Made a dynamic disk by mistake when I attempted to install vista

Doug B · 14 Mar 2011

Here's what I am up against. I suspect Widows 7 us corrupt and even with the restore I still have problems. Anyway, for giggles, I wanted to install Vista Professional on a partition as a dual boot and see how it does with Vista. Forget all that why business.

When I create a partition F:, it makes it a dynamic partition and when I attempt to install vista, it says it cannot install on a dynamic volume.

C is of course the main drive
D is the OEM recovery
E is the CD/DVD
F is the new drive.

I made F 12gb but it shows up as dynamic.

How do I get past this?

By the way this is a laptop so no second hard drive can be installed (or if it can, it's not a viable option).

SIW2 · 14 Mar 2011

Please post a screenshot of Disk Management window.

Doug B · 15 Mar 2011

Hope this gets loaded. I ended up making an image before I monkeyed around too much and glad I did. When I reloaded the image, the partition was removed. Anyway, I did it again.

Thanks so much for replying and helping.

Brink · 15 Mar 2011

Hello Doug, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The problem was that you already had 4 primary partitions on that disk. This is why it wanted to convert the disk to Dynamic when you created the F partition. However, Vista will not install to a dynamic volume like that.

You may be able to use OPTION FOUR in the tutorial below to convert the disk back to a "Basic" disc without losing anything. Be sure to backup anything that you do not want to lose to be safe though.

Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk

Hope this helps for now,
Shawn

gregrocker · 15 Mar 2011

You'll need Partition Wizard version 4.2 home edition to do this for free as in the new version it is a paid feature: partition wizard 4.2 free.zip - Windows Live#

Bare Foot Kid · 15 Mar 2011

Hello Doug B, welcome to Seven Forums!

If you get it back to a Basic disk and need to create additional storage space, using the same Partition Wizard, have a look at Method Two of this tutorial at the link below and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

Partition / Extended : Logical Drives

Brink · 15 Mar 2011

gregrocker said:

You'll need Partition Wizard version 4.2 home edition to do this for free as in the new version it is a paid feature: partition wizard 4.2 free.zip - Windows Live#

Hello Greg,

Just for pure FYI only. :)

The older Partition Wizard 4.2 Home edition would be ideal and easier, but OPTION FOUR in the tutorial will allow you to use the latest version of Partition Wizard to do the same using a different way.

SIW2 · 15 Mar 2011

Deleting then using a partition undelete has been around a very long time.

It is not entirely safe, tho.

Undelete tools have improved over the years - pw seems pretty good, Paragon undelete is excellent, Acronis have probably improved theirs, too.

There is unlikely to be an issue - but if there is - it could be a major problem unless all the data has been backed up/imaged.

The same is true of any kind of conversion app. also.

Doug B · 16 Mar 2011

I guess the problem is, it says I cant work on the disk that has the operating system on. I only have the option to repair windows 7 (no installation disk) so I have no way to reinstall windows 7 without buying another copy. I may be in over my head.

I did install vista and it wiped everything out. That's when I put the image back on and now it's back to having 7, however the image changes the disk partitions too so I am back to square 1. I want to have the 7 on here.

If I go back in history, the problem is the computer locks up all the time. No matter what programs are installed, no matter what is running, I have done memory tests, removed software, reinstalled software. I am stuck between a hardware or windows 7 problem. If it will run on XP or Vista, then I will know it's a windows 7 problem. If it hangs with vista, then I must have a hardware issue.

So, the whole reason to have dual boot is so I can see where the problem is.

Ive done all the virus, malware, testing. Its done this since I bought it (It was for my wife until she had enough and made me give her mine).

Bare Foot Kid · 16 Mar 2011

Whichever OS, Windows 7 or Vista, the information below will work to get a clean install using either OS so you could start fresh; the preferred method would be to do a complete wipe of the entire HDD first, using the last tutorial listed below.

After you have copied out or made back-ups of the data you need to save to external media; if you can find an exact Windows version that the PC shipped with you can do a clean install using the activation key on the COA sticker attached to the PC though it may require a robo-call to MS to sort the OEM batch-key.

How to Activate Windows 7 by Phone

If you can't find an exact same version, you could use the info in this tutorial to create an "all versions" installer of any version Windows installer, to install using the same method I posted above.

Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc - Create

After you have made backups of everything you care to save, the best method is to do a complete wipe (secure erase) of the entire Hard Disk Drive first, it over-writes everything, all the old Windows code including all the old drivers/programs, giving you the best possible space to install Windows to.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation