Converting Dynamic Disk back to a basic disk

Saral6978 · 16-10-2008

This is my situation - I have an old HP storageworks attached via SCSI cable
to an HP Proliant DL380, Windows 2003 SP2. When the storageworks got
migrated to this server, I accidentally converted the array to a Dynamic
disk. I have since removed all data from this volume, and the only thing
left is the System Volume Info and Recycler folders (hidden folders). I
understand the first step in converting back to basic is to delete the volume
itself (using Disk Mgmt). I attempt this step and I get the following
warning:

"The volume storage (E:) Simple volume is currently in use. To force the
deletion of this volume, click Yes. Warning, forcing a deletion might cause
unexpected errors in the application that is using this volume. Do you want
to continue?"

I am not sure if I will have negative consequences upon doing this. Would
deleting the volume prevent my server from booting up since the current
partition style is MBR? I'm afraid if this volume goes away I'm going to
have a problem. I have confirmed that if I physically detach the
storageworks from my server, my server doesn't boot, so I'm sure it's looking
for the MBR, right? Do you think that I can safely delete the volume and
convert to basic disk and that it will somehow reset it so my server is not
looking for this array upon reboot?

I would like to re-use this storage works, just want to get it back to basic
and reformatted and not have my server be dependent upon it being connected
to boot up.

Thanks for any help! I wish I had a test server I could try this on, but I
don't...

Saral6978 · 17-10-2008

So, no one has any idea ithat f I say "yes" to the warning about deleting the
volume and then converting to a basic disk, that it will successfully remove
the MBR config and allow my server to boot normally without trying to look
for this array? I guess I figured this would be easy enough for people to
answer or someone has done this in the past...any help would be
appreciated...It's just this is a production server and I'm leary of just
trying it without some opinions on the matter.

Pegasus \(MVP\) · 18-10-2008

I suspect you're not getting any replies because no one reading your post
has ever tried this. Their replies would be pure guesswork, which is not
really what you're after. In the absence of any independent confirmation you
may have to perform some tests to simulate your scenariou while leaving
yourself a back-out path. You could, for example, physically disconnect the
dynamic disk and check if the machine still boots.

By the way, there is no such thing as an "MBR partition style". "NTFS" or
"FAT32" are a couple of partition styles. "MBR" is the master boot record.
There is just one of these on each disk, and it controls the boot process.
The MBR of a disk with NTFS partitions is the same as that of a disk with
FAT32 partitions.

Saral6978 · 18-10-2008

Actually - if you are in Disk Mgmt, and right click on the Disk in question
(DISK1) and go to Properties, in the "volumes" tab, it states that the
Partition style is "Master Boot Record (MBR)". That's where I got that term
from.

Also, like I mentioned in my first post, if I physically disconnect the
HPStorageworks array (DISK1), my server DOES NOT boot.

That's why I'm reluctant to delete the volume then convert to Basic disk,
because I'm afraid if I reboot, the server will not be able to boot back up
because it's looking to the MBR on this drive, as well as the one on DISK0.
I dont' WANT it to look at the one on DISK1, and I'm hoping that by deleting
the volume and converting it to basic would somehow change it so the computer
knows not to look there.

I really have no way of testing this. I mean, if I convert the disk back to
basic and it doesn't work and my server doesn't boot, well, I'm unsure how to
proceed. I've thought about booting to my HP Startup disk and using the hp
array utlity to delete that particular HP storageworks array...However, I'm
thinking if the server didn't reboot after converting to basic, I could then
boot to the HP disc and then delete that particular array and maybe that will
then allow the server to boot. The only good thing is that this server only
hosts one application. The actual data is is on a NETAPP device, so I guess
if it got hosed I could try and start completely over and rebuild and
reconfigure everything.

Saral6978 · 18-10-2008

Unfortunately, I can't remember how far it got, but only as far as the POST
screen - never anything further. Basically, I think it just sort of hung
there when looking for the arrays, I don't even remember an error...This
server happens to be at my remote site so there is no way at the current
moment to recreate the issue. I wouldn't do the conversion to basic anyway
without being onsite, and I'm not going onsite for a couple of weeks, but I
wanted to research the issue ahead of time to see if anyone had any similar
experiences but I guess not. No, I haven't tried a boot disk. And, if I'm
being honest, I'm not sure what commands I would run anyway for a problem
like this if my server didn't boot because of a missing array.

It's probably going to be one of those things where I just have to do it and
then pray... :) I appreciate your response, though.

tetyeu · 11-09-2009

i have read articles about this problem before, i think this will be helpful to you: How to Convert dynamic disk to basic disk?, it need a software called Dynamic Disk Converter, it also tell you how to fix the problem step by step.

Basic storage uses normal partition tables supported by MS-DOS, Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/Server 2003 and XP.

Dynamic storage is supported in the Windows XP Professional, 2000 and Server 2003. A disk that has been initialized for dynamic storage is called a dynamic disk.
Dynamic disks are not supported on portable computers or on Windows XP Home Edition-based computers.

the article says something else about dynamic disk, such as its disadvantage, etc. i think it will help you more or less.

alex · 12-09-2009

you can do it with the old ghost for dos (the last version). Do a clone
image to an other disk and then reapply the image to the original partition

"tetyeu" <tetyeu.3ybzrc@DoNotSpam.com> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:tetyeu.3ybzrc@DoNotSpam.com...
>
> i have read articles about this problem before, i think this will be
> helpful to you: How to 'Convert dynamic disk to basic disk?'
> (http://www.bestshareware.net/howto/c...asic-disk.htm),
> it need a software called 'Dynamic Disk Converter'
> (http://www.bestshareware.net/softwar...l-edition.htm),
> it also tell you how to fix the problem step by step.
>
> Basic storage uses normal partition tables supported by MS-DOS, Windows
> 95/98/Me/NT/2000/Server 2003 and XP.
>
> Dynamic storage is supported in the Windows XP Professional, 2000 and
> Server 2003. A disk that has been initialized for dynamic storage is
> called a dynamic disk.
> Dynamic disks are not supported on portable computers or on Windows XP
> Home Edition-based computers.
>
> the article says something else about dynamic disk, such as its
> disadvantage, etc. i think it will help you more or less.
>
>
> --
> tetyeu
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> tetyeu's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/134215.htm
> View this thread:
> Converting Dynamic Disk back to a basic disk
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