Format second harddisk as dynamic/basic

[Alan T]

I got a new second SATA harddisk and reformat inside Computer Management.
However, the type of this new HD is dynamic. What is that mean?

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Re: Format second harddisk as dynamic/basic

"Alan T" <alanNOSPAMpltse@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:%23JCTokbwHHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>I got a new second SATA harddisk and reformat inside Computer Management.
> However, the type of this new HD is dynamic. What is that mean?

One thing it means is that you don't have XP Home, which doesn't support
Dynamic disks. Dynamic disks can have volumes that span multiple disks.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314343/EN-US/

http://www.petri.co.il/difference_between_basic_and_dynamic_disks_in_windows_xp_2000_2003.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309044

If you don't actually need this, you might consider changing it back to
Basic. As this basically involves wiping the disk, you'd want to do this
now, before you really load it up.

While there's nothing inherently wrong with dynamic disks, if something bad
happened that damaged the rest of the hardware, you will have fewer recovery
options. You can't just attach the drive to the nearest XP machine to
dredge the data off.

HTH
-pk

 

[Alan T]

Re: Format second harddisk as dynamic/basic

My PC has XP Professional installed.
I would like to use the second HD for Vista, however, Vista does not like
dynamic disk.

I got XP HD and this new HD in internal mobile rack. I formated the 2nd HD
inside XP as dynamic disk automatically. Then now I swap these 2 HD (by
swapping the internal mobile rack) tried to install Vista on the 2nd HD.
Before doing that, how do I change 2nd HD to basic type?

"Patrick Keenan" <test@dev.null> wrote in message
news:uHGEZ%23cwHHA.4916@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> "Alan T" <alanNOSPAMpltse@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
> news:%23JCTokbwHHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> >I got a new second SATA harddisk and reformat inside Computer Management.
> > However, the type of this new HD is dynamic. What is that mean?
>
> One thing it means is that you don't have XP Home, which doesn't support
> Dynamic disks. Dynamic disks can have volumes that span multiple disks.
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314343/EN-US/
>
>
http://www.petri.co.il/difference_between_basic_and_dynamic_disks_in_windows_xp_2000_2003.htm
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309044
>
> If you don't actually need this, you might consider changing it back to
> Basic. As this basically involves wiping the disk, you'd want to do this
> now, before you really load it up.
>
> While there's nothing inherently wrong with dynamic disks, if something
bad
> happened that damaged the rest of the hardware, you will have fewer
recovery
> options. You can't just attach the drive to the nearest XP machine to
> dredge the data off.
>
> HTH
> -pk
>
>

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Re: Format second harddisk as dynamic/basic

"Alan T" <alanNOSPAMpltse@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:eOkVeYewHHA.3560@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> My PC has XP Professional installed.
> I would like to use the second HD for Vista, however, Vista does not like
> dynamic disk.
>
> I got XP HD and this new HD in internal mobile rack. I formated the 2nd HD
> inside XP as dynamic disk automatically. Then now I swap these 2 HD (by
> swapping the internal mobile rack) tried to install Vista on the 2nd HD.
> Before doing that, how do I change 2nd HD to basic type?

Please see the links I provided. Details are there.

Basically, you back up any data on that drive (because it's going to be
wiped), go into Disk Management, right-click on volumes, and delete them.
When the drive has no volumes or partitions, you again right click and
create a partition, as a Basic Volume. Then format it.

HTH
-pk


>
> "Patrick Keenan" <test@dev.null> wrote in message
> news:uHGEZ%23cwHHA.4916@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> "Alan T" <alanNOSPAMpltse@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
>> news:%23JCTokbwHHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> >I got a new second SATA harddisk and reformat inside Computer
>> >Management.
>> > However, the type of this new HD is dynamic. What is that mean?
>>
>> One thing it means is that you don't have XP Home, which doesn't support
>> Dynamic disks. Dynamic disks can have volumes that span multiple disks.
>>
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314343/EN-US/
>>
>>
> http://www.petri.co.il/difference_between_basic_and_dynamic_disks_in_windows_xp_2000_2003.htm
>>
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309044
>>
>> If you don't actually need this, you might consider changing it back to
>> Basic. As this basically involves wiping the disk, you'd want to do
>> this
>> now, before you really load it up.
>>
>> While there's nothing inherently wrong with dynamic disks, if something
> bad
>> happened that damaged the rest of the hardware, you will have fewer
> recovery
>> options. You can't just attach the drive to the nearest XP machine to
>> dredge the data off.
>>
>> HTH
>> -pk
>>
>>
>
>

 

[Alan T]

Re: Format second harddisk as dynamic/basic

Thanks. I got that worked.

"Patrick Keenan" <test@dev.null> wrote in message
news:e8E%23ALkwHHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> "Alan T" <alanNOSPAMpltse@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
> news:eOkVeYewHHA.3560@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> > My PC has XP Professional installed.
> > I would like to use the second HD for Vista, however, Vista does not
like
> > dynamic disk.
> >
> > I got XP HD and this new HD in internal mobile rack. I formated the 2nd
HD
> > inside XP as dynamic disk automatically. Then now I swap these 2 HD (by
> > swapping the internal mobile rack) tried to install Vista on the 2nd HD.
> > Before doing that, how do I change 2nd HD to basic type?
>
> Please see the links I provided. Details are there.
>
> Basically, you back up any data on that drive (because it's going to be
> wiped), go into Disk Management, right-click on volumes, and delete
them.
> When the drive has no volumes or partitions, you again right click and
> create a partition, as a Basic Volume. Then format it.
>
> HTH
> -pk
>
>
> >
> > "Patrick Keenan" <test@dev.null> wrote in message
> > news:uHGEZ%23cwHHA.4916@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> >> "Alan T" <alanNOSPAMpltse@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
> >> news:%23JCTokbwHHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> >> >I got a new second SATA harddisk and reformat inside Computer
> >> >Management.
> >> > However, the type of this new HD is dynamic. What is that mean?
> >>
> >> One thing it means is that you don't have XP Home, which doesn't
support
> >> Dynamic disks. Dynamic disks can have volumes that span multiple
disks.
> >>
> >> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314343/EN-US/
> >>
> >>
> >
http://www.petri.co.il/difference_between_basic_and_dynamic_disks_in_windows_xp_2000_2003.htm
> >>
> >> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309044
> >>
> >> If you don't actually need this, you might consider changing it back to
> >> Basic. As this basically involves wiping the disk, you'd want to do
> >> this
> >> now, before you really load it up.
> >>
> >> While there's nothing inherently wrong with dynamic disks, if something
> > bad
> >> happened that damaged the rest of the hardware, you will have fewer
> > recovery
> >> options. You can't just attach the drive to the nearest XP machine to
> >> dredge the data off.
> >>
> >> HTH
> >> -pk
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>