I upgraded my pc to a new mother board. Before starting that process, I used
Microsoft's backup utility to back up my C: drive in total to a removable
hard drive. When I installed the removable hard drive into my new pc it
never shows up under "my computer", but does show up in device manager
hardware. Looking at my removable drive under "computer management/disk
management" it show up now as a dynamic drive.

I've been told locally once a drive has been changed to a dynamic drive, it
cannot be reverted. Obviously, I am missing vital information I thought I
had taken proper actions to save.

Bottom line: Is there anyway to convert a dynamic drive to a basic NTFS
hard drive?

"John Blanding" <JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:44627341-AF3F-4421-9E57-250AB6A1B2BD@microsoft.com...
> I upgraded my pc to a new mother board. Before starting that process, I
used
> Microsoft's backup utility to back up my C: drive in total to a removable
> hard drive. When I installed the removable hard drive into my new pc it
> never shows up under "my computer", but does show up in device manager
> hardware. Looking at my removable drive under "computer management/disk
> management" it show up now as a dynamic drive.
>
> I've been told locally once a drive has been changed to a dynamic drive,
it
> cannot be reverted. Obviously, I am missing vital information I thought I
> had taken proper actions to save.
>
> Bottom line: Is there anyway to convert a dynamic drive to a basic NTFS
> hard drive?

Your backup drive became dynamic when you partitioned it.
This can be quite unobtrusive - it's happened to me too. The
only way to revert to a basic disk is to repartition it.

Thank you.

And, of course I loose all my data?

"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

>
> "John Blanding" <JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:44627341-AF3F-4421-9E57-250AB6A1B2BD@microsoft.com...
> > I upgraded my pc to a new mother board. Before starting that process, I
> used
> > Microsoft's backup utility to back up my C: drive in total to a removable
> > hard drive. When I installed the removable hard drive into my new pc it
> > never shows up under "my computer", but does show up in device manager
> > hardware. Looking at my removable drive under "computer management/disk
> > management" it show up now as a dynamic drive.
> >
> > I've been told locally once a drive has been changed to a dynamic drive,
> it
> > cannot be reverted. Obviously, I am missing vital information I thought I
> > had taken proper actions to save.
> >
> > Bottom line: Is there anyway to convert a dynamic drive to a basic NTFS
> > hard drive?
>
> Your backup drive became dynamic when you partitioned it.
> This can be quite unobtrusive - it's happened to me too. The
> only way to revert to a basic disk is to repartition it.
>
>
>

Indeed, unless you back it up somewhere else first.


"John Blanding" <JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FEEF71FE-04F3-49C3-9C1F-C2754FA0200A@microsoft.com...
> Thank you.
>
> And, of course I loose all my data?
>
> "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
>
> >
> > "John Blanding" <JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message
> > news:44627341-AF3F-4421-9E57-250AB6A1B2BD@microsoft.com...
> > > I upgraded my pc to a new mother board. Before starting that process,
I
> > used
> > > Microsoft's backup utility to back up my C: drive in total to a
removable
> > > hard drive. When I installed the removable hard drive into my new pc
it
> > > never shows up under "my computer", but does show up in device manager
> > > hardware. Looking at my removable drive under "computer
management/disk
> > > management" it show up now as a dynamic drive.
> > >
> > > I've been told locally once a drive has been changed to a dynamic
drive,
> > it
> > > cannot be reverted. Obviously, I am missing vital information I
thought I
> > > had taken proper actions to save.
> > >
> > > Bottom line: Is there anyway to convert a dynamic drive to a basic
NTFS
> > > hard drive?
> >
> > Your backup drive became dynamic when you partitioned it.
> > This can be quite unobtrusive - it's happened to me too. The
> > only way to revert to a basic disk is to repartition it.
> >
> >
> >

I don't understand how I would backup a drive I cannot access via XP. I
never thought to look for it via DOS. I'm sure you understand it's the data
that's valuable to me, not having a formated drive. Would you tell me how
you would backup a dynamic HD.

Thanks

"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

> Indeed, unless you back it up somewhere else first.
>
>
> "John Blanding" <JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:FEEF71FE-04F3-49C3-9C1F-C2754FA0200A@microsoft.com...
> > Thank you.
> >
> > And, of course I loose all my data?
> >
> > "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > "John Blanding" <JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message
> > > news:44627341-AF3F-4421-9E57-250AB6A1B2BD@microsoft.com...
> > > > I upgraded my pc to a new mother board. Before starting that process,
> I
> > > used
> > > > Microsoft's backup utility to back up my C: drive in total to a
> removable
> > > > hard drive. When I installed the removable hard drive into my new pc
> it
> > > > never shows up under "my computer", but does show up in device manager
> > > > hardware. Looking at my removable drive under "computer
> management/disk
> > > > management" it show up now as a dynamic drive.
> > > >
> > > > I've been told locally once a drive has been changed to a dynamic
> drive,
> > > it
> > > > cannot be reverted. Obviously, I am missing vital information I
> thought I
> > > > had taken proper actions to save.
> > > >
> > > > Bottom line: Is there anyway to convert a dynamic drive to a basic
> NTFS
> > > > hard drive?
> > >
> > > Your backup drive became dynamic when you partitioned it.
> > > This can be quite unobtrusive - it's happened to me too. The
> > > only way to revert to a basic disk is to repartition it.
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>

There is no DOS under WinXP and DOS would not be able
to access a dynamic disk anyway. To make the partition visible
under "My Computer" you must assign a drive letter to it. Click
Start / Run, then type diskmgmt.msc {OK}. When you
right-click the "invisible" partition then you get the opportunity to
do this.

