topic Adding drives to existing Raid 5 array in ProLiant Servers (ML,DL,SL)

Adding drives to existing Raid 5 array

Robyn Mabey — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 02:21:38 GMT

Hello,

I have a HP ProLiant ML530 (G2) server that has been running well for at least a year now, but it has come to the point where I need to add more storage space.

Currently there is an existing Raid 5 array setup with 3 logical drives (C,D,E). I would like to add a new drive into this existing array and add the new space onto an existing logical drive (D).

Firstly, is this possible with the ML530 G2? If so, how would I go about doing this?

Many thanks in advance for any help given.

Rob

P.S. This thread has been moevd from ProLiant Servers - Netservers to ProLiant Servers (ML,DL,SL). - Hp forum Moderator

Re: Adding drives to existing Raid 5 array

Tarek Kawach — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 08:24:01 GMT

Robyn:

It is possible what you want to do.

First: need to make sure that all firmware for server and array controller are uptodate.
- also you are using the latest array configurations utilities.

Second: need to make sure you are at sp4 from MS if this is windows 2000.

Third: Physically add the drive to the server.
go to Array configurations utility; and expand array A: to include that drive.

the expansion will take about 20 minutes for each gig in the array; depends on the size of your drives; could be 24 hours.

once the expansion is complete.

Fourth: then you need to add that unused space under array A : logical drive one to the logical drive. ; which hp calls Exteneding;

once you are done at the hardware level and HP Array config utilities said is done; then and only then you can go to disk management and you will see that available space at end of drive it would say unallocated.

Now comes the Software Part; you will have to use 3rd party partioning software; like partion commander or partion magic; check which software is compatable and will work fine for your version of the o/s ; the extend that partion to be included on partion on disk 0.

ProLiant Smart Array controllers
Support & Documents
https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/home [Moderator edit: Updated the link.]

Best regards,
and hope this is helpfull,

Tarek.

Re: Adding drives to existing Raid 5 array

Robyn Mabey — Fri, 04 Feb 2005 03:26:58 GMT

You're a star, thanks very much for that excellent answer! I appreciate your help.

Re: Adding drives to existing Raid 5 array

donkarnash — Tue, 08 Feb 2005 00:19:37 GMT

Fantastic answer.....well done mate

Re: Adding drives to existing Raid 5 array

Simon Wiium — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:35:07 GMT

Hei there..

I've tried to add a drive to my P400 controller a ProLiant 180.

the GUI ACU doesn't have an optoin for adding drives and the CLI tells me it's "not possible with the current configuration" when I try to add drives to an array and a logicaldrive.

The manual on the Smart Array clearly states expanding is possible on the P400.

Thanks
Simon

Re: Adding drives to existing Raid 5 array

Tarek Kawach — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 08:25:07 GMT

Do you have at 512 MB of BBWC on this controller.

You will need this BBWC for the expansion to work.

~~https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/km/search#t=Documents&sort=relevancy&layout=table&numberOfResults=25&f:@kmdoctype=[cv60000006]&f:@kmdoctypedetails=[cv66000043]&hpe=1~~ Moderator [above link is no longer valid, please visit https://support.hpe.com/connect/s/ to find the latest info ]

Addition of the battery backed cache upgrade enables BBWC, RAID 6 with ADG, array expansion, logical drive extension, RAID migration, and stripe size migration.

Online array expansion (with BBWC upgrade)

Regards,

Tarek

Re: Adding drives to existing Raid 5 array

Technical_guy — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 08:26:29 GMT

@Tarek Kawach wrote:
Do you have at 512 MB of BBWC on this controller.

You will need this BBWC for the expansion to work.

~~https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/km/search#t=Documents&sort=relevancy&layout=table&numberOfResults=25&f:@kmdoctype=[cv60000006]&f:@kmdoctypedetails=[cv66000043]&hpe=1~~
Moderator [above link is no longer valid, please visit https://support.hpe.com/connect/s/ to find the latest info ]

Addition of the battery backed cache upgrade enables BBWC, RAID 6 with ADG, array expansion, logical drive extension, RAID migration, and stripe size migration.

Online array expansion (with BBWC upgrade)

Regards,

Tarek

Hi,

I have proliant DL 380 g5, configured with 3 hard disk with Raid 5 ( 2 Logical c & d Drive ).hosting exchange 2007 on

d drive , D drive is almost full, i have 3 new extra hard disk on the server, how can i add them to the same array or extended the D partition. using them

Thank you

Re: Adding drives to existing Raid 5 array

LouisH — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 19:49:02 GMT

The steps are listed in Tarek's reply at the top of this post.

Even though it's somewhat old, the steps are the same from a hardware view.

I don't know about the implications from an Exchange view, though.

I think it will work as indicated. I would only add one drive at a time and use the above procedure for each one.

Regards,

Louis

Re: Adding drives to existing Raid 5 array

AbdullahHaleem — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 11:22:20 GMT

it's great, but what about losing data?

Re: Adding drives to existing Raid 5 array

SGH709YY9N — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 09:27:48 GMT

Hello,

I have a HPE DL380 Gen10 4210 server that has been running well for at least a year now, but it has come to the point where I need to add more storage space.

Currently there is an existing Raid 5 array setup with 3 logical drives (C,D). I would like to add a new drive into this existing array and add the new space onto an existing logical drive (D).

Firstly, is this possible with the HPE DL380 Gen10 4210? If so, how would I go about doing this?

Many thanks in advance for any help given.

Anish Giri
**~~Personal info erased~~**

Re: Adding drives to existing Raid 5 array

Sunitha_Mod — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 10:31:43 GMT

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