Mismatched GPT and MBR partition sda (TrueCrypt encrypted system drive)
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#122 Mismatched GPT and MBR partition sda (TrueCrypt encrypted system drive)
Hello, i have latest stable clonezilla USB boot disk 2.6.1-25 or 20190420-disco
when i try to clone my sda it says Mismatched GPT and MBR partition sda
i tried to duck.com this phrase and some people deleted some GPT or what. I am unsure if this is safe when i do not have backup of the drive. The drive is fully encrypted (by TrueCrypt) bootable Windows 10 drive. If you REQUIRE me to run some commands, i will try to do it on next computer reboot (i do it rarely and only if i have to). Thank you
It is not safe to remove the partition table. You might lose all the data. Hence backup important data before you do so.
The key is which one you want to keep, the GPT or MBR partition. For example, run this command in Clonezilla live:
sudo sgdisk -z /dev/sdx
will remove the GPT partition table, and keep the MBR one for the disk /dev/sdx.
Steven
While i can not backup this drive using CloneZilla (if i am right), you suggest to backup using other tool? Why clone zilla can not be made to allow backup of this drive?
So you suggest to try to remove GPT partition table after backup?
Well, Clonezilla can be used to backup the whole system. However, it saves the so-called used blocks, not files. Hence if you just need some files, you still have to restore the whole partition then mount it to copy some files. It's not ideal for files backup. However, still you can use it to backup system, of course.
I am not sure it's GPT or MBR partition table you have to remove. This really depends on the genuine partition layout you have on the hard drive. If it's GPT, of course you have to remove MBR one, and vise versa.
Steven
I sent You a private message 6 days ago, though got no reply yet, so here i react to @steven_shiau
Your comment has not contained enough information to move me towards solution.
You have not answered how i backup using clonezilla while i am having issue described in the first post of that ticket linked above.
Regarding second paragraph of your comment, you could mention how to discover whether one is using MBR or GPT. I think one can do it like this on MS Windows. Open "Disk Management Tool", right click system drive, Properties, Volumes, Partition Style.
My only aim is to backup my whole system drive, and be able to restore it as a whole, i do not remember i was speaking about the need of being able to access particular files in such a backup (i would not be able as i said this is encrypted system drive by Truecrypt). But i can not backup, because of the issue described in this support request. Please kindly reply how to move forward?
Last edit: Daniel Kolar 2019-06-17
@Daniel,
From my understanding and what Steven Shiau has mentioned, I suggest you find someone who is familiar with sgdisk command to help you. You have to know it's MBR or GPT partition table you have to removed. This is critical. Steven just gave you an idea, but it's only you or someone near you can help you. Once the partition table does not contain mismatched tables, Clonezilla can go one.
Thx for the input, so You both mean that the CloneZilla is useless to me (an error mentioned in the first post of this issue) in this case and i need to use some third party backup software to do the backup (i want to do it as i was suggested to do so before removing GPT partition style (Windows shown that the drive is in MBR style)? I am asking because it seem strange to me that no backup mode of the Clonezilla is able to deal with this partition style mismatch or backup the drive like it is (with that mismatch).
Right. When Clonezilla can not judge which one is which one, you have to help Clonezilla to do that. Otherwise it's useless. It's useful when you know how to help it or use it. It already gave you some hints, so you can follow that to search on the web, and find the solutions.