Convert Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk using

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6th December 2012

http://vmevada102.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/convert-dynamic-disk-to-ba...

Convert Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk using

OPTION ONE
Convert Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk using "Partition Wizard 4.2 Free"

WARNING: Even though you will not lose the data on the dynamic disk when you use this
option to convert the dynamic disk back to a basic disk, be sure to backup any data on the
dynamic disk that you wish to keep first just to be safe in case something happens. Say a power
outage while in the middle of converting the disk.
1. Do step 2 or 3 below depending on what you are able to do.
2. To Use Partition Wizard 4.2 Free at Boot

NOTE: This option can be helpful if you are unable to startup Windows if your Windows
disk was made dynamic.
A) Download "pwhe42.iso" file here [http://www.softsea.com/download/Partition-WizardBootable-CD.html] to your desktop.
B) Create either a bootable CD/DVD or USB [http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials
/31541-windows-7-usb-dvd-download-tool.html] with the pwhe42.iso file.
NOTE: You could also use a free program like ImgBurn [http://www.imgburn.com/]
at 4x burn speed to create a bootable CD/DVD with.
C) Boot from the the CD/DVD or USB.
D) Convert the dynamic disk to basic like starting at step 3E below.
3. To Use Partition Wizard 4.2 Free in Windows 7

A) Download the "Partition_Wizard_4.2_free.zip" file here

[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/238405d1351195955-convert-dynamicdisk-basic-disk-partition_wizard_4.2_free.zip] to your desktop.

B) Open the ZIP file, and extract (drag and drop) the PW folder to your
desktop.
C) Open the PW folder, and run the PWIZ.exe file.
D) Click on No for the new version avialable update. (see screenshot below)

[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/238400d1351195921-convertdynamic-disk-basic-disk-pw-1.jpg]

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E) Right click on the Disk # (ex: Disk 1) of the dynamic disk you want to
convert, then click on Convert Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk. (see
screenshot below)

[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/238401d1351195921-convertdynamic-disk-basic-disk-pw-2.jpg]

F) Click on OK. (see screenshot below)

G) Click on the blue Apply check mark toolbar button at the top right
corner, and click on Yes. (see screenshot below)

[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/238403d1351195921-convertdynamic-disk-basic-disk-pw-4.jpg]

H) If prompted to restart, click on Restart Now. (see screenshot below)

NOTE: This is normal if the dynamic disk you wanted to convert to basic is
the disk that the currently running Windows is installed on.

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[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/238404d1351195921-convertdynamic-disk-basic-disk-pw-5.jpg]

4. When finished, the selected dynamic disc will now be converted to a basic disk

without losing any data on it.

OPTION TWO
Convert Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk using Free "EaseUS Partition Master Home Edition"

WARNING: Even though you will not lose the data on the dynamic disk when you use this
option to convert the dynamic disk back to a basic disk, be sure to backup any data on the
dynamic disk that you wish to keep first just to be safe in case something happens. Say a power
outage while in the middle of converting the disk.
1. If you have not already, you will need to download and install the free EaseUS

Partition Master Home Edition [http://www.partition-tool.com/landing/home-download.htm]

program.
2. Run EaseUS Partition Master Home Edition, and click on the Disk# box to the

left of the dynamic disk you want to convert to basic to select it. (see screenshot
below)
Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk-easeus-1.jpg [http://www.sevenforums.com
/attachments/tutorials/226811d1345180123-convert-dynamic-disk-basic-disk-easeus-1.jpg]

3. Click on the Convert to basic disk option at the top left under Operations. (see

screenshot above)
4. Click on OK. (see screenshot below)

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Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk-easeus-2.jpg

[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/226812d1345180123-convert-dynamicdisk-basic-disk-easeus-2.jpg]

5. Click on the Apply check mark button. (see screenshot below)

Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk-easeus-3.jpg

[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/226813d1345180123-convert-dynamicdisk-basic-disk-easeus-3.jpg]

6. Click on Yes. (see screenshot below)

Name: EaseUS-4.jpg Views: 43174 Size: 19.6 KB

7. Click on Yes. (see screenshot below)

Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk-easeus-5.jpg

[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/226815d1345180123-convert-dynamicdisk-basic-disk-easeus-5.jpg]

8. The computer will now restart a couple of times as EaseUS Partition Master

Home Edition applies converting the dynamic disc to basic at boot.

