How to convert back Dynamic disk into Basic in Windows 2003 Server

If you are dealing with environment in which you are using servers based on Microsoft Windows 2003 Server platform, than after some time for sure you will face with situation in which you will need to deal with Logical disk configurations and option.
Some time ago I faced a problem with one of the server in which I had 2 hard drives. System disk was previously converted as Dynamic and I had do convert it back to Basic.
This feature is documented by Microsoft as Unsuported, so there is no official way to do this. Luckily after 2 days reading about structure of NTFS, I've found a solution. It is a tricky one, and I must warn you that changing partition and disk parameters directly using disk editing tools is Highly dangerous and you must follow this steps exactly - othervise you may loose all your data.

This will work ONLY if you havn't expanded previously your Dynamic disk.

So here is what I did:

1. On Installation CD of Windows Server 2003 there are Support Tools. You have to install them manualy directly from CD. After installation, you will wind new tool called dskprobe.exe
2. Run dskprobe.exe on your server and GUI should appear.
3. Shrink Physical Volumes Tree on right side, select your Physical Drive that you want to convert, right click and Open Handle

4. After this, again right click same drive and click on Read Sectors...
5. In new window you will see: Starting sector: 0, and Number of sectors: 1. Change Number of sectors to 10 and click on Read



6. Now on right side in editor you will sex HEX data. Now go to line number 01C0 and look for third bit. it should be 42. Go with cursor on this field and type on third byte new value of 07.

7. Go again on left side, right click drive, then click on Write Sectors.. Here in this window change value of Number of sectors to 10 and click on Write button.
8. Exit and reboot.

After reboot check in Disk Manager and you will see that your Dynamic disk now is Basic.