Proliant ML370 G3 Increase C drive space

[brown_bear]

Hi All,

I have a raid 5 array with 1 logical drive according to the array configuration utility.

In windows 2003 it shows my C drive only has 1 gig free. It is 15 gig in size. The only other drive I have is an E drive which is 121 gig.

My 3 scsi disks are 72.8 gig each. How do I increase space on my C drive without loosing my array or data ?

Is the 3rd party app Server Mgr reliable ?

[raadek]

As Win2K3 does not directly support dynamic volume expansion you should always BACK UP the drive.

Then you have two options:
- expand it on-line using any flavour of 3rd party software (Partition Magic or something similar)
- delete volume, create new lareger one & then restore your data onto it.

Rgds.

[brown_bear]

Thanks for the reply.

Does it matter that I am using h/w raid ?
Also obviously I will do a complete backup before using any software but is Server Nagic likely to work with my raid and allow me increase C drive ?

Any suggestions on the best 3rd party and most reliable software to use ?

Thanks again.

Grrrrr

[brown_bear]

Any further comments on this please ?

I am getting mixed advise. Hp themselves said it was simply a case of adding an additional disk and this would allow me to expand the C drive which is my main problem. Other forums say you cannot expand the C drive without deleting the array. ???

Also I can't find Server Magic anywhere anyone any ideas. ?

One last question. I obviously want to do a full backup before changing anything but is 120 gig too much for Windows backup ? I am going to run it and select to back up everything on disk.

Thanks again for the help!

[raadek]

OK, googling showed one, rather simple trick: you cannot extend your boot partition WHILE booted from it. But apparently you can if booted from e.g. a diskette:
http://searchwincomputing.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid68_gci1126671,00.html

Or - more obious route - this tool will allow to expand C drive on-line:
http://www.partition-manager.com/home/personal/release.htm

Rgds.

[brown_bear]

Ok thanks all for the help! Much appreciated.

I finally decided to use Disk Director Server from Acronis.com and it worked like a dream. Excellent product which allows you to test it with a trial version first to see if it would work with youre controllers etc. Then you just buy the full version.

Best of luck

Grrrrrrr