Jan 15, 2024 • Filed to: Answer Hard Drive Problems • Proven solutions
Windows 10 has smart features that can accommodate user preferences, and one of these is the addition of an organized storage system for documents, pictures, videos, and other files. This function is seen with dynamic disk creation.
A dynamic disk is a flexible option when it comes to storage and memory. Converting to a dynamic disk means changing the basic disk into a more manageable version. This will generally improve your PC's performance.
Despite these pros, some conditions make the conversion harder to accomplish. For example, if you are looking to downgrade your system, converting disks will be impossible. If your PC has multiple OS, you can't expect the conversion to work, either. There is also the issue of identifying and detecting unknown partitions, which would be hard to do once you go through with disk conversion. Furthermore, your OS might simply not follow the conversion command at all.
If you are met by these conditions, converting basic disk into a dynamic one is undoable. Otherwise, you can go ahead and try converting disks to improve your PC's performance.
Before we discuss the methods in converting, you should at least know the difference between both, and understand how it may be beneficial to switch disk types.
A Basic disk has the primary components that come with a newly bought computer. This includes basic and logical partitions logged into a partition table. This is the most commonly used storage type for Windows, which consists of a contiguous extent in a single disk set. The basic disk supports two partition styles: the GUID Partition Table or GPT, and Master Boot Record or MBR.
Dynamic disk, on the other, is a more advanced storage type that can support multiple disk volumes. It is an advanced counterpart of the basic disk that can accommodate striped and spanned volumes, and as well as creating mirrored volumes that are fault-tolerant (i.e. RAID-5). This type also supports both partition styles such as the MBR and the GPT.
It is also important to note that a dynamic disk is capable of logging on a hidden database (Logical Disk Manager) that tracks dynamic volumes. This makes it a flexible option that makes volume information manageable and traceable, yet entirely secure. This type of disk is also supported by all Windows versions after Win 2000, including the latest Windows 10 operating system. It is capable of creating as much as 2000 volumes, with the recommended number at 32 volumes to ensure the PC runs smoothly.
Although the Windows system has features that protect data from getting lost after the conversion, such as the Virtual Disk Service (VDS) and Logical Disk Manager (LDM), it is important to always do a backup of your data. Make it a habit to have copies of your files, and create a system restore point for your Windows operating system. This is to make sure that you do not suffer from data loss, and your system maintains its integrity.
If you want to convert your hard disk from the basic type to the dynamic option, you can follow these methods:
a. Point your cursor to the Windows button on your desktop and right-click on it. From the menu, choose Disk Management.
b. On the Disk Management interface, right-click on the hard disk you want to convert (the type: basic or dynamic is indicated on the disk details) and choose Convert to Dynamic Disk.
c. Follow the wizard to proceed with the conversion.
Note: you may encounter system warnings before you can proceed. It is important to understand that you will not be able to access any volume on the disk except for the boot volume, which means that only the volume used at startup can be accessed. If you are looking to run multi-Windows, don't proceed with the conversion.
a. Open elevated Command Prompt by typing cmd on the search bar, followed by pressing CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER.
b. On the command line, type these commands in order, pressing Enter key after each one:
diskpart
list disk
select disk (disk number)
convert dynamic
c. Diskpart will then start converting the disk from basic to dynamic. Note that it will not give any system warning, but it is also applicable that system volumes cannot be converted.
If you get the "There is not enough usable space for this operation" error, it means that the volume cannot be converted (probably a system disk).
Third-party software specifically developed to solve this problem are available to download for free. You can try downloading Partition Master to aid you in cleaning up your hard drive.
Converting a disk from basic to dynamic is easy to do, but as with any task, perform this process with caution. This is to prevent any data loss or system corruption since you are going to be modifying system functions.
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