Dynamic Disk Unreadable

[Guest]

I installed a new mobo and hardrive that is now the boot drive. I want data
and files from the old boot drive but can't access it. In Disk Management it
shows the disk as Dynamic but Unreadble. Rescanning the disk takes a
microsecond or so it appears but doesn't change anything. I do seem to have
the option available to change the disk to a Basic Disk but I don't know if
that will solve my problem or destroy my data. Old drive and new drive are
XP pro. The old drive alsoo show up in My Computer but without Size
attritbutes and when d-clicked retruns the message "D:\is not accessible.
The parameter is incorrect."

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

[Steve N.]

I installed a new mobo and hardrive that is now the boot drive. I want data
and files from the old boot drive but can't access it. In Disk Management it
shows the disk as Dynamic but Unreadble. Rescanning the disk takes a
microsecond or so it appears but doesn't change anything. I do seem to have
the option available to change the disk to a Basic Disk but I don't know if
that will solve my problem or destroy my data. Old drive and new drive are
XP pro. The old drive alsoo show up in My Computer but without Size
attritbutes and when d-clicked retruns the message "D:\is not accessible.
The parameter is incorrect."

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you

The way Dynamic Disks work is that the boot drive holds the info about
Dynamic Disk volumes. You've changed the boot drive and the OS cannot
mount the volume on the Dynamic Disk because it doesn't know about it.
Disk Management can recognize that it's a Dynamic Disk but that's it.

You cannot convert a Dynamic Disk back to Basic without losing data. I
suggest you return to the previous state of your system, boot the
original disk, backup your data, then procede.

This is one of the reasons I recommend to avoid using Dynamic Disks.

Steve N.

 

[Guest]

The way Dynamic Disks work is that the boot drive holds the info about
Dynamic Disk volumes. You've changed the boot drive and the OS cannot
mount the volume on the Dynamic Disk because it doesn't know about it.
Disk Management can recognize that it's a Dynamic Disk but that's it.

You cannot convert a Dynamic Disk back to Basic without losing data. I
suggest you return to the previous state of your system, boot the
original disk, backup your data, then procede.

This is one of the reasons I recommend to avoid using Dynamic Disks.

Steve N.

Unfortunately that is no longer possible.

Upon reading the disk with Diskprobe, in this case PhysicalDrive1, Diskprobe
returns with 4 partitions
Partition 1 reads Boot Indicator=NO_SYSTEM; System ID=Dynamic Volume
Partition 2 reads Boot Indicator=NO_SYSTEM; System ID=Dynamic Volume
Partition 3 reads Boot Indicator=SYSTEM; System ID=BIGFAT - LBA
Partition 4 reads Boot Indicator=NO_SYSTEM; System ID=Unknown Type

From reading article 236086 I'm thinking my ID bytes are not the same from
partition to partition hence the mix of System ID's. I have saved the master
boot record according to the article and assume I need to establish some
uniformity among the System ID's but I am not sure next what to do next as it
talks about 0x42 for dynamic, etc. Also under system ID in the
View/Partition Table mode there are 15 different types but Basic isn't one of
them.

Thoughts?

 

[Steve N.]

:



Unfortunately that is no longer possible.

Upon reading the disk with Diskprobe, in this case PhysicalDrive1, Diskprobe
returns with 4 partitions
Partition 1 reads Boot Indicator=NO_SYSTEM; System ID=Dynamic Volume
Partition 2 reads Boot Indicator=NO_SYSTEM; System ID=Dynamic Volume
Partition 3 reads Boot Indicator=SYSTEM; System ID=BIGFAT - LBA
Partition 4 reads Boot Indicator=NO_SYSTEM; System ID=Unknown Type

From reading article 236086 I'm thinking my ID bytes are not the same from
partition to partition hence the mix of System ID's. I have saved the master
boot record according to the article and assume I need to establish some
uniformity among the System ID's but I am not sure next what to do next as it
talks about 0x42 for dynamic, etc. Also under system ID in the
View/Partition Table mode there are 15 different types but Basic isn't one of
them.

Thoughts?

Good luck. I haven't that much experience with dynamic disks, I'm sorry.
I wish I could help. As I intimated, I avoid that Dynamic Disk crap.
Just another high-tech way to lose data, like RAID-0 and spanning
volumes across physical disks. Recipes for disaster.

There may be a 3rd party way to undo this damage but I've searched for
you and found nothing.

In my estimation you need to boot that dynamic disk somehow and backup
your stuff somehow. That's the only solution I know of. Sorry.

Steve N.

 

[dellicio]

guys.. the only 2 ways arround dynamic volumes are one of these: use
File Scavanger 3 (available in trial + crack) or any other data
recovery software, or 2nd: install win xp pro on that disk and u will
be able to access your data. the thing is.. everthing's there it's
just that we can't see it. so any file recovery program will be able to
copy the data clean and clear, without any loss, and move it to another
partition or disk u have. good luck!

 

[Og]

guys.. the only 2 ways arround dynamic volumes are one of these: use
File Scavanger 3 (available in trial + crack) or any other data
recovery software, or 2nd: install win xp pro on that disk and u will
be able to access your data. the thing is.. everthing's there it's
just that we can't see it. so any file recovery program will be able to
copy the data clean and clear, without any loss, and move it to another
partition or disk u have. good luck!

Do you have a question, or are you having an argument with the other
personalities in your head?

Steve

 

[Guest]

Try EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard Professional 3.0
it supports dynamic disk.
http://www.easeus.com