Microsoft KB Archive/315096

= How to Convert Local Disks to Dynamic on a Cluster Server =

PSS ID Number: 315096

Article Last Modified on 9/12/2003

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP2

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This article was previously published under Q315096



SYMPTOMS
When you run the Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS) services and start the Disk Management tool, the Upgrade to Dynamic Disk option may be unavailable on all drives, either local or shared.



CAUSE
Microsoft does not support dynamic disks on the shared cluster drives on a Cluster Server computer. When you install MSCS, the server looks at the configuration of the computer as a whole and does not differentiate the shared disks from the local disks. This causes the Upgrade to Dynamic Disk option to be unavailable in Disk Management.



RESOLUTION
To convert the local drives to dynamic, you must stop the MSCS services. To do this safely, power down all nodes in the cluster to prevent data loss or damage on the shared drives.
 * 1) Power on the node that you are going to convert to dynamic, and press F8 to boot into the Troubleshooting and Advanced Startup Options. Start your computer in Safe mode.
 * 2) With the computer in Safe mode, you can convert the local drives to dynamic by using Disk Management. Make sure to only convert the local drives and not the shared. After you reboot the node and view Disk Management, your local drives should appear as dynamic.
 * 3) To convert the other nodes to dynamic, repeat this process, making sure that only one node is powered on at a time.



MORE INFORMATION
237853 Dynamic Disk Configuration Unavailable for Server Cluster Disk Resources

175761 Dynamic vs. Basic Storage in Windows 2000

Additional query words: w2000mscs

Keywords: kbhowto w2000basic w2000device KB315096

Technology: kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbWin2000AdvServSP1 kbwin2000DataServ kbwin2000DataServSearch kbWin2000DataServSP2 kbwin2000Search kbWinAdvServSearch kbWinDataServSearch

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