HOWTO: Convert a dynamic disk back to a basic disk

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HOWTO: Convert a dynamic disk back to a basic disk without data loss
Posted By:
[color="#0000ff"]o2

**Disclaimer: This ONLY works if you have NOT used ANY of the "new" features of dynamic disks such as extending a partition or software RAID. This is an expert-level procedure, so if you don't know what you are doing, you shouldn't be attempting this.**
1) Install dskprobe.exe on the system. (This is one of the utilities in the Windows 2000 support tools on the install CD, and can be installed by simply copying the .exe file to the hard drive.)
2) Run dskprobe.exe on the system.
3) Select the Drives menu and "Physical Drive. . ."
4) Double click on the drive that you want to convert back to a basic disk. Click the "Set Active" button next to that drive.
5) From the Sectors menu, select "Read"
6) Accept the defaults (begin sector 0, read 1 sector) and click "Read"
7) In the editor, go to the "01C0" line and the third bit should be a "42". Change that to a "07". **Note, a few machines have had this on the "01D0" line instead. I don't know what that means, so I wouldn't try it unless it is on a pure test box. *****
8) From the Sectors menu, select "Write". Confirm all dialog boxes. **Note: This is the step that will hose your box if you have not followed the above instructions correctly.**
9) Exit dskprobe.exe. Reboot
10) Run chkdsk on the affected logical drive(s). If any errors are found, do a chkdsk /f to fix them. Done.
***** svdsinner writes: I did some research, and this relates to having multiple partitions on the drive. I assume partition 1 would be at "01C0", Partition 2 would be at "01D0", Partition 3 would be "01E0", and Partition 4 would be "01F0". I would assume that you would be required to change every partion on the drive back for this to work. However, I have not tested this. Do so at your own risk.
Special thanks go to svdsinner!
[color="#0000ff"]Original Thread

Hello Anybody!
I stumbled over this guide, which might be useful for others:
HOWTO: Convert a dynamic disk back to a basic disk without data loss
Posted By: o2
**Disclaimer: This ONLY works if you have NOT used ANY of the "new" features of dynamic disks such as extending a partition or software RAID. This is an expert-level procedure, so if you don't know what you are doing, you shouldn't be attempting this.**
1) Install dskprobe.exe on the system. (This is one of the utilities in the Windows 2000 support tools on the install CD, and can be installed by simply copying the .exe file to the hard drive.)
2) Run dskprobe.exe on the system.
3) Select the Drives menu and "Physical Drive. . ."
4) Double click on the drive that you want to convert back to a basic disk. Click the "Set Active" button next to that drive.
5) From the Sectors menu, select "Read"
6) Accept the defaults (begin sector 0, read 1 sector) and click "Read"
7) In the editor, go to the "01C0" line and the third bit should be a "42". Change that to a "07". **Note, a few machines have had this on the "01D0" line instead. I don't know what that means, so I wouldn't try it unless it is on a pure test box. *****
8) From the Sectors menu, select "Write". Confirm all dialog boxes. **Note: This is the step that will hose your box if you have not followed the above instructions correctly.**
9) Exit dskprobe.exe. Reboot
10) Run chkdsk on the affected logical drive(s). If any errors are found, do a chkdsk /f to fix them. Done.
***** svdsinner writes: I did some research, and this relates to having multiple partitions on the drive. I assume partition 1 would be at "01C0", Partition 2 would be at "01D0", Partition 3 would be "01E0", and Partition 4 would be "01F0". I would assume that you would be required to change every partion on the drive back for this to work. However, I have not tested this. Do so at your own risk.
Special thanks go to svdsinner!
The guide is from
[color="#0000ff"]General Information Windows 2000
I have tested the method, and it worked without any problems.


