MBR, GPT, EFI – What’s the Difference
These acronyms refer to the partitioning and boot scheme used by your operating system to handle disks in Windows.
MBR – known as the master boot record, has been around for many decades and accompanies the older BIOS (Basic Input Output System) used to boot older computers. When your computer starts, it checks the BIOS for a bootloader (in Windows 10 known as winload.exe), which loads the operating system into main memory.
EFI – known as the extensible firmware interface, came into the mainstream more than a decade ago with systems such as the first Intel Macs and computers pre-loaded with Windows Vista. UEFI offers more advanced options than BIOS, with support for features such as a graphical user interface and mouse support, making it easier to configure boot and hardware settings.
GPT – GUID or Global Unique Identifier Partition Table, is the successor to MBR and is an integral part of modern UEFI systems for booting Windows. If you are using a drive that’s larger than 2 TBs, GPT is recommended.
Check out our guide to learn more about configuring your computer boot options.