How can I delete a protected dynamic disc partition


  1. snaylor
    Posts : 3
    Windows 7 32bit
       New #1

    How can I delete a protected dynamic disc partition


    I am running a custom built PC with a 120GB SSD for boot and a 1TB HDD. I accidently made my HDD a dynamic drive and am trying to convert it back to the basic format. To do so i understand I have to delete all of its partitions/volumes I did that successfully for the large 931.41 GB but the other "system reserved" 100 MB part is undeletable. I have tried 3rd party applications, device manager, and the diskpart commands. Nothing seems to work because it has 'boot data' but it actually does not.
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  3. ignatzatsonic
    Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       New #2

    snaylor said:
    but the other "system reserved" 100 MB part is undeletable. I have tried 3rd party applications, device manager, and the diskpart commands. Nothing seems to work because it has 'boot data' but it actually does not.
    What makes you think System Reserved does not have boot data?

    Ideally, System Reserved would be on the SSD, not the HDD, but you did something that caused it to be placed on the HDD.

    Can you post a screen shot of Windows Disk Management?
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  4. snaylor
    Posts : 3
    Windows 7 32bit
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    Well I initially set up the computer on the SSD and only after the OS was installed did I mess around with the HDD. Unless making a HDD dynamic just adds boot data. screen shot attached.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails How can I delete a protected dynamic disc partition-capture.png  
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  6. ignatzatsonic
    Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       New #4

    System Reserved on disk 1, the dynamic disk, does in fact contain boot data. Note that it is marked "system" in your pic.

    My guess is that you installed Windows to the SSD while the HDD was still connected. A common mistake.

    You need to get System Reserved onto the SSD.

    I think the standard way to do that is to disconnect the HDD and then run System Repair from your installation disc 3 times.

    After you do that, take another look at Windows Disk Management. You should see that the "system" flag is now on the SSD and you should then be able to boot from the SSD with the HDD totally unconnected.

    Once you can boot from the SSD alone, you should then be able to convert the HDD from dynamic to basic.
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  7. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       New #5

    You got a little problem there. As it stands you cannot boot that system because the bootmgr is in the dynamic partition.

    Use the PW422 to reconvert the dynamic partition to a primary. Make sure it is primary, active.

    You can also try what Ignatz says. But then you have to first make the C partition active. The tutorial you need is this one: Startup Repair
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  8. snaylor
    Posts : 3
    Windows 7 32bit
    Thread Starter
       New #6

    Well I tried disconnecting the HDD and use startup repair 3 or more times, but to no avail. And since I did it before your comment whs, I cannot get back into my system. So I'll have to reinstall Windows.
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  10. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       New #7

    Normal behavior:

    1. If C is not active, startup/repair does nothing.

    2. If the partition with the bootmgr is dynamic, it will not boot.

    You were too fast. Sorry you did not get the instructions in time.
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