You can now back up your data to some other medium.


"John Blanding" <JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4D1327C0-3C0C-4E87-86F2-823E50072A39@microsoft.com...
> I don't understand how I would backup a drive I cannot access via XP. I
> never thought to look for it via DOS. I'm sure you understand it's the
data
> that's valuable to me, not having a formated drive. Would you tell me how
> you would backup a dynamic HD.
>
> Thanks
>
> "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
>
> > Indeed, unless you back it up somewhere else first.
> >
> >
> > "John Blanding" <JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message
> > news:FEEF71FE-04F3-49C3-9C1F-C2754FA0200A@microsoft.com...
> > > Thank you.
> > >
> > > And, of course I loose all my data?
> > >
> > > "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > > "John Blanding" <JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> > message
> > > > news:44627341-AF3F-4421-9E57-250AB6A1B2BD@microsoft.com...
> > > > > I upgraded my pc to a new mother board. Before starting that
process,
> > I
> > > > used
> > > > > Microsoft's backup utility to back up my C: drive in total to a
> > removable
> > > > > hard drive. When I installed the removable hard drive into my new
pc
> > it
> > > > > never shows up under "my computer", but does show up in device
manager
> > > > > hardware. Looking at my removable drive under "computer
> > management/disk
> > > > > management" it show up now as a dynamic drive.
> > > > >
> > > > > I've been told locally once a drive has been changed to a dynamic
> > drive,
> > > > it
> > > > > cannot be reverted. Obviously, I am missing vital information I
> > thought I
> > > > > had taken proper actions to save.
> > > > >
> > > > > Bottom line: Is there anyway to convert a dynamic drive to a
basic
> > NTFS
> > > > > hard drive?
> > > >
> > > > Your backup drive became dynamic when you partitioned it.
> > > > This can be quite unobtrusive - it's happened to me too. The
> > > > only way to revert to a basic disk is to repartition it.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> >
> >

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 21:36:03 -0800, "John Blanding"
<JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I've been told locally once a drive has been changed to a dynamic
>drive, it cannot be reverted.

I don't know what out of touch person told you this but this is wrong.
There have been utilities that can revert dynamic drives back to basic
ones for 2-3 years now. Paragon Partition Manager 7 for one.
--
Michael Cecil
http://home.comcast.net/~macecil/
http://home.comcast.net/~safehex/

Thanks for the pointer - I was not aware of the product. You might
add that the OP needs the Professional version which costs $100.00 -
see here: http://www.partition-manager.com/corporate/.


"Michael Cecil" <macecil@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:sf38o1918os33q2srr63001cjulql9do21@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 21:36:03 -0800, "John Blanding"
> <JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >I've been told locally once a drive has been changed to a dynamic
> >drive, it cannot be reverted.
>
> I don't know what out of touch person told you this but this is wrong.
> There have been utilities that can revert dynamic drives back to basic
> ones for 2-3 years now. Paragon Partition Manager 7 for one.
> --
> Michael Cecil
> http://home.comcast.net/~macecil/
> http://home.comcast.net/~safehex/

Thankyou very much. Their ad description implies exactly what I need for
recovery. The $100 price tag is not too much to pay considering the value of
my data.

"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

> Thanks for the pointer - I was not aware of the product. You might
> add that the OP needs the Professional version which costs $100.00 -
> see here: http://www.partition-manager.com/corporate/.
>
>
> "Michael Cecil" <macecil@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:sf38o1918os33q2srr63001cjulql9do21@4ax.com...
> > On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 21:36:03 -0800, "John Blanding"
> > <JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> >
> > >I've been told locally once a drive has been changed to a dynamic
> > >drive, it cannot be reverted.
> >
> > I don't know what out of touch person told you this but this is wrong.
> > There have been utilities that can revert dynamic drives back to basic
> > ones for 2-3 years now. Paragon Partition Manager 7 for one.
> > --
> > Michael Cecil
> > http://home.comcast.net/~macecil/
> > http://home.comcast.net/~safehex/
>
>
>

If you Google "convert dynamic to basic drive" there are some sites
that might help you.

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 12:41:02 -0800, "John Blanding"
<JohnBlanding@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I upgraded my pc to a new mother board. Before starting that process, I used
>Microsoft's backup utility to back up my C: drive in total to a removable
>hard drive. When I installed the removable hard drive into my new pc it
>never shows up under "my computer", but does show up in device manager
>hardware. Looking at my removable drive under "computer management/disk
>management" it show up now as a dynamic drive.
>
>I've been told locally once a drive has been changed to a dynamic drive, it
>cannot be reverted. Obviously, I am missing vital information I thought I
>had taken proper actions to save.
>
>Bottom line: Is there anyway to convert a dynamic drive to a basic NTFS
>hard drive?