How to Convert Primary to Logical or Logical to Primary in Windows Server

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How to Convert to Logical or Primary on Server?

Converting to a logical partition is necessary when an MBR disk is full, as it allows for the creation of additional partitions beyond the initial 4 primary partitions, making more efficient use of disk space.

To prepare a partition for a dual-boot system, a logical partition needs to be converted to primary, as a single primary partition is insufficient to accommodate two operating systems.

Logical partitions and primary partitions are two types of partitioning schemes used in disk management. The primary partition is a partition that is recognized by the BIOS and can be used to boot an operating system.

You'll get two parts here to complete the conversion task on Server 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012 (R2), 2008, 2003.

#1. Convert Primary to Logical in Windows Server

To convert a primary partition to a logical one on a server machine, three methods are available. However, not all of them yield perfect results. The command line and disk management methods involve deleting a volume, which can result in data loss if not done carefully. Therefore, we recommend using a third-party software to convert primary to logical partitions without risking data loss.

Method 1. Use Qiling Partition Master to Change Primary to Logical

Qiling Partition Master can convert disk styles, including primary to logical, vice versa, MBR to GPT, vice versa, basic to dynamic, and vice versa, all while preserving data.

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Step 1. Download and run Qiling Partition Master.

Step 2.To convert a partition, click on the partition you want to convert and select the conversion options from the menu.

• 1. Convert to Logical
• 2. Convert to Primary

 Qiling Partition Master will first check the volume, then display the pending operation in the upper left corner.

To convert a logical drive to a primary drive or vice versa on Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7, follow these steps. On Windows 11/10/8.

Method 2. Convert Primary to Logical CMD

To convert a primary partition to a logical one on Windows Server using Diskpart, you can follow these steps: First, open Command Prompt as an administrator. Then, type "diskpart" and press Enter to open the Diskpart utility. Next, type "list disk" and press Enter to list all disks on the system. Identify the disk that contains the primary partition you want to convert. Type "select disk [X]" where [X] is the number of the disk you identified.

Step 1. To open the Run box and access the Diskpart utility, press the Windows key + R on your keyboard, which will open the Run dialog box. Then, type "Diskpart" and click OK.

Step 2. Type each command line and press Enter:

list disk

select disk*

create partition extended

create partition logical

format quick

assign letter=*  

Exit

Method 3. Convert to Logical on Server by Disk Management

To delete a volume, follow these steps, which will result in data loss. If you have sensitive files on the primary partition, we recommend backing up all files using software such as Qiling Backup before proceeding.

Step 1. Right-click the Start icon and choose Disk Management from menu.

Step 2. Right-click your primary partition and select Delete Volume.

Step 3. Click the unallocated space and select New Simple Volume.

Step 4. On the new simple volume wizard, choose Logical drive when you see three types of partitions.

#2. Convert Logical to Primary in Windows Server

Here you can get two options to convert logical to primary. If you don't want to download the third-party disk converter to change logical to primary, turn to CMD, the Windows built-in tool works to convert to primary on the Server computer.

Option 1. Run Professional Partition to Convert Logical to Primary

Download disk converter on Server 2003, 2008, 2012, 2019, 2022:

• Free Download
• Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Option 2. Change to Primary by CMD

Step 1. To run the Command Prompt (CMD) as an administrator, follow these steps: Type CMD in the search bar. Right-click it and choose "Run as administrator".

Step 2. Input diskpart and press Enter.

Step 3. Type Command line and click Enter.

list disk
select disk * (* is the disk number that contains the logical partition you need to convert to primary partition.)
list partition
select partition * (* stands the number of the logical partition you want to convert to primary.)
delete partition (this command will delete all the data saved on the selected logical partition and turn to the unallocated space.)
create partition primary

Conclusion

Converting primary to logical or logical to primary partitions in Windows Server is not a difficult task, and can be done using Qiling Partition Master, Windows built-in Command line and disk management programs. However, the latter two methods may pose a risk to your data during the deletion process. To protect your data, it's recommended to use Qiling Partition Master, which is a safer option.

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