Convert to dynamic disk?

[HeXploiT]

What's the option under disk management that says 'convert to dynamic disk'? I don't have raid but it almost sounds like xp can fake a raid array or something. What is this feature?

 

[NesuD]

Here you go everything you might want to know about dynamic disks can be found right here. Probably more than you may want to know.
Windows Xp resource kit-Dynamic disks

 

[HeXploiT]

So in a nutshell, although i don't have raid, xp can take my two identical drives that already have data on them and turn them into a striped array that would be identical to a true raid array? Yes?

 

[Pariah]

Yes, with the minor added detail that when you are done creating the array, your 2 drives will have data on them identical to when you bought them, ie... none.

 

[superkdogg]

That and "striped" is the key word. It can't do Raid 1. Also limited because the CPU overhead of software raid basically balances out the speed increase (which is negligible anyway for desktop use).

There's also the risk of one drive failing and destroying all the data on both drives. I had a nasty crash using a "spanned" volume on two dynamic disks. That's when XP takes chunks of each disk and calls them by one letter and makes the two chunks look like one partition. Anyway-it crashed and because it was a dynamic disk the usual data recovery tricks wouldn't work and everything that was on there was lost. Thank God for backups.

 

[Zepper]

How badly can static partitioning/formatting get messed up under Windwoes - then just imagine how badly they can get messed up with dynamic parameters... GAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! :shocked:

.bh.

 

[HeXploiT]

Originally posted by: superkdogg
That and "striped" is the key word. It can't do Raid 1. Also limited because the CPU overhead of software raid basically balances out the speed increase (which is negligible anyway for desktop use).

That doesn't make any sense to me. It may be 'software' raid but it's still using two disks and has twice the buffer(if you have identical disks). As far as speed goes i don't see how you can say it balances out. And the the danger of a striped array...well that goes without saying and it's the same with a true raid setup. Yes i can imagine things going wrong with ms dynamic disks however it seems to me that if you have a stable machine and speed is what you want, as long as you're consistant about backing up the speed increase could be well worth it.
I think i'll be giving it a go with my twin 80gb 5400rpm 2mb buffer seagates this week.

 

[superkdogg]

Read this

It takes CPU cycles to calculate the tearing in half of everything you write and splitting it into two drives. You'll have a small increase in read performance, but writing is roughly the same IIRC and it takes CPU power to split the data. That's why the overhead prevents you from getting the full theoritical value of RAID 0.

You don't have to listen, it is after all your stuff and you can do it if you want to. I was just pointing out that MS raid is not the best answer for anybody with two identical hard drives.

 

[newParadigm]

does anyone know what software to use to ghost a dynamic ide drive to a SATA drive.

woops i posted this into the wrong thread, but i guess it doesnt matter, does anyone know?

~new

 

[corkyg]

The only way to do that is to put it in a non-dynamic mode, i.e., so the software that makes it dynamic isn't running. So far, I see no advantage to such a drive whatsoever.