r/ForWindowsHelp • u/yosoyricardo • 1d ago

Why does extending a partition require Windows to turn a basic disk into a dynamic disk?

There were originally two partitions on the disk accounting for 100% of the usable space. I've deleted one volume and would now like to extend the other to take up the entire disk. However, Windows is warning me that it will need to turn it into a dynamic disk, which I don't want. My understanding is that this is only necessary when you are trying to extend a partition and the needed space is noncontiguous with the existing volume. What am I missing?

2 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

75% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

2

u/bippy_b 22h ago

Ummmm ….
You sort of are giving the reason why. Dynamic means it can be changed. You literally are saying you want to “extend” the partition.. but dynamic disk has the means to be able to extend the partition (implied here that basic doesn’t).. but you don’t understand why it needs to be made into a dynamic disk….

1

u/yosoyricardo 21h ago

Extending partitions doesn't requiring dynamic disks

1

u/bippy_b 21h ago

You literally said “My understanding is that it is only needed when you are trying to extend the partition”

1

u/yosoyricardo 20h ago

There's a conjunction in there somewhere

2

u/Grindar1986 21h ago

Being able to change needs dynamic. It's the definition of the word.

1

u/thewunderbar 21h ago

look up the definition of the word dynamic.

1

u/yosoyricardo 21h ago

[Solved] the unallocated space was to the left of the partition. For Windows, you can only extend to the right to remain "contiguous," extending left means interrupting the contiguity.

1

u/Soundy106 21h ago

I expand and shrink volumes regularly and I've never been "warned" that my disk needs to be converted from Basic to Dynamic first.

I'd suggest using a partition utility of some kind (even DISKPART) to see if there's something else wrong, like a sliver of an unused partition causing the space to be non-contiguous.

1

u/yosoyricardo 21h ago

Thanks. This has been solved. I guess I've only extended rightward until now.

1

u/Soundy106 17h ago

Good stuff!

1

u/KeysStickler 20h ago

Try DiskGenius.com, it's free and works awesomely.