Pros And cons of Dynamic Discs...

Basic storage uses normal partition tables supported by all versions of Windows, MS-DOS, and Windows NT. A disk initialized for basic storage is called a basic disk. It can hold primary partitions, extended partitions, and logical drives.

All disk partitions added to a computer are basic disks until they are converted to dynamic.
Dynamic disks have the ability to create volumes that span multiple disks and the ability to extend a volume.
You can change disks to Dynamic using the Computer Management console.

Dynamic storage is a disk initialized for dynamic storage and it can hold simple volumes, spanned volumes, mirrored volumes, striped volumes, and RAID-5 volumes. With dynamic storage, you can perform disk and volume management without having to restart the operating system.

Upgrading a disk to dynamic storage will render the entire disk unreadable to operating systems other than Windows 2000/XP. This is a one-way process. In order to change back to basic disk format, the drive must be repartitioned.

Thanks man, but I'm not really sure if it answer my questions? can you use that info to answer them in a simplier way?

Yes, Dynamic disks are bootable... and work just like a Basic disk, just with extra features... but can not be read by O/S's other than Win2000/XP and prob newer...

I suppose Vista can read it...

I suppose so too...

Do not attempt this. You will be sorry. That's a promise, not a threat.

RAID is useless on the desktop - unless it is RAID 1 - and because RAID controllers are very specific, it is impossible to relocate a raid array unless the new motherboardd uses the EXACT same raid chipset and drivers (which will be amazingly unlikely in ANY situation.

If you want faster disk performance, buy the very largest capacity disk available (bigger = faster) or get a Raptor.

RAID 0 is for fools and idiots, or high-demand servers ONLY.

I repeat: DO NOT GO RAID.

I agree with Mobius. Raid just isn't worth the cost and hassle. You're much better off doing things the way you've always done them e.g. without RAID. I wasted a lot of time and money learning this. I even have a few scars and wrinkles to prove it.

RAID 1 is ok, but RAID 5 will waste your time when it fails trying to rebuild. RAID 0 will fail and just plain ruin your day, and although I've fixed a failed raid 0 array in my time, I ended up RMAing the bad hard drive and the motherboard in question. In fact, every time I set up RAID a drive fails. Ruiner And Inoperablator of Drives? Maybe, if inoperablator was a real word.

Dynamic disks? Now why would you want to go and do something like that? I lost 4 hours messing around with them. Stove is hot kinda way  

Incidentally, has anyone had a samsung spinpoint t166 500gb go bad on them? I had one RMAd and now another is clicking on me. Might've been a forklift driver who dropped a pallet.

In regard to what RichPLS stated "Upgrading a disk to dynamic storage will render the entire disk unreadable to operating systems other than Windows 2000/XP. This is a one-way process. In order to change back to basic disk format, the drive must be repartitioned."

It's simply not true... If you are willing to use a hex editor it's rather painless to convert back to basic disk.

The link below is a step by step method to convert from a dynamic disk back to a basic disk.

http://thelazyadmin.com/blogs/thelazyadmin/archive/2007...

I have used this method several times and it works flawlessly.