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On Saturday, 2 May 2020 09:39:12 BST tuxic@××××××.de wrote: |
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> On 05/02 09:49, Andrea Conti wrote: |
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> > > I think, I feel better if I repartitioning/reformat both drives, |
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> > > though. |
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> > |
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> > It's not necessary, but if it makes you feel better by all means do so. |
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> > |
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> > > *GPT/MBR |
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> > > From a discussion based on a "GPT or MBR for my system drive" in |
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> > > conjunction with UEFI it was said, that GPT is more modern and |
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> > > save. |
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> > |
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> > More modern I concur. For the rest it's mainly about features: >2TB |
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> > partitions and way more metadata, plus not having to bother with CHS |
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> > values which make no sense in today's drives. And being able to define >4 |
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> > partitions without littering the disk with extended boot records, which |
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> > is probably the only thing I'd call "safer". |
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> > |
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> > My point was that none of this is relevant in an external drive which is |
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> > under 1TB and will only hold a single partition starting at sector 1 and |
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> > spanning the rest of the disk. A system drive, especially if booting from |
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> > UEFI is a different case for which GPT absolutely makes sense. |
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> Ok, the other way around: Does GPT hurt more than MBT on a external HD |
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> used for backup puporses (no boot), has 1T and 1 partion of that size? |
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|
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Unless you're planning to boot from Windows XP or some antiquated old LiveCD, |
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a GPT partitioning scheme is better in *all* respects and it is more robust |
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than MBR because: |
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|
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- The partitioning tables created by GPT are backed up at the end of the disk. |
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- GPT uses CRC make sure its data is intact, or will warn of corruption and |
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attempt to restore from the back up. |
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|
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|
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> > > My question was meant not so much as "MBR or GPT?" |
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> > > but more whether there are some variants of GPT (with |
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> > > protected MBR for example -- which was completly new to me), |
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> > > which I should use or avoid. |
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> > |
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> > There are really no "variants" of GPT. The protective MBR is only there to |
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> > make all space in the disk look allocated to MBR partitioning tools that |
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> > are not GPT-aware, and is automatically written for you by all GPT |
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> > partitioning tools. |
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> > |
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> > In addition to the opaque entry of type 0xee, this MBR can also contain |
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> > entries pointing to at least some of the actual partitions; this is |
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> > called a 'hybrid' MBR and allows MBR-only access to partitions that are |
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> > within the limits of MBR addressing (start and end sector <2TB). These |
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> > are only useful in very specific cases an I would consider them a hack |
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> > more than a solution; while gpt-fdisk has some support for creating |
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> > hybrid MBRs (don't know about fdisk), you won't get one unless you |
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> > specifically ask for it. |
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> Thanks of the information! :) |
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> |
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> > > But: Are rescue systems for USB-stick more UEFI/GPT aware nowadays |
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> > > or "traditionally" based on MBR/BIOS-boot? |
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> > |
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> > I think that anything that's not ancient will have tools and kernel |
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> > support for both MBR and GPT, and will boot fine in both BIOS and UEFI |
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> > modes.> |
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> > > One thing I found is really handy: An USB-stick with an rEfind |
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> > > installation. As long as your PC supports UEFI (or can switched to it) |
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> > > rEfind is able to boot "everything" without prior configuration. |
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> > |
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> > You can probably do the same with GRUB2, albeit in a way less |
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> > user-friendly fashion :) But why do you consider the ability to boot |
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> > anything but the rescue system itself important in a rescue system? |
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> Recently a BIOS update deleted all UEFI entries and the system no |
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> longer boots. With rEfind from a USBstick I was able to boot |
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> the sustem nonetheless and the reinstallation of grub solves |
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> the problem. |
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> Task accomplished! :) |
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> |
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> > > Some rescue-system which really shines and with which you have made good |
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> > > experiences? |
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> > |
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> > My usual go-to is SystemRescueCD (the old 5.x gentoo-based one). |
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> > |
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> > andrea |
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> |
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> Thanks for the info, Andrea! |
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> |
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> Cheers! |
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> Meino |
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|
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Any up to date Linux LiveCD/USB should be able to boot your PC and |
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automatically recognise its GPT partitioning. |