Ps. I can upload the tools, mentioned in the guide, if some of you are interested.
Kind Regards
LDJ
SCSIraidGURU
Mar 3 2006, 08:52 PM
QUOTE(LDJ @ Mar 3 2006, 08:47 PM)
Hello Anybody!
I stumbled over this guide, which might be useful for others:
HOWTO: Convert a dynamic disk back to a basic disk without data loss
Posted By: o2
**Disclaimer: This ONLY works if you have NOT used ANY of the "new" features of dynamic disks such as extending a partition or software RAID. This is an expert-level procedure, so if you don't know what you are doing, you shouldn't be attempting this.**
1) Install dskprobe.exe on the system. (This is one of the utilities in the Windows 2000 support tools on the install CD, and can be installed by simply copying the .exe file to the hard drive.)
2) Run dskprobe.exe on the system.
3) Select the Drives menu and "Physical Drive. . ."
4) Double click on the drive that you want to convert back to a basic disk. Click the "Set Active" button next to that drive.
5) From the Sectors menu, select "Read"
6) Accept the defaults (begin sector 0, read 1 sector) and click "Read"
7) In the editor, go to the "01C0" line and the third bit should be a "42". Change that to a "07". **Note, a few machines have had this on the "01D0" line instead. I don't know what that means, so I wouldn't try it unless it is on a pure test box. *****
8) From the Sectors menu, select "Write". Confirm all dialog boxes. **Note: This is the step that will hose your box if you have not followed the above instructions correctly.**
9) Exit dskprobe.exe. Reboot
10) Run chkdsk on the affected logical drive(s). If any errors are found, do a chkdsk /f to fix them. Done.
***** svdsinner writes: I did some research, and this relates to having multiple partitions on the drive. I assume partition 1 would be at "01C0", Partition 2 would be at "01D0", Partition 3 would be "01E0", and Partition 4 would be "01F0". I would assume that you would be required to change every partion on the drive back for this to work. However, I have not tested this. Do so at your own risk.
Special thanks go to svdsinner!
The guide is from
[color="#0000ff"]General Information Windows 2000
I have tested the method, and it worked without any problems.  


Ps. I can upload the tools, mentioned in the guide, if some of you are interested.
Kind Regards
LDJ

I would still recommend the best practices method:
1.) Backup data
2.) Delete partition
3.) Recreate as basic.
4.) Restore data.
LDJ
Mar 4 2006, 06:42 AM
Hello SCSIraidGURU!
QUOTE(SCSIraidGURU @ Mar 4 2006, 03:52 AM)
I would still recommend the best practices method:
1.) Backup data
2.) Delete partition
3.) Recreate as basic.
4.) Restore data.

Preserving data wasn't important for me, as the drives, that previously were mounted in a RAID 0 configuration, and now should run as separate drives, didn't hold any data.
When I installed the drives, as single discs, they could only be added with "Administration Tools - Disc Management" as dynamic discs. I wanted the drives changed to basic discs. Being able to preserve the data was just an additional benefit.
The method did preserve something for me: My valuable time. It didn't require anything, other than one reboot


If you know of a method, that allows you to change a dynamic disc into a basic disc, without having to delete the drives/partitions/formatting, please tell me.
Kind Regards
LDJ
SCSIraidGURU
Mar 4 2006, 02:18 PM
QUOTE(LDJ @ Mar 4 2006, 06:42 AM)
Hello SCSIraidGURU!
Preserving data wasn't important for me, as the drives, that previously were mounted in a RAID 0 configuration, and now should run as separate drives, didn't hold any data.
When I installed the drives, as single discs, they could only be added with "Administration Tools - Disc Management" as dynamic discs. I wanted the drives changed to basic discs. Being able to preserve the data was just an additional benefit.
The method did preserve something for me: My valuable time. It didn't require anything, other than one reboot  


If you know of a method, that allows you to change a dynamic disc into a basic disc, without having to delete the drives/partitions/formatting, please tell me.
Kind Regards
LDJ

There is no best practice method from Microsoft other than backup, delete, recreate, restore. My time is valuable too. Restoring data from backup tapes can be done without baby sitting.
LDJ
Mar 4 2006, 07:40 PM
QUOTE(SCSIraidGURU @ Mar 4 2006, 09:18 PM)
There is no best practice method from Microsoft other than backup, delete, recreate, restore.  My time is valuable too.  Restoring data from backup tapes can be done without baby sitting.

I Don't think you understand what I trying to say. There is nothing that prevents you from backing up your files, before you use the tool to change the drive from dynamic to basic.
You still save your valuable time, because the operation mentioned here, only takes a reboot, to be accomplished.
Kind Regards
LDJ
SCSIraidGURU
Mar 4 2006, 08:33 PM
QUOTE(LDJ @ Mar 4 2006, 07:40 PM)
I Don't think you understand what I trying to say. There is nothing that prevents you from backing up your files, before you use the tool to change the drive from dynamic to basic.
You still save your valuable time, because the operation mentioned here, only takes a reboot, to be accomplished.
Kind Regards
LDJ

