Add Additional disks to array

[Gary Turk]

I am looking to add two additional physical disks to my current array. My system is as follows:

- Proliant DL380 G2
- Smart Array 5i controller
- 1 RAID-5 Array w/ spare (4 physical disks)
- 1 Logical drive
- 2 partitions
- Windows 2000 Adv. Server
- Windows using Basic Disks

I am looking to increase the amount of space on the second partition without losing any data. I will be adding two more physical disks.

What are the steps to do this?

Are there any firmware issues to be aware of?

[e4services]

Simply add more disks. The controller when it recognizes the drives will ask you what to do with them. You would select add to the existing array set. It will go off and restripe the data accross the new set (will take some time, see you controller manual). When complete you will have free space available to extend your current logical volume or create a new volume partition for use by the OS.

[Gary Turk]

So I just:

1.) Expand Array
2.) Extend Logical Drive ( after it restripes)

How will I add the new space to the partition (D:\)?

[Uwe Zessin]

Gary,
I think you can do it with the DISKPART utility. It is here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/new/diskpart-o.asp

An example is here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;325590

[Carlos Sotelo Ibarra_1]

If you want to extend your partition (D:) you first have to convert the logical disk in which it is located to a "dynamic" disk, using Windows' disk manager.

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As always, before modifying your storage configuration make sure you have a recent backup at hand.
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Procedure is as follows.

In the "Start" menu, select "Programs->Administrative Tools->Computer Management"

Once the window opens, navigate to "Disk Management".

If you were succesful in adding your disks to the array and therefore to the logical disk, then some free space should show up on that logical disk, now recognized by Windows.

Select the logical disk, and make sure it is marked as "dynamic". If it is still "basic", then you have to right click on the disk label, a menu will show up and then select the option "convert to dynamic disk".

Once the disk is converted, select the partition you want to extend and with a right mouse click select the "extend volume" option.

Hope this helps!

Carlos