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Converting secondary hard drive to dynamic disk

I

imported_KuJaX

Platinum Member
I have a hard drive/computer with Windows XP Pro installed. I have another hard drive that I need to back files off of. I set the secondary (need backing of files) to slave and started the system. Everything went smooth, I went into computer mangagement and I saw that the secondary hard drive did not have a drive letter assigned. I could do nothing but format the hard drive of convert it to dynamic disk.

My question is: If I convert it to dynamic disk, will all of the files still be intact? I only need to back some files off of it and then format it after doing so anyway. The "change drive letter" cannot be selected, only "delete partition" and right now the secondary hard drive does not have a drive letter (unaccessable without converting to dynamic disk)
 
You can convert to dynamic disk without losing any files. But this is a one-way process. You cannot revert back to basic.
 
Originally posted by: mharrison
You can convert to dynamic disk without losing any files. But this is a one-way process. You cannot revert back to basic.
Click to expand...

What is the difference? I am looking to format the harddrive after I get the files off I need anyway, so I assume this won't be a problem.
 
Basically dynamic disk was an idea that came and went. If you are going to reformat afterwards anyway, it shouldn't be an issue.
 
They're a requirement if you want to use software RAID, for example. They're still around, supported, etc. I'm not sure where the idea that they "came and went" came from.
 
It says "file systems on any of the disks to be converted will be dismounted" when I go to change it to dynamic disk. This smells like it might get rid of the files on it. I tried Googling it without any distinct answer.
 
**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!


taken from http://faq.arstechnica.com/link.php?i=1806
 
Originally posted by: strike101
**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!


taken from http://faq.arstechnica.com/link.php?i=1806
Click to expand...

Also the third bit is 44 not 42 🙁
 
Originally posted by: strike101
**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!


taken from http://faq.arstechnica.com/link.php?i=1806
Click to expand...


That's a procedure to change a dynamic disk back to basic. It works fine, but it isn't what the OP wants. He wants to convert a basic disk to dynamic, and has questions in doing so.

To the OP: Dismounting the disk is a normal operation and not something to worry about - it must be dismounted (ie taken offline) for the conversion process.

I'm still unclear on why you'd want to convert to dynamic in the first place, though.
 
if i understand you correctly, you see the secondary hard drive, it has no letter, but you can convert it to dynamic (this will not loose your data, but deleting the partition will! unless you end up getting data recovery software. do NOT delete the partition!!)

now, when your in computer management's disk management, the bottom right window where you saw the drive had no letter is where you can "convert to dynamic disk." right? but on the top right where you see volume, with no drive letter where the rest of the info for the hard drive is there... your saying you could right click the volume it sees up there, except on the menu the option for "change drive letter and paths" is actually grayed out?? and the other options such as "format" and "delete partition" are not grayed out? did you have some kind of goback like software on the drive you want to obtain data from? the partition on that drive you want to get data from is NTFS or FAT32 right?
 
I am having the exact same problem with a drive. All the same symptoms. I cannot figure out how to recover data off the drive
 
I'm not sure I understand - if you convert to dynamic, data isn't lost, so if that's what you want to do........
 
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