All Intel-based Macs require a GPT partition on a boot volume, whether it be internal or external. GUID Partition Table (GPT) partitions are also found in Mac OS X versions 10.4.6 and newer. Note: For more comprehensive information on GPT Protective Partitions, refer to the following Microsoft link: GPT partitions enable this limit to be exceeded. In a nutshell, GPT Partition was developed to get around known, MBR partition size issues the maximum size for a MBR partiton is 2 Terabytes (TB). The GUID Partition Table (GPT) Scheme was implemented under Microsoft Windows XP 圆4 edition, Windows Server 2003 (64-bit), Windows Server 2003 SP1 (all versions), Windows Vista, Windows 7+ Access to a partition is controlled by the system firmware before the system boots the operating system, and then by the operating system after it starts. Partitions are seen by the system firmware and the installed operating systems.

GPT provides a more flexible mechanism for partitioning disks than the older Master Boot Record (MBR) partitioning scheme that has been common to PCs.Ī partition is a contiguous space of storage on a physical or logical disk that functions as though it were a physically separate disk.

The GUID Partition Table (GPT) was introduced as part of the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) initiative.

This article will discuss how to overcome this issue. This will mean that you cannot repartition or reformat the drive. Sometimes, after connecting an internal or external hard drive to your system, Windows Disk Management says that it is prepared with a GPT Protective Partition.

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