Question Would a Dynamic Partition Keep its Data after a fresh Install of W10?

[TwinDenis]

Hello, I would like to ask if I fresh install windows 10 would that make the second partition (which is dynamic) to lose its data or would it be able to keep its data after the clean install? (if its not the main drive which would otherwise contain windows). Second Disk is 2 HDDs (2TB Each) which I would like to keep the data of.
basically, how would it be possible if at all possible?


Thanks

 

[USAFRet]

Hello, I would like to ask if I fresh install windows 10 would that make the second partition (which is dynamic) to lose its data or would it be able to keep its data after the clean install? (if its not the main drive which would otherwise contain windows). Second Disk is 2 HDDs (2TB Each) which I would like to keep the data of.
basically, how would it be possible if at all possible?


Thanks

Please please please....
Have a backup of all your desired data off on some other drive, and offline.

Might you be able to not screw up some other partition?
Maybe.
But it is also very very possible to have all of that data go away, forever. Especially if working with a "dynamic".


And during the install, have only the ONE drive physically connected.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[TwinDenis]

Please please please....
Have a backup of all your desired data off on some other drive, and offline.

Might you be able to not screw up some other partition?
Maybe.
But it is also very very possible to have all of that data go away, forever. Especially if working with a "dynamic".


And during the install, have only the ONE drive physically connected.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

Hello, I was mostly wondering about whether or not typically the dynamic partitions (such as 2 HDDs merged) would retain their data, its not a big deal to get them back but it would save a significant amount of time if they were able to keep their data.

Also, why should we have only one disk connected?

 

[Lafong]

Dynamic disks can be converted to basic disks...........

But I'm wondering if you ended up with dynamic disks deliberately, accidentally, or because you felt you had no choice or??

Normally...you'd want to avoid dynamic entirely if at all possible.

You want to have 1 disk connected during a clean install to ENSURE that all Windows files end up on a single disk, not multiple disks.

 

[USAFRet]

Hello, I was mostly wondering about whether or not typically the dynamic partitions (such as 2 HDDs merged) would retain their data, its not a big deal to get them back but it would save a significant amount of time if they were able to keep their data.

Also, why should we have only one disk connected?

Dynamic spanned across 2 physical drives?
Bad idea al the way around.
Especially in the context of an OS reinstall.


Why only one drive connected during an OS install?
Very often, the Windows boot partition ends up on the other physical drive. Not something you choose or can prevent...it just does it.
Remove that drive, or if/when it fails...no boot for you.
Thisis outlined in the first part of the link I opsted.

 

[USAFRet]

Please show us a screencap of your Disk Management window.
Also, a full list of all the parts in this, particularly the physical drives involved.

 

[TwinDenis]

Please show us a screencap of your Disk Management window.
Also, a full list of all the parts in this, particularly the physical drives involved.

https://imgur.com/a/JCXMtIG

View: https://imgur.com/a/JCXMtIG

Dynamic spanned across 2 physical drives?
Bad idea al the way around.
Especially in the context of an OS reinstall.


Why only one drive connected during an OS install?
Very often, the Windows boot partition ends up on the other physical drive. Not something you choose or can prevent...it just does it.
Remove that drive, or if/when it fails...no boot for you.
Thisis outlined in the first part of the link I opsted.

Dynamic disks can be converted to basic disks...........

But I'm wondering if you ended up with dynamic disks deliberately, accidentally, or because you felt you had no choice or??

Normally...you'd want to avoid dynamic entirely if at all possible.

You want to have 1 disk connected during a clean install to ENSURE that all Windows files end up on a single disk, not multiple disks.

I was forced because I wanted "D Drive" to be one drive of combined both HDDs space. If there are better alternatives to suggest I am open to that.

Performance wise if I were to say, a few games I played from the HDD partition D were indeed slowish-stuttery, video and such seems to be working okay.

 

[USAFRet]

"forced to" ?

No, wanted to.
2x 2TB drives in a Dynamic secondary thing?

Over the last few years, software has gotten really good at managing multiple physical drives and drive letters.
Steam games especially. Trivially easy to have game libraries on 2 or more drives. I do.

 

[Lafong]

Looks like you have major hard drive space issues regardless of "dynamic".

D drive; 95% full

C drive; 96% full

How reluctant are you to buy larger drives?

 

[USAFRet]

Looks like you have major hard drive space issues regardless of "dynamic".

Yep, that as well.