9. When it's finished and you are started back in Windows, the dynamic disk will now

be converted back as a basic disk with all of the data still on it. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This is a view of the converted disk in Disk Manager (diskmgmt.msc).
Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk-easeus-6.jpg
[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/226816d1345180132-convert-dynamicdisk-basic-disk-easeus-6.jpg]

OPTION THREE
To Convert Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk using Disk Management

WARNING: Be sure to read the red WARNING box above. You will lose all data on the dynamic
disk using this option.
1. Open the Control Panel (icons view) [http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/262-control-panelview-home-all-items.html] , and click on the Administrative Tools icon, then close the

Control Panel window.

2. Click on Computer Management in Administrative Tools, then close the

Administrative Tools window.

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3. If prompted by UAC [http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/299-user-account-control-uac-changenotification-settings.html] , click on Yes.

4. In the left pane under Storage, click on Disk Management. (See screenshot

below)

[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/29839d1254215174-convert-dynamicdisk-basic-disk-step1.jpg]

5. In the dynamic disk (ex: Disk 1) that you want to convert to a basic disk, right click

on each volume on the disk and click on Delete Volume until the whole disk is
unallocated space. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: If prompted, click on Yes to continue deleting the volume(s).
6. If the disk (ex: Disk 1) that you want to convert to a basic disk is still displayed has

being Dynamic (left side under Disk #), then right click on the disk (ex: Disk 1) and
click on Convert to Basic Disk if available. (See screenshot below)

[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/29840d1254215174-convert-dynamicdisk-basic-disk-step2.jpg]

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7. You can also confirm that the disk is a basic disk if it's displayed has being Basic

(left side under Disk #), or if you right click on the disk # and it has Convert to Dynamic
Disk [http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26823-convert-basic-disk-dynamic-disk.html] instead now.
(See screenshot below)

[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/29841d1254215174-convert-dynamicdisk-basic-disk-step3.jpg]

8. You can now create partitions [http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2674-partition-volume-createnew.html] on the now basic disk if you like.

9. When done, close Disk Management.

OPTION FOUR
To Convert Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk using "Clean" Command

WARNING: Be sure to read the red WARNING box above. You will lose all data on the dynamic
disk using this option.
1. Use the Clean command in the tutorial below on the dynamic disk that you want to

wipe out and convert to be a basic disk.

NOTE: You could also use the Clean all command for this as well, but it will take much
longer to do since it also does a secure erase.
How to Clean or Clean All a Disk with the Diskpart Command
[http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html]

2. You can now create partitions [http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2674-partition-volume-createnew.html] on the now basic disk if you like.

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OPTION FIVE
To Convert Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk using "Delete Volume" Command

WARNING: Be sure to read the red WARNING box above. You will lose all data on the dynamic
disk using this option.1. Open a elevated command prompt [http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials
/783-elevated-command-prompt.html] .
A) Go to step 3.
OR
2. Open a command prompt at boot [http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/682-command-prompt-startup.html] .

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[http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/29842d1254215174-convert-dynamic-disk-basicdisk-command_basic.jpg]

3. In the command prompt, type diskpart and press enter. (See screenshot above)
4. Type list disk and press enter.

NOTE: Make note of the disk number (ex: Disk 1) that you want to convert to a basic disk.
5. Type select disk # and press enter.

NOTE: Substitute # with the actual disk number that you want to convert to a dynamic disk. For
example, select disk 1.
6. Type detail disk and press enter.

NOTE: This will give you a list of all the volume numbers on the selected disk number that you will

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need to delete in steps 7 and 8 below.

A) If you do not have any volumes listed, then you can go to step 10.
7. Type select volume # and press enter.

NOTE: Substitute # with a volume number listed in step 6. For example, select volume 3.
8. Type delete volume and press enter.
9. Repeat steps 7 an 8 for each volume # listed in step 6 until you have deleted all volume #'s.
10. When done, type select disk # and press enter.

NOTE: You would use the same one from step 5 above. For example, select disk 1.
11. Type convert basic and press enter.
12. When done, type exit and press enter.
13. Close the command prompt.
14. You can now create partitions [http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2674-partition-volume-create-new.html] on
the now basic disk if you like.
NOTE: Restart the computer if you did step 2 instead.

Posted 6th December 2012 by Vishal Mevada

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