Windows 7 - Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk

Yes, I think a hex editor would do the job as well, but maybe more difficult. Unfortunately, I had to convert my boot disk back to basic, so I needed an alternative boot OS with some kind of a hex editor on it.
As these linux commands I used will take care of this, it's just simpler, and you will have more tools on the CD like a partition editor. Linux fans will probably consider to use a Knoppix live CD.

Hirens Boot CD has DOS, mini XP and linux (live boot) environments on it.
Under the mini XP is a Hex editor which I use all the time "HxD".

I've followed the instructions in guide to the letter but I still can't get my disk back to Basic. All the options in the Disk Manager and Partition Wizard 4.2 are greyed out. I was able to format the dynamic drive using a Windows 7 install DVD but even then I couldn't delete the volume and the disk remains Dynamic. When I try using the elevated command prompt I get this error:



The same error occurs when I tried Clean or Clean All. This disk has always been used for storing data, I have never installed an OS on it. The only thing that I can think of that might explain why the system is locking the disk is that the Disk Manager is showing the Page File is on the Dynamic Disk. My primary disk with Windows 7 is a 60GB SSD and I have 32GB of RAM. Should I just move the page file to the SSD? Better yet should I just disable virtual memory entirely? This is my first new computer in about 8 years so I never really had to think about these things. I vaguely remember how to move the page file in XP but I've never tried it in Win 7. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hello Lemut, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Could you post a screenshot of your Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) window showing the layout of all of your HDDs first? This way we will be able to give you a more accurate option to use or try.

Yep, you are correcy. The error you are getting indicates that the HDD you are trying to delete/format/etc.. is a "system" drive, and that is why it will not letting you.

The tutorial below can help show you how to make sure that system protection is not turned on for the HDD that you are trying to delete.

System Protection - Turn On or Off

The tutorial below can help show you how to make sure that you do not have a page file, or to remove the page file, for the HDD that you are trying to delete.

Virtual Memory Paging File - Change - Vista Forums

Hope this helps for now,
Shawn

Thanks for the quick response Brink! I ended up doing a little research on my own and just disabled virtual memory. That fixed the problem immediately and I was able to convert it back to Basic in Disk Management. For the time being I'm just going to leave virtual memory off entirely. Its odd, this the first time I've ever seen Windows move the page file to another disk on its own. I guess the SSD is too small. Still, I wonder why it didn't choose my other disk as it runs almost twice as fast as the one it chose. Oh well, chalk it up to the ghost in the machine. Thanks for all the help!

You're most welcome Lemut. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.