Hi,
I'm currently using Linux Mint with MBR + Legacy Boot.
How do I go for fresh installation of Zorin OS with GPT + UEFI style ?
I've already made backup of my data on external disk.
UEFI or Legacy mode should be dictated in the BIOS settings and you get there when you halt the boot up sequence, pressing the buttons corresponding with the motherboard. For example F2, F11, the Delete-button or whatever is appropriate for your setup, depending on the motherboard your computer has.
Etcher and Rufus support both of those modes so that should not be the problem.
Edit: Legacy mode is required if your motherboard does not support UEFI so you have to know your hardware before doing this. What motherboard are you referring to?
And how should I go on converting my disk from MBR to GPT ?
Do I need to convert it before installation or is there a way during installation too ?
I have not tinkered with this in quite a while but I think that you can edit those advance settings once the distro-installer reaches the partition-managing portion of the process.
I would, if I were to do this, however make sure to be running the latest UEFI-BIOS and SSD-firmwares in my setup before trying this out. Some problems you might run into will probably be avoided. In fact, I would make sure that all (BIOS and) firmwares are upgraded and the BIOS-settings has been reviewed (and changed if needed) by you before tinkering with what you propose to do.
This isn't difficult change mbr to gpt and you have a backup.
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@Bourne Good guide, some things have become simpler with time I see. GPT used to be more of a hassle.
How about the UEFI-BIOS-settings I mentioned, has that also changed? Can you bypass the current BIOS settings and force a GNU-Linux-installer to install in UEFI- instead of Legacy-mode regardless of what the settings in the BIOS says? My experience says no, that I have to have the latest version, choose optimized defaults and then try out certain settings before getting the wanted results.
Well I remember i using some software Partition wizard or something that or Partition Manager. I remember it was free it was very easy i remember i choose a disk and with one click it changed mbr to gpt. I remember my disk was stoped recognized in system both windows and linux was offline and it was have many data files. I remember i don't lost any data files. on that hard disk.
You used a partition manager on Linux to convert MBR to GPT or was it in Windows, without loss of files? When was this, I would guess not that many years ago? My memory may be failing on me but as I recall I had a tough time dealing with changing from MBR to GPT in Linux back in the day and then, on top of that, getting the disk bootable was a nightmare. Luckily, nowadays, this is not a problem anymore since the newer GNU-Linux-installers configures this almost automatically now.
In either case, what is your take on my BIOS/firmware question? Do you recommend them to be upgraded before (that includes trying out different BIOS settings after upgrading) tinkering with converting MBR to GPT?
Times have changed for the better, no doubt.
Yes propably. Many new tools and software. Linux is more changing every day.
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