Moving 14 TB Dynamic Disk from Windows 2003 to Windows 2012

Good day All,

Welcome back!!!


We had a scenario as part of phasing out Windows 2003 VM we wanted to build a new Windows 2012 Server. The only challenge was that this Windows 2003 had 14 TB of Dynamic disk ,

Couple of ideas was discussed

1. Get a new disk in GPT on Windows 2012 and move the 14 TB data using robocopy. Well looking at the data it looks scary on the integrity as the data was very critical.
2. Create a 14TB LUN on the Storage and move the data on the storage end, as multiple disk was provisioned from SAN, LUN to LUN copy was ruled out.
3. Restore the 14 GB LUN from Backup very time consuming and we didn't have long Window from business.


All the options looked very time consuming and integrity of so much data was challenge...

Finally this is what we did and i had no clue that this would have worked...

1. As this was a 2003 VM all the Volumes of the dynamic disk we moved to a big large datastore.
2.Made a note of the order the disk's for the VM
3. Built a new Windows 2012 VM
4. Detached the dynamic disk from Windows 2003 VM and attached to Windows 2012 VM in the same order
5. Powered on the Windows 2012

I have never did something like this before and my hope was only 50%..

Well to our surprise after booting up Windows 2012 recognized the disk as dynamic disk and all the 14 TB was intact ..

If anyone feels had a better idea please share it to me probably we can use it for any more of future migrations..

Hopefully this helps someone... until next one all Have a good day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!