I don't like shortcuts. Glad it worked. I follow the best practice methods. I would not run into this situation since I use hardware RAID and you would not change the partitions to dynamic. You leave them in basic mode.
I hope it works as well as you said. I would never do anything with partitions without a backup before hand. You never do partition work without proper amount of time for it.
How To Convert to Basic and Dynamic Disks in Windows XP Professional
[color="#0000ff"]View products that this article applies to.
Article ID
:
309044
Last Review
:
July 14, 2004
Revision
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1.0
This article was previously published under Q309044
On This Page

[color="#0000ff"]SUMMARY


[color="#0000ff"]General Notes


[color="#0000ff"]How to Convert a Basic Disk to a Dynamic Disk


[color="#0000ff"]How to Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk

[color="#0000ff"]REFERENCES

[color="#0000ff"]APPLIES TO
SUMMARY
This article describes how to convert a basic disk to a dynamic disk, and how to change a dynamic disk back to a basic disk by using the Disk Management snap-in in Windows XP Professional.
Windows XP Professional supports two types of disk storage: basic and dynamic. Basic disk storage uses partition-oriented disks. A basic disk contains basic volumes (primary partitions, extended partitions, and logical drives).
Dynamic disk storage uses volume-oriented disks, and includes features that basic disks do not, such as the ability to create volumes that span multiple disks (spanned and striped volumes).

[color="#0000ff"]Back to the top
General NotesBefore you change a basic disk to a dynamic disk, note these items:
•
You must have at least 1 megabyte (MB) of free space on any master boot record (MBR) disk that you want to convert. This space is automatically reserved when the partition or volume is created in Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional. However, it may not be available on partitions or volumes that are created in other operating systems.
•
When you convert to a dynamic disk, the existing partitions or logical drives on the basic disk are converted to simple volumes on the dynamic disk.
•
After you convert to a dynamic disk, the dynamic volumes cannot be changed back to partitions. You must first delete all dynamic volumes on the disk, and then convert the dynamic disk back to a basic disk. If you want to keep your data, you must first back up or move the data to another volume.
•
After you convert to a dynamic disk, local access to the dynamic disk is limited to Windows XP Professional and Windows 2000.
•
If your disk contains multiple installations of Windows XP Professional or Windows 2000, do not convert to a dynamic disk. The conversion operation removes partition entries for all partitions on the disk with the exception of the system and boot volumes for the current operating system.
•
Dynamic disks are not supported on portable computers or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.Before you change a dynamic disk back to a basic disk, note that all existing volumes must be deleted from the disk before you can convert it back to a basic disk. If you want to keep your data, back up the data, or move your data to another volume.

[color="#0000ff"]Back to the top
How to Convert a Basic Disk to a Dynamic DiskTo convert a basic disk to a dynamic disk:
1.
Log on as Administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
2.
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3.
Click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
4.
In the left pane, click Disk Management.
5.
In the lower-right pane, right-click the basic disk that you want to convert, and then click Convert to Dynamic Disk.
NOTE:You must right-click the gray area that contains the disk title on the left side of the Details pane. For example, right-click Disk 0.
6.
Select the check box that is next to the disk that you want to convert (if it is not already selected), and then click OK.
7.
Click Details if you want to view the list of volumes in the disk.
8.
Click Convert.
9.
Click Yes when you are prompted to convert, and then click OK.

[color="#0000ff"]Back to the top
How to Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic DiskTo change a dynamic disk back to a basic disk:
1.
Back up all the data on all the volumes on the disk you want to convert to a basic disk.
2.
Log on as Administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
3.
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
4.
Click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
5.
In the left pane, click Disk Management.
6.
Right-click a volume on the dynamic disk that you want to change to a basic disk, and then click Delete Volume.
7.
Click Yes when you are prompted to delete the volume.
8.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each volume on the dynamic disk.
9.
After you have deleted all the volumes on the dynamic disk, right-click the dynamic disk that you want to change to a basic disk, and then click Convert to Basic Disk.
NOTE:You must right-click the gray area that contains the disk title on the left side of the Details pane. For example, right-click Disk 1.

[color="#0000ff"]Back to the top
REFERENCES
For additional information about working with dynamic disks, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
[color="#0000ff"]175761
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/175761/EN-US/) Dynamic vs. Basic Storage in Windows 2000 and Windows XP
[color="#0000ff"]222189
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/222189/EN-US/) Description of Disk Groups in Windows Disk Management
[color="#0000ff"]254105
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/254105/EN-US/) Dynamic Disk Hardware Limitations For additional information about how to use the Diskpart command-line utility to manage your disks, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft
               
               

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