Windows 2000 and Basic vs Dynamic partitions
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: asia
Posts: 542
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Windows 2000 and Basic vs Dynamic partitions
I have a Windows 2000 system on which the C: drive (system and boot) has become uncomfortably full. There is actually plenty of space on the physical disc, just that C: is too small.
Problem is that I can't change the size of C: as windows has the restrictoin that volumes originally created on a basic disk and then upgraded to dynamic discs cannot be extended. According to M'soft the only way to go back to a basic disk is to back up all the files, delete all the partitions, then convert and restore. Great for the C: drive!
Norton partition magic 8 does not understand dynamic discs, so that is no help either.
Any suggestions?
Problem is that I can't change the size of C: as windows has the restrictoin that volumes originally created on a basic disk and then upgraded to dynamic discs cannot be extended. According to M'soft the only way to go back to a basic disk is to back up all the files, delete all the partitions, then convert and restore. Great for the C: drive!
Norton partition magic 8 does not understand dynamic discs, so that is no help either.
Any suggestions?
Spoon PPRuNerist & Mad Inistrator
You CAN actually revert to a Basic disk from a Dynamic disk. The process is not for the faint-hearted, though.
Have a look here and here.
The way I see it, you would have to back up all your data anyway, so when you have done that give the above a go - what have you got to lose? The worst that happens is that you have to reformat the sisk and install from scratch.
A Dynamic disk is actually a partition spanning the entire disk, which is then subdivided into the logical volumes that can be combined to span multiple disks or create software RAID. This is why a partitioning tool won't work.
If you do a Google search for dynamic partition you can find more information than you ever wanted!
Good luck!
SD
Have a look here and here.
The way I see it, you would have to back up all your data anyway, so when you have done that give the above a go - what have you got to lose? The worst that happens is that you have to reformat the sisk and install from scratch.
A Dynamic disk is actually a partition spanning the entire disk, which is then subdivided into the logical volumes that can be combined to span multiple disks or create software RAID. This is why a partitioning tool won't work.
If you do a Google search for dynamic partition you can find more information than you ever wanted!
Good luck!
SD
Spoon PPRuNerist & Mad Inistrator
I forgot to add, the best way to mitigate the pain of re-installing would be to use Ghost (or other drive imaging software) to clone the existing C: drive.
Then repartition the disk, and restore the clone, ensuring that you set it to use all available space.
But don't rely on this as your sole backup.
SD
Then repartition the disk, and restore the clone, ensuring that you set it to use all available space.
But don't rely on this as your sole backup.
SD