Upgraded Disk space not showing

[Jasp80]

Hi

We have a Proliant 5500 with a 3200 Smart Arrary Controller. The version is 4.50 and the BIOS is 11/08/2000. We are using NT4 SP6a.

We have a configuration of 4 9GB disks which formed the D: which was running out of space. We were told that we could replace the disks, one at a time, with 18Gb disks. Once this was complete Disk administrator would see the extra space and we could use this space to create an extra logical drive. We could then use the Extend Volume set in Disk Administrator to assign the logical drive to the D:.

However upon inserting the 18GB disks, Disk Administrator does not show any extra space believing the existing config is still valid. The event logs do show the message that the new drives do not have drive threshold monitoring enabled. Could this be the problem or have we missed something out of the procedure, or have we been mis-informed?

Any help gratefully received.

Thanks

[Uwe Zessin]

Neil,

the SmartArray controllers work a bit different:

- you first collect several physical disk drives from a disk array

- then you cut one or more logical drives out of this disk array - this is what windows sees as a 'disk'


Now that you have replaced all physical disk drives with larger ones you run the ACU (Array Configuration Utility). It should show you that there is now free space at the end of the disk array. The size of the logical disk has not changed, by design.

You can use this free space to expand the existing logical disk or create a new logical disk which windows will see as a second 'disk'. If you expand the existing logical disk, then after a reboot (or perhaps a rescan) Windows will show free space at the extended 'disk'.

[Larry Shaw]

As further information to the previous reply:

Once you use Array Configuration Utility to expand the array and create a new logical disk in the SmartArray controller, you will still face a challenge.

NT 4.0 does not support volume extension. This is supported only in Windows 2000 and then only if you have originally created the volume in Windows 2000 as a dynamic disk. To extend the volume under NT 4.0, you will need to use a third party disk management tool like Partition Magic. Otherwise, you can add the space but will have to use it as a new drive letter, i.e. E:, etc, in Windows.

[Prashant (I am Back)]

Hi,

Only thing you can do is use the ACU to resolve the issu.
Use the following link to do so.
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/servers/proliantstorage/software-management/acumatrix/index.html
Go through the usermannual that will guide you.

Regards,
Prashant S.

[Jasp80]

Hi

Firstly thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply.

I am pretty sure that you can create an extended volume set in NT4, however I have not done anything like this before so can I clarify what to do next.

When running the ACU it shows the existing array with the current Raid5 set-up and the current size of the drive. Underneath this in the Array shows the 34gig of unused space that is now available. What do I do next? When clicking on the unused space I get the option to create a logical drive, do I use this and then use NT administrator to extend this on to the existing drive? Or when I click on the existing drive in the ACU I get the option to Extend/Modify the existing drive. Do I use this option instead?

I would like to highlight that the current drive holds a MSQL database and other data and I would like this to still exist after Iâ ve done the work!! I would like to apologise for the need to â hand-holdâ me through this but I have never done anything like this before and I donâ t fancy having to restore a 20gb SQL database through a mista

[SAKET_5]

Hi,

I believe you should have great info by now due to the replies posted before. However, I would support Larry, its NT4.0 not Windows 2000---NT4.0 has no concept for dynamic disks, so how would you dynamically extend the volume?

So, first and foremost you need to use ACU and it should launch up a wizard to configure unallocated space and either created a new logical drive or extend the existing logical drive to occupy the extra disk space. After that, rescan device under Windows_NT. At this stage, you could either assign a new drive letter to the new partition or use power quest volume manager type stuff. Doubt, you could use Diskpart utility...you could check that.

Hope it helps and don't forget to assign points:)

Regards,

[e4services]

I would suggest getting a copy of the ACU manual so you have the complete story in front of you instead of going back and forth here. It will halp you now and in the future. Keep a copy around the server.

"HP Array Configuration Utility User Guide"

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00139862/c00139862.pdf