On Windows 7 x64 Professional I am struggling to convert a basic disk to a dynamic one. Under Disk Management in the MMC the conversion is supposed to be initiated automatically, but it doesn't.
My guess: because of using third-party partitioning tools there isn't enough space in front and after the partitions (system-reserved/boot + system volume) to store the required meta-data. When demoting a dynamic disk to a basic disk manually, I noticed that some space seems to be required before and after the partitions.
What are the exact alignment requirements that allow the on-board tools in Windows to do the conversion?
I have a Windows 7 x64 Pro installation that has been transplanted onto a new hard drive. All works fine and smoothly so far. However, since the old disks were starting to fail, I removed them, demoted the existing RAID1 manually (by converting the volumes to "basic") and then transplanted it onto the new disk.
This happened by means of Acronis TrueImage Home (2011, in case this matters).
Now, after restoration of normal system functionality it turns out that when I try to create a RAID1 (mirror) via Disk Management in the MMC, it tells me there's not enough space to convert the basic disk to a dynamic disk, which is a prerequisite to build the software RAID1.
As far as I understand the relation here from demoting the (one) dynamic disk (of the previous RAID1), there is a certain amount of "free" space required in front of the system partition and/or alignment requirements.
I need to know those requirements and preferably a tool that allows me lossless application of those requirements so that the onboard Disk Management tool of Windows is able to build the RAID1.
The boot volume/partition (System Reserved
) is 100M and the rest of the disk makes up the system partition (C:
).
Here's the screenshot, I have no idea how it would help in addition to the description, but anyway ...
This is a VM that I used to reproduce the condition I am seeing on the actual machine.