Urgent Help Needed- Converting Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk

[wangy26]

I am in desperate need for your help.
I just bought a new HP laptop (Envy 14) with Window 7 home on it. The hard drive has 500 GB capacity and has 4 partitions already on it.
1. System (199 MB, it does not have drive letter)
2. Partition C
3. Recovery (partition D, 16 GB)
4. HP_Tools (partition E, 103 MB)
I want to partition drive C into 2 parts: one small capacity for all system file and program file, the one large capacity for all data files. I have done this in my previous computers with Window XP and without any problems. I used free software “Partition Wizard Home Edition” to do it.
My computer still runs fine except I just realize that all partitions now become dynamic disk. I don’t know how it happened. When I try to run Acronis True Image software to create backup image it won’t even see the disk.
Here is the screen shot of my HD current configuration: Partition G is the new one I created for data file.


I read through the posts on this forum and I am still not sure what my options are at this point.
1. If I want to create image backup for the whole system using Acronis True Image or some other software, do I have to converting the dynamic disk to basic disk to do that?
2. I read tutorial on how to convert dynamic disk to basic disk. It seems to me that wouldrequire deleting the current disk and all files on it. I have already installed a lot of software on the computer. I really don’t want to reinstall them if I don’t have to. I only have small amount of data on it now. So back up data is not the problem. But reinstall all the software would be a huge headache. Is there anyway of converting the dynamic disk to basic disk without deleting the file or formatting the disk? If so, please provide instruction.
3. If I understand correctly from the posts in this forum basic disk only allows 3 primary partitions. Since HP has already used up these partitions I need to delete one of these partitions. Which one should I delete and how to do it?
Your help is urgently needed!!! This computer is for my daughter to bring to college and she will leave soon.

 

[profdlp]

There is a tutorial here which may be of help:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26829-convert-dynamic-disk-basic-disk.html

It is late here and this is the kind of thing I like to think through for a while before acting. It's better - and easier - to do it right the first time than try to undo a goof later on. You sound like you are being (very sensibly) cautious, so I'd recommend waiting for some other ideas before acting. I'll throw some ideas out there to get you started.

Do you have an external USB hard drive you can use to copy partitions to?

A quick look at the HP_Tools partition leads me to believe that it might be a candidate for deletion, but I'd check that before acting further. Unless HP gave you several DVDs worth of recovery discs, I'd say that the recovery partition is the only thing standing between you and having to possibly order a set of discs should something go wrong along the way. Does the laptop have a program for making your own set of recovery discs? If so, I'd do that now.

Someone else is likely to come along with some better ideas, but hopefully this will get you started.

 

[waaromikniet]

How can you delete all volumes if one of the volumes is the one that runs windows? If I reinstall Windows and delete all volumes and recreate them during installation is my disk then basic?

 

[Arc]

How can you delete all volumes if one of the volumes is the one that runs windows? If I reinstall Windows and delete all volumes and recreate them during installation is my disk then basic?

That is the easiest solution .... but dont forget to copy your personal files in some external storage . In the previous thread I told you to use partition wizard bootable CD , not partition wizard home . The bootable CD gives you more control on your partitions .

EDIT : Sorry I confused you with that guy : khawar