Windows 7 - Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk

   Information

A disk is a separate physical hard drive. This will show you how to convert a dynamic, also known as "software RAID", disk to a basic disk in Windows Disk Manager or in a command prompt. By default Windows uses Basic disks.

Basic and dynamic disks both support using MBR and GPT partition (volume) styles.

For more detailed information on basic and dynamic disks, see: Basic and Dynamic Disks (Windows)

   Note

Differences Between Basic and Dynamic Disks:

• Basic disks are supported (readable) by all Windows operating systems since MS-DOS.
  • Dynamic disks are only supported (readable) by Windows 2000, XP Professional, Windows Server 2003, Vista Ultimate, Vista Enterprise, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008.
• Basic disks can have up to 128 GPT primary partitions, or 4 MBR primary partitions or 3 MBR primary partitions and 1 extended partition with up to 128 logical volumes in the extended partition.
  • Dynamic disks can have up to 2000 dynamic volumes that function like a primary partition used in basic disks.
• Basic disks cannot share or split data with other primary or logical partitions, or basic disks. Each partitiion on a basic disk is treated as if it was a separate hard disk on the basic disk.
  • Separate dynamic disks can be combined into a single dynamic volume (spanning), split data among several dynamic disks (striping) for increased performance, or duplicate data among several dynamic disks (mirroring) for increased reliability.
• Hard disks are basic disks by default, including removable disks and disks on a laptop (notepad).
  • Removable disks cannot be converted to a dynamic disk.

   Warning

VERY IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ THIS FIRST.

• You must be a administrator to do this in Windows.
• Before you convert a dynamic disk to a basic disk, be sure to backup anything that you do not want to lose on that dynamic disk. Converting the dynamic disk back to a basic disk requires that all dynamic volumes are deleted on the disk first.
• If you disable the Disk Defragmenter service, then you will get the error below when you try to do anything in Disk Management. If you get this error, then make sure that the Disk Defragmenter service is set to only Manual.

WARNING:

1. Open the Control Panel (All Items view), and click on the Administrative Tools icon, then close the Control Panel window.

2. Click on Computer Management in Administrative Tools, then close the Administrative Tools window.

3. If prompted by UAC, click on Yes.

4. In the left pane under Storage, click on Disk Management. (See screenshot below)

5. In the dynamic disk (ex: Disk 1) that you want to convert to a basic disk, right click on each volume on the disk and click on Delete Volume until the whole disk is unallocated space. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: If prompted, click on Yes to continue deleting the volume(s).

6. If the disk (ex: Disk 1) that you want to convert to a basic disk is still displayed has being Dynamic (left side under Disk #), then right click on the disk (ex: Disk 1) and click on Convert to Basic Disk if available. (See screenshot below)

7. You can also confirm that the disk is a basic disk if it's displayed has being Basic (left side under Disk #), or if you right click on the disk # and it has Convert to Dynamic Disk instead now. (See screenshot below)

8. You can now create partitions on the now basic disk if you like.

9. When done, close Disk Management.

WARNING:

1. Use the Clean command in the tutorial below on the dynamic disk that you want to wipe out and convert to be a basic disk.
NOTE: You could also use the Clean all command for this as well, but it will take much longer to do since it also does a secure erase.

How to Clean or Clean All a Disk with the Diskpart Command

2. You can now create partitions on the now basic disk if you like.

WARNING:

1. Open a elevated command prompt.

A) Go to step 3.

OR

2. Open a command prompt at boot.

3. In the command prompt, type diskpart and press enter. (See screenshot above)

4. Type list disk and press enter.
NOTE: Make note of the disk number (ex: Disk 1) that you want to convert to a basic disk.

5. Type select disk # and press enter.
NOTE: Substitute # with the actual disk number that you want to convert to a dynamic disk. For example, select disk 1.

6. Type detail disk and press enter.
NOTE: This will give you a list of all the volume numbers on the selected disk number that you will need to delete in steps 7 and 8 below.

A) If you do not have any volumes listed, then you can go to step 10.

7. Type select volume # and press enter.
NOTE: Substitute # with a volume number listed in step 6. For example, select volume 3.

8. Type delete volume and press enter.

9. Repeat steps 7 an 8 for each volume # listed in step 6 until you have deleted all volume #'s.

10. When done, type select disk # and press enter.
NOTE: You would use the same one from step 5 above. For example, select disk 1.

11. Type convert basic and press enter.

12. When done, type exit and press enter.

13. Close the command prompt.

14. You can now create partitions on the now basic disk if you like.
NOTE: Restart the computer if you did step 2 instead.

WARNING:

1. Open the Control Panel (All Items view), and click on the Administrative Tools icon, then close the Control Panel window.

2. Click on Computer Management in Administrative Tools, then close the Administrative Tools window.

3. If prompted by UAC, click on Yes.

4. In the left pane under Storage, click on Disk Management. (see screenshot below)

5. In the dynamic disk (ex: Disk 0) that you want to convert to a basic disk, right click on each volume on the disk and click on Delete Volume until the whole disk is unallocated space. (see screenshot above)
NOTE: If prompted, click on Yes to continue deleting the volume(s).

   Warning

DO NOT DELETE this dyanamic disk if this disk contains the currently running Windows 7, and is the only operating system you have installed on your computer.

In this case, you would have to use a "pay for" version of Partition Wizard Professional Edition or some other program that has the feature to convert a dynamic disk to basic disk without losing data included.

6. When finished, close Disk Management.

   Warning

It is extremely important to not save anything on this now deleted "unallocated space" disk. If you do, you risk not being able to recover the data on it.

7. If you have not already, you will need to download and install the free Partition Wizard Home Edition program.

8. Open Partition Wizard Home Edition, and click on the Partition Recovery Wizard link in the right pane. (see screenshot below)

9. Click on Next. (see screenshot below)

10. Select the Unallocted disk that use to be the dynamic disk, and click on Next. (see screenshot below)

11. Select (dot) Full Disk, and click on Next. (see screenshot below)

12. Select (dot) Quick Scan, and click on Next. (see screenshot below)

13. When it's finished, check all found partition boxes, and click on Finish. (see screenshot below)

14. At the bottom left corner of the left pane, click on the Apply button. (see screenshot below)

15. Click on Yes. (see screenshot below)

16. When it's finished, click on OK. (see screenshot below)

17. Close Partition Wizard Home Edition.

18. Restart the computer to have the deleted dynamic disk restored as a primary disk now with all of the data still on it.