Can I safely convert a dual-boot (Win7/Win10) PC's hard drive from a basic to a dynamic disk?

Question

Basically, I've already converted the disk from a basic disk to a dynamic disk using Windows 7's provided Computer Management | Storage | Disk Management utility and I'm still online, but (1) will I still be able to boot it back up and (2) will I still be able to choose between my Windows 7 or Windows 10 installations at bootup?

FYI, I provide the below as background information but it isn't necessary reading! Just answer my question above, please (and hopefully soon before I reboot!) Thanks!

BACKGROUND

Just for your information, I am doing this as a workaround to overcome the issue with Windows Backup not being able to complete due to what seems to be insufficient space in the SYSTEM RESERVED partition ("Windows Backup skipped backing up system image because one of the critical volumes is not having enough free space. Free up some space by deleting unnecessary files and try again." - Error code: 0x81000033)

A Microsoft technician suggested a series of steps that led me to this. Since his old post from 2013 wouldn't allow me to post a question, I come to you Superusers! His steps are as follows:

If the 100MB unformatted partition on Drive"1" is before C: Drive, follow the below mentioned steps.

a. Create a repair disc.

Create a system repair disc : http://windows.microsoft.com/en-IN/windows7/Create-a-system-repair-disc

b. Create a new simple partition.

c. Assign a drive letter (ex: "Z").

d. Copy one folder and two files from the current system reserved partition (Drive "0")

Boot

bootmgr

BOOTSECT.BAK

e. Remove the drive letter from the old "System Reserved" partition (Drive "0")

f. Mark the new "System Reserved" boot partition as "Active".

g. Restart the computer and check if its boot to the desktop.

h. If the computer doesn't boot, then using the Repair disk perform the startup repair.

Startup Repair: frequently asked questions:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-IN/windows7/Startup-Repair-frequently-asked-questions

i. If able to boot to the desktop successfully, delete the old "System Reserved" partition (Drive "0")

I've followed all of his steps successfully until it came to step f where he asked to make the new SYSTEM RESERVED volume as active. The option is simply not there, but I'm assuming that will be OK. I'm using Windows 7. What I did notice is that in his step b., Windows warned that formatting my new volume would cause my disk to become dynamic ("The operation you selected will convert the selected basic disk(s). If you convert the disk(s) to dynamic, you will not be able to start installed operating systems from any volume on the disk(s) (except the current boot volume). Are you sure you want to continue?" I clicked Yes, by the way.). Later on in his step F, I was a bit stumped until I found a NOTE on a Microsoft help page. Per Microsoft, "You can't mark volumes as active. When you upgrade a basic disk containing the active partition to a dynamic disk, this partition becomes a simple volume that is active automatically."

I'm about to perform step g. I hope my computer is able to restart!

Answer 1

I decided not to risk it and purchased the paid version of MiniTool Partition Wizard 10 and with it I was able to easily convert the disk I had inadvertently changed to dynamic and I switched it back to being a basic disk without losing any data at all! All this while still running Windows 7 and without a hitch. Woohoo! Then I used this tool once more to reduce the size of my Windows 10 partition and make space for a larger 1000MB SYSTEM RESERVED partition which I created by copying the contents of the original 100MB SYSTEM RESERVED partition into this one, only making it larger. Later I made that new larger SYSTEM RESERVED partition the active one, making the original one inactive. I rebooted and everything is fine, including my Windows 7 and Windows 10 dual boot setup! I have successfully booted into both and back with no issues! It's been a few days since I did this, and I've noticed the Windows Backup software is also finally able to complete its process without failing with that nasty error code 0x81000033 it used to fail with. Voila!! I have also deleted the old smaller inactive SYSTEM RESERVED partition and rebooted to make sure that the newly created larger SYSTEM RESERVED partition is still handling my bootups well. I've had not problem booting into both Windows 10 and Windows 7 on my machine since. So I can honestly say now that after using MiniTool Partition Wizard to safely convert a dual-boot (Win7/Win10) PC's hard drive from a basic to a dynamic disk, all things are working well and even my Windows Backup issue (error code 43) is gone!