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Windows 7: Convert Dynamic to Basic disk

15 Oct 2011   #1

Windows 7 Ultimate x86
Looking through your window
 
 
Convert Dynamic to Basic disk

I'm trying to install Windows Vista on a separate 50GB partition which is dynamic (A brownish-yellow color in Disk Management) but Windows Vista doesn't accept this unlike 7 so I'm trying to convert it to a Basic Partition (Blue in DM) anybody knows how to do this. Please tell me, P.S I cant format my main hard disk, only the partition TIA



More Info:
I was partitioning when I clicked some I dont know but it turned yellow I but I didnt really care because I didnt know what it ment so i didnt care but I now I cant convert them.
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15 Oct 2011   #2

ME/XP/Vista/Win7
uk Hampshire
 
 

Make sure you backup first.
Take look at this tutorial:
Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk
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15 Oct 2011   #3
whs

Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
Florida in winter, Black Forest/Germany
 
 

Your problem probably was that you had 4 primary partitions when you tried to create an additional partition. I suggest you post a full snip of your Disk Management so that we can give you best advice what to do.
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15 Oct 2011   #4

Win7 x 6 PC's
California, Florida, Boston
 
 

Use free Partition Wizard bootable CD v. 4.2 or lower to get Convert Dynamic>Basic still as a free option: pw422.zip ISO - Windows Live

This converts the entire HD so you'll need to remove all but 3 Primary and one Logical extended (with as many subpartitions as you want) or 4 Primary which is the limit on Basic Disks.
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15 Oct 2011   #5
whs

Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
Florida in winter, Black Forest/Germany
 
 

Greg. He probably has to remove the newly created partition. But then, instead of "removing" more partitions, could he no just convert one of the primaries to logical - e.g. C: -- that is the reason why I asked for a Disk Management snip so that we can see how bad his problem is.
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15 Oct 2011   #6

Windows 7 Ultimate x86
Looking through your window
 
 

Here is a photo of my DM side by side with My Computer




And...

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15 Oct 2011   #7
whs

Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
Florida in winter, Black Forest/Germany
 
 

This is interesting. You have only 3 partitions on Disk0. How did you get yourself into the Dynamics bind.
Try what Greg posted with Partition Wizard.
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15 Oct 2011   #8

Win7 x 6 PC's
California, Florida, Boston
 
 

Is that a Windows 7 Recovery partition and Installation on C which you now want to overwrite with Vista? Why?

If this is the case then I would make my Windows 7 Recovery Disks and wipe the entire HD using Diskpart to convert it back to Basic, since The Recov Partition won't run after Vista install anyway. SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

If you instead want to Dual Boot Vista with Windows 7, then try the non-destructive Conversion using PW 4.2 CD, rightclick C to Resize making space for a New Logical partition upon which to install Vista, same as here: Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista

However I would wipe the HD since the Recov partition isn't going to run anyway and the 100mb System Reserved was cut out as the boot partition by C which now holds the System boot files, and is useless too.

Normally we see split disks Basic/Dynamic when a manufacturer retains Primaries because they need to boot - 100mb to boot Windows 7 and Recov to take Active when it's hotkey is triggered at boot.
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21 Oct 2011   #9

Windows 7 Ultimate x86
Looking through your window
 
 

I tried the Partition Wizard .iso but I have a laptop, so I tried to put on my 3.72GB usb by using the bootable USB way, but when I boot from it, the message says: "Remove disks or other removable media and any key to restart" Any ideas? P.S this is on my C: drive and I lose any data
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21 Oct 2011   #10

Win7 x 6 PC's
California, Florida, Boston
 
 

You should be able to convert using PW 4.2 installed version here: partition wizard 4.2 free.zip - Windows Live

We normally link to the ISO so you'll have bootable rescue media in case of failure, which is why data should be backed up. We haven't had a case of failure that I recall during this operation or any bootable PW operation, but it can fail and using the installed version is not quite as safe - plus you don't have the bootable media for rescue.

What I'd do is first write the Windows 7 ISO to flash stick if you dont' have a disk drive or already have the installer on stick - so you have rescue repair media. Use this tool with Windows 7 in Dropdown menu: Universal USB Installer – Easy as 1 2 3
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