[ML350] - after upgrading RAID 1 drives, Win 2008 still shows same size.

[Christopher Austin]

Hello,

We have an HP Proliant ML350 g5 server with an HP E 200i RAID controller. Yesterday we decided to upgrade the 72GB RAID 1 disks to 146GB disks and did so in the following order:

- removed disc 2 of Array A and replaced with the 146GB(then I let the drives sync)
- removed disc 1 of Array A and replaced with the 146GB(then I let the drives sync)
- opened the HP Raid Configuration Utility(latest version) and EXTENDED the logical disc 1 from ~68GB to 138GB. I did this on the top disc (disc 1) that showed 68GB, the bottom disc (disc 2), showed 134GB free space with a green arrow before I extended disc 1.

After I clicked EXTEND I had the (!) icon on the array A and logical disc 1, but about 3 minutes later I hit REFRESH and I no longer saw those icons and when I went to MORE INFORMATION it showed the array status as 'OK' and said the size was 138GB. However it shows that I still only have 1 partition at 68GB.

It says in the documentation it takes ~15min GB which we're not even close to and the RAID 1 disc lights are flashing in unison as if it's doing something. Does it seem like server is still extending the disc even thought the configuration utility shows 138GB and says the arrays status is 'OK'?

Basically what I'm trying to figure out is why the Windows 2008 Disk Management under disc 0 is still showing as 68GB and why am I not seeing the unallocated space anywhere? I wish there was a way to tell if the EXTEND has fully finished.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

[Christopher Austin]

I took a screen shot of my 'Array Configuration Utility' so you guys can see what's going on.

http://images9.fotki.com/v1604/fileHBlE/f7bf0/6/1519486/8990238/ARRAY.jpg

As you can see from the picture above, there's only 1 partition on Drive 1 which is 68.3GB but
it recognizes the 'size' of Drive 1 at 139GB.

[gregersenj · Accepted solution]

The RAID controller / ACU.
Extend the logical disk only.
Wich mean Windows will see the logical disk as a larger disk.

It does not extend the windows partition.
The partition is unchanged.

Take another look at the disk in diskmanager.

You will se a white area, with a label. Telling you that, this disk x:\ label etc.
This is left side of the disk overview.
To the right you will see an area with diagonal lines. This is the new unused space.

Windows got a command called diskpart, wich can extend partitions.
But there's limitations on system partition.
Might have been changed on 2008.

Before doing anything more.
Tak a screenshot of disk manager, and post it.

BR
/jag

[gregersenj]

Sorry not diagonal lines, that when you select the partition.

But you should see adifference

br
/jag

[Christopher Austin]

Thanks for the help. I was NOT seeing any 'unallocated space' before I looked at the right tab 'More Actions'-> 'ReScan Drives'. Immediately after I clicked this icon I saw 68.37gb next to my C: drive. I can right-click on the C: drive area and do 'extend volume'.

Here is a screen shot of my Disk Manager:
http://images56.fotki.com/v701/fileSxr3/286ba/6/1519486/8990238/DISK_MANAGER.jpg

I'm unsure if the ACU finished doing the 'extend volume' though? When I look in ACU none of the Arrays have a red (x) or an exclamation (!) mark which indicates to me that it's done but I'm unsure since it said it should take ~15min every GB and we started it yesterday at 4:00pm.

Here is a screen shot of the ACU as it stands now:
http://images43.fotki.com/v680/filesLwI/286ba/6/1519486/8990238/ACU1.jpg

when I click on More Information this is what I get:
http://images9.fotki.com/v1603/filepCWt/286ba/6/1519486/8990238/ACU2.jpg

So my questions are:

1) Has the 'extend volume' completed?

2) To resize my partition should I goto Disk Manager 'Extend Volume'?

Thanks!

[gregersenj]

Just as I expected.

You have done everything correct so far :)

If you take a look at Disk 0, in disk manager.
You will see, that 58 or 68 GB(a bit hard to read), unallocated space.
That is the new space :), wich is available.

I have never tryed to extend a partition in Win2008. So can't answer that part.

BR
/jag

[Christopher Austin]

I extended the volume in windows disk manager to the full 134gb size and I now have a 134gb local disc :)

Thanks again for all your help!

[gregersenj]

You are most welcome :)

BR
/jag