice. Many options greyed out problems without any explanation and long article of text help documents will only make us abandon snap-in tools. Macrorit Partition Expert Server Edition, however, makes disk managing an easy job for both beginners and pro users, graphical interface is really access-friendly and understand-friendly.
- Published in Partition Magic Server