Changing a dynamic disk to a basic disk with no OS installed

[ojakokko]

The title is pretty explanatory. I have to change a dynamic disk to a basic disk, but I have no OS installed (And that's actually why I have to change it, apparently W 8.1 64-bit won't install on a dynamic disk). That being said, I'll have to change the type using the BIOS, but I'm not sure how to do it - if it even is possible.

The computer is an Asus X52J with the X52JE M/B.

 

[ArtPog]

You use Disk Management to convert a disk to Basic. As long as there's no data on the drive DM can undertake the conversion process.

 

[ojakokko]

You use Disk Management to convert a disk to Basic. As long as there's no data on the drive DM can undertake the conversion process.

Are you referring to the disk management within windows? If you are and the answer was this simple, I would've never even asked. BUT the point of the question and the part that creates the problem is that the computer has no OS.

 

[ArtPog]

Yes, I understand that. But since you obviously were working with a bootable system (your post to Tom's) I assumed you would know it was a simple matter to connect the Dynamic disk to the bootable system either internally or as a USB external drive and accomplish the conversion via that means.

 

[ojakokko]

Yes, I understand that. But since you obviously were working with a bootable system (your post to Tom's) I assumed you would know it was a simple matter to connect the Dynamic disk to the bootable system either internally or as a USB external drive and accomplish the conversion via that means.

Any computers which I've tried to use to read the disk while it's in a USB enclosure have refused to read it because.... reasons? The enclosure works fine with other HDDs and SSDs

 

[ArtPog]

So you're indicating that if you install the disk in a USB external enclosure Disk Management will not detect the disk? And it (the USB device) will not be listed in the "Disk drives" section of Device Manager either?
Possibly you may be dealing with a defective drive?

 

[ojakokko]

So you're indicating that if you install the disk in a USB external enclosure Disk Management will not detect the disk? And it (the USB device) will not be listed in the "Disk drives" section of Device Manager either?
Possibly you may be dealing with a defective drive?

The disk is detected and spins up fine with no side noises but everything complains about an "unfit disk pack" or something (that message is in Finnish just like the whole OS for both of my other computers so something might be lost in translation). I've thought it might be defective, but the only complaint W8.1 installation program has is the drive being dynamic and BIOS says nothing.

If windows is hard to get to work or won't work at all, I won't work too hard for it. If you look up that model, you'll see that it's not a new computer - this particular one was bought in 2008. It boots and works terribly slowly and manages to be noisy as hell yet still run hot when it's in n BIOS and literally no input has been made for a while. I have another laptop and a Desktop so I wouldn't use it anyways. I just wanted to see how well - if at all - it works.

 

[ArtPog]

The only courses of action I can envision at this point-in-time is...
1. If the disk is detected in the system test its health with one of the HDD diagnostic programs, preferably one you can download from the drive's manufacturer.
2. If you can somehow internally connect the disk as a secondary drive in some PC, see if it's recognized in Disk Management and whether you can convert it to a Basic disk.