Troubleshooting Windows Installation: Converting Dynamic Disk to Basic Type

[pyzicslolito]

I have partitioned my hd into 3 drives. I installed Windows 8.1 on C drive and have used the OS until now. I realize I need windows 7. So I shink D Drive to create another partition - E drive where I would like to install the OS. But I gwt an error message stating that I the partition contains one or more dynamic volumes and thus cannot be used to install Windows. I google it up to only find that I need to convert my disk back to basic type to get over the problem. I don't want to install the software on a virtual machine. Do you know any solution to this issue ? Thank you very much in advance.

 

[vatzis]

XenClient, VMware, XenServer, HyperV. Use a bare metal hypervisor.

 

[rcgldr]

Try booting into Windows 8.1, then insert the Windows 7 cd-rom and start the installation while running from Windows 8.1. This may give you a choice of which partition to install Windows 7 on. This is what I've done to tripple boot, Win XP, Win XP-X64, and Win 7, where I started the Win7 install while running Win XP-X64.

 

[pyzicslolito]

Try booting into Windows 8.1, then insert the Windows 7 cd-rom and start the installation while running from Windows 8.1. This may give you a choice of which partition to install Windows 7 on. This is what I've done to tripple boot, Win XP, Win XP-X64, and Win 7, where I started the Win7 install while running Win XP-X64.

Thank you ...Yes but I then can only choose the C drive where I installed Windows 8.1. I am afraid installing windows 7 there will overwrite other files and that I won't be able to delete one OS one day.

 

[Routaran]

Windows 7 and Windows XP will NOT install on dynamic disks. If you are using Win7 Pro or Ultimate, you may be able to manually create the partition structure required by Windows on the dynamic disk in question but that process is beyond the scope of what I can do on a forum. I found this website that appears to provide steps to do this but I do not know if this will actually work.
http://my.opera.com/Devocalypse/blo...ows-7-on-a-dynamic-disk-pro-and-ultimate-only
You will need to modify and adapt the steps to suit your drive configuration. Windows requires a 500mb boot partition and the rest can go to the OS partition.
I have NOT tried to do this and I don't know if this will work, you can try but if you don't know what and how the tools used work, I would stay away.

The simpler solution is the following: First backup all the important data on your system. Then boot using the WindowsXP disk, destroy ALL partitions on your system. Then create a partition of some arbitrary size (leave space for Win7&8) and install WinXP. Once that's done, reboot using the Win7 Disk, then create another partition of some arbitrary size and install Win7 and finally repeat for Win8.

You have to install the oldest OS first. If you install Win8 first, secure boot may tell you to wake up and smell the coffee when trying to install an older bootloader. That said, I'm not sure how well Win8 will play with XP.

Your best option is to install Win8 and then run Win7 and XP through a virtual machine. I realize it's not your preferred solution but it's the one that represents the most likely way to get all 3 OS's going.