Vista - Dynamic Disk Issue

[ilmickeyli]

I've got two dynamic disks that are offline in disk management. When I right click to convert to basic disk it says I'll lose data (i'm assuming a format is required?).

Is there anything i can do to get data of those two disks or do i have to reinstall XP and hope that I can activate the disks there?

Thanks!

 

[drizzt81]

if they are non-striped or spanned, there is a thread in the disk storage forum that explains how to convert them into basic disks with a chance of keeping the data:
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1150871&highlight=dynamic+disk+vista

http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1030576363&postcount=6

 

[ilmickeyli]

Must be because I don't have the ultimate version (only premium). I guess I'll go back to XP, recover the data, and re-format them inside vista. Thanks!

 

[TechLarry]

How about this...

Download VirtualPC (it's free now) and install XP under that. XP runs great under VPC.

Just install XP, and don't bother to update or activate it. Install the VirtualPC Extra's for XP, and then try to access the disks.

This will save you form all that formatting/reinstalling nonsense, and you can have an XP container just in case you ever need it for something else.