Converting dynamic disk back to a basic disk

OK here's my situation. I've got windows vista ultimate installed on my computer and I accidentally converted my one and only hard drive into a dynamic disk. I did a little research and found dskprobe.exe, but thing of it is it doesn't see the physical drive nor will it let me open the logical C: drive. What can be done to convert it back to a basic drive with out loosing all my data? Or would this work: Shrink the Vista partition down enough to create a linux partition, migrate the files I want to save onto the linux partition, reinstall Vista, migrate the files from the linux partition back to the new vista install, remove the linux partition and finally expand the vista partition back to it's regular size. P.S. A quick question that is off topic: When upgrading to vista without a key when I go to buy the key does it need to be an upgrade key or a installation key/

What can be done to convert it back to a basic drive with out loosing all my data?

Unfortunately no "tool" programs I'm aware-of will do that. You need an Absolute Disk Editor to do that

Or would this work: Shrink the Vista partition down enough to create a linux partition, migrate the files I want to save onto the linux partition, reinstall Vista, migrate the files from the linux partition back to the new vista install, remove the linux partition and finally expand the vista partition back to it's regular size.

here are some instructions for the program and how to use it.

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=3463

Tallon41

I did what you said and I check compouter management and It's saying that the disk is invalid. It gives me the option to convert the disk to basic. and it says that all the infomation on it will be lost. Does this include the operating system or just any programs and files I've put on.

Don't 'convert' it, you will lose everything on the disk same as before. at the least you can put it back the way it was, though I've never tried to go back, never needed to. Though those instructions are not mine, I have used them before w/o any problems. This disk was an NTFS formatted disk right ? I can't imagine why it wouldn't be… so you edited the disk and rebooted, ran CHKDSK /F how long did the CHKDSK take to finish ? [instructions for running CHKDSK After the computer restarts, click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK. On the command line, type CHKDSK /F ] Tallon41 [did you have bit-locker turned on perhaps ? ]

I did hit convert to basic. It came up as an empty hard drive but after I restarted everything is back to normal so thank you for your help.

In Windows, it is easy to the conversion of basic disk to dynamic disk, but convert dynamic disk to basic disk very annoying.

it seems that After you change a basic disk to a dynamic disk, the dynamic disk cannot be changed directly to the basic disk without third-party tools in case.

There are the three ways to complete this work for you:
Convert to basic disk via deleting all volumes on the dynamic disk.
Convert to basic disk via using Partition Recovery Software.
Convert to basic disk by using Dynamic Disk Converter.

here is the link of the article, hope it help you more or less: How to Convert dynamic disk to basic disk?

You replied to a thread that's a year old, but in this case it's appropriate as it provides a possible solution. Thanks for the information.

Convert dynamic disk to basic one can be realized with the disk management tool but the all the data on the disk will lost and it is a high risk of danger.
To clone the disk the dynamic disk to a basic one and then convert it will be another safe method and here is a detailed instruction:Convert dynamic disk without data loss

Hi Garywu.. Thanks for the link.

But, I have one BIG question… The instructions on that site could not possibly work for 99% of users because you cannot delete LIVE, IN-USE volumes that would contain your Windows operating system, as the instructions seem to suggest when it says to delete each dynamic volume on the disk.

I must also point out that the instructions you provide are copied from the instructions that Fast Fish provided, which also will not work for 99% of users. The link provided by Fast Fish provides "screenshots" identical to that of yours. By looking closely, they appear to be showing you how to delete the I:, F:, and C: volumes before converting back to basic. This would seem, to the untrained eye, that the instructions appear to be showing you how to convert your system disk back to basic. However, upon second look, it is clear the disk they are operating on is labeled "Disk 1." Disk 1 is NOT the first disk in the computer (Disk 0 is), and therefore IS NOT the live disk containing the currently running Windows operating system as would be the case for the OP of this thread and 99% of other users with the same question.

To sum things up.. A dynamic disk cannot be converted back to basic without losing all the data. Enough said. And, a dynamic disk cannot be converted using the currently installed Windows operating system if the drive to be converted is the one containing the operating system. No third party utilities are needed and certainly do not need to be purchased.

I question if the links provided might actually be an attempt to get users to buy a related product advertised on the page?

To dynamic disk back to a basic disk, here is a detailed instruction: http://www.articlesbase.com/operating-syst…ta-1215239.html
Maybe it can help you more.

I faced the same problem as you before, here; I shared my solution about convert dynamic disk to basic disk with you. It only takes you several seconds to finish it. You can have a try and know if it fits your problem and request.

i know that in windows disk management a dynamic disk can not be converted to a basic one without formatting. so be careful when it comes to dynamic disk.
first backup the whole disk in case something wrong when u are converting, and better to get a third party partition tool to do the job.
here's a recommended free partition manager, hope it can help.