Convert Ubuntu LVM to GPT safely and without data loss
Convert Ubuntu LVM to GPT safely and without data loss
Killerman1834
05-31-2025, 10:42 PM #1Hi everyone, I just got a laptop with Ubuntu already set up. I thought dual booting would work, but it seems tricky to install Windows on an LVM and switch to GPT partitioning. I resized the LVM to free space for Windows (about 120 GB), but now I’m stuck. Installing Windows feels like it needs me to format the drive and create a new partition table, which I’m not keen on doing. I could back up everything and reformat, but I don’t have more than 100 GB of data and no extra storage nearby. Cloud options aren’t an option either. Could anyone help? Thanks in advance, Nischal!
tyharris14
06-09-2025, 08:56 PM #2Explore this resource for guidance on switching between MBR and GPT formats.
It seems you can't modify an LVM directly. However, you might be able to transfer it as a separate partition on another drive, wipe the laptop, install Windows, recreate the partition, and then set up GRUB. For safety, backing up your data to another location beforehand would be wise in case anything fails during the process. It’s likely simpler to just back up everything and reinstall instead.
This was logged from an Ubuntu Live system using an 8 GB USB drive.
ElliotHammar
06-11-2025, 04:17 AM #4I ran the command sgdisk -g /dev/sda. The update went smoothly, but now I can’t start Ubuntu anymore! This was logged from an Ubuntu Live system using an 8 GB USB drive.
tonychuchu
06-17-2025, 12:02 PM #7You may resolve boot issues via the sourceforge project at https://sourceforge.net/projects/boot-repair-cd/
mineuout482
06-21-2025, 06:50 AM #9It seems you probably need to reinstall GRUB with a newer setup. If @Kilrah's advice isn't effective, you can try using the Ubuntu Live drive at the provided link.
eeemmiiillyyy
06-24-2025, 08:10 PM #10You need to set up a larger boot partition by adjusting the BIOS settings or using recovery tools to allocate more space for the boot files.