How to add a basic virtual disk?

[VMWWS_user]

I want to add a virtual disk to my WIN2K VM under VMWare WS 5.0.0.

I used all the default of the wizard and a virtual disk of 4G is created. I did not pick the preallocate space or split drive into 2G size option. After I wrote the signature to the drive using disk manager of WIN2K, it only gave me the option of creating a new volume and the disk type is shown as dynamic. But I do not want to use dynamic volume. I was wondering how I can create just basic virtual disks.

[RDPetruska]

Basic or Dynamic disks are related to the OS - in other words, this is a setting purely in your guest - nothing at all to do with VMware. VMware merely provides a binary container which the virtual computer sees as available hard disk space.

[Peter_vm]

After you add a new disk and "Initialize and Convert Disk Wizard" starts up, you have a checkmark for a disk to "initialize", but also you can select disks to be converted to dynamic disks. Don't checkmark those and you will be left with a basic disk.

[VMWWS_user]

Hi Peter_vm, Is this "Initialize and Convert Disk Wizard" a Wizard of VMWare or a Wizard of WIN2k. I don't remember seeing that. I used the "Add hardware wizard" of VMware to add the virtual drive. The only option I can see is if I want to pre-allocate space or split the 4G drive into 2G file size.

When I start WIn2K disk manager, a waizard come up to ask me to write the disk signature. After that I can see the drive. But the type is already set to dynamic and I can only create volume and not partitions.

[asatoran]

When you see the wizard to write a signature...don't. That's the conversion to dynamic disk. Just cancel the wizard and the disk will be left as basic.

You can convert a dynamic disk to basic by going to Computer Management, Disk Management, right-click on the disk and Convert to Basic.

[VMWWS_user]

But if I do not write the signature, the new virtual disk will be left as unallocated space and the create partition option is greyed out.

If I remember correctly the only option under action is just write signature, other options are not available.

Did I miss something ?

[asatoran]

Then go ahead and write the signature after that by right-clicking on the drive in Computer Management. If the drive is still updated to dynamic, just right-click and "revert to basic."

You're correct, though, I just tried it on a test win2k VM and canceling the wizard leave the disk in an unusable state. When I right-click and "Write Signature", Windows does leaves it as a Basic disk. Looks like the wizard may have been changed slightly on Win2k3 as I just cancel the wizard. It hink it's like Peter said, the wizard will take you through writing a signature, then later you'll see options for upgrading to dynamic, which you don't select.