Windows 7: Partitions on Win 7 laptop

Yesterday I bought a Samsung laptop with Win 7.

During the installation of Win 7 I got asked if I wanted 2 partitions – I wanted more but said yes. Normally in XP I would then start up Partition Magic and add the rest of my partitions.

But what came out was the enclosed attachment. This is the first time I have ever heard of Dynamic (disc). Not understanding why I could not add any further partition apart from the installed C and D and the E which I did add, I went back to the shop who happily told me that laptop Dynamic discs cannot be converted to Basic!

Now I don’t understand the purpose of the Dynamic disc and why during installation only Basic can’t be installed.

I am perhaps not explaining this very well but hope some one can put me out my misery either confirming or denying what the shop said and if it is possible to change to Basic what would be the best program to do this would be.

My thanks

Dave

Have a looky here pal Difference Between Basic and Dynamic Disks

Why didn't you use the partitioning tool in the Windows 7 installer?

When you get to the part about where to install, there's a "more options" button that allows you to trash your old partitions, create new ones, format etc, before you install...

There is also a partitioning tool in the XP, installer...

You also could have made the Windows 7 partition the size you wanted it to be in the long run and made the secondary partition the size of all other partitions put together. Once you get into Windows 7 you just use Partition Wizard to split the secondary disk.

Was this a Samsung installer app which (possibly) boxed you into Dynamic disk? I would call them and insist they undo it, help you reconfigure as you want it, or RMA the machine.

The best approach is to use Windows 7 Disk Management for pre-installs to shrink as necessary, then for what it can't do (without risk) use free Partiton Wizard bootable CD which we have found works best for Windows 7, having never failed in helping 100+ Resizing/Moving/Conversion operations here.

If you want to take it on yourself, you can remove the data and convert the disk - others may know better but I have never heard of a Dynamic disk than cannot be converted to Basic. Then reinstall from a clean copy of Windows 7 with the partitioning you want, activating with the key on the COA sticker.

My thanks to all who replied to my query. I am now enlightened, perhaps to late!

CommonTater wrote:
Why didn't you use the partitioning tool in the Windows 7 installer?

When you get to the part about where to install, there's a "more options" button that allows you to trash your old partitions, create new ones, format etc, before you install...

Simple answer to your question is that I didn't know you could do that and of course didn't look further than the end of my nose.

Gregrocker wrote:
Was this a Samsung installer app which (possibly) boxed you into Dynamic disk? I would call them and insist they undo it, help you reconfigure as you want it, or RMA the machine.

The best approach is to use Windows 7 Disk Management for pre-installs to shrink as necessary, then for what it can't do (without risk) use free Partiton Wizard bootable CD which we have found works best for Windows 7, having never failed in helping 100+ Resizing/Moving/Conversion operations here.

If you want to take it on yourself, you can remove the data and convert the disk - others may know better but I have never heard of a Dynamic disk than cannot be converted to Basic. Then reinstall from a clean copy of Windows 7 with the partitioning you want, activating with the key on the COA sticker.

Whilst I can't be certain it was the Samsung installer that put Win 7 on the computer, I assume then that that maybe was why I missed the various options.

I shall ring the Samsung Tech department tomorrow to see what advice they can offer and I will report back as, when and if Samsung help out here.

Cheers

Dave