Need to replace smaller disk drive with bigger drives on DL380 G4

[Phoenix5]

After over 3hrs of non-activity and the drives were no longer flashing, I checked the CPU and utilization was zero, diskpart process has been zero as well for quite some time, I decided to cancel the process. It didn't look like it was doing anything. I restart the server, went back into DiskPart and everything looks the same. However, something that might be of interest why this isn't working is because there is NO VOLUME in the dynamic disk to be 'extended'. I have attached a txt file documenting my steps, which shows no actual volume for DiskPart to extend.

Thanks again for any comments.

[Marek Nelec]

Thanks for the information.

[Phoenix5]

I'm not sure how/where this applies since Dynamic disk can be extended but yet Microsoft says 'striped volume' can not be extended.

My conclusion:
As long as the disk are plain dynamic it can be extended. If the dynamic disk are striped, it can not be extended.

Per Microsoft that striped volume can not be extended:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/0cd59ee9-79a5-4ba7-ade2-2a8cf5e9ba901033.mspx?mfr=true

[Pascal Lévesque]

First, thanks to everyone for this one ! With the help of this topic, we have done this : Changing all 36Go drive to 72Go in our Raid 5. Swaping 1 hdd at time (take +/- 1 hour / disk).

Always using ACU, we "Expand" array from 69Gb to 138Gb (Take 10 hours).

After, we use command line (Server W2K3) DISKPART :
> List Volume (To see wich volume to expand)
> Select Volume x (x = volume #)
> Expand (Even if the documentation tell us that we need to enter "Expand x" x=MB, we only enter Expand command to make it work)
Take less than 1 seconds to process !!

We have now moved from 69Go to 138Go in less than 1 day without any restart or slowing the system for the users !

[Phoenix5]

Pascal Lévesque,

I'm happy this thread has helped you with your drive upgrade. Take care.

[Phoenix5]

The last response from me resolve my problem.