DL360 Hard Drive upgrade

[GoldLi]

I have an HP DL360 G4P currently with two 72GB U320 Drives. The drives are mirrored with HP Smart Array controller, set as basic drives in win2003 server, and partitioned to a bootable C: and data D:

We are upgrading to larger drives 146 GB or 300 GB.

I would like to break the mirror install the larger drive. Let it remirror. Once mirrored do the same for replacing the other drive. Next add the spare space to the D: Data drive.

Has anyone done this and can you provide details on the steps used? Thanks

[Chris Rosan]

I don't believe you can do it that way. When the smart array controller creates the volume, it creates it the same size, even if you do it the way you want. The only way to change it is to re-create & reformat the drives.

I had to do a similar thing a few years ago and rebuilt it from scratch to do it.

[Louis Henninger · Accepted solution]

I'm doing the same thing now. Here's what I've done:
Have a good backup of the server.
Remove one drive from the server, and replace with the larger disk. Log onto the server and run ACU (array configuration utility). next select the logical drive and select more information from the right hand side. A window will popup showing the logical drive and at the bottom you will see a bar graph with % rebuild. Once that finishes, close popup and refresh window. Logical drive should be back to normal. Replace second disk with larger disk and repeat process. When you insert second disk and controller sees they are now both the same, you'll have unused space showing. Wait for rebuild to finish. Next highlight logical drive and select extend size. Input 1 less than the maximum size indicated on right hand side. Ack popups, you will see ACU will automatically calculate size (not what you put in). Save changes, ack popup. and logical drive will extend. Check on progress, this could take days to complete.
Once that's done. you'll see logical drive to new size. Exit ACU, rescan disks under Windows and use DiskPart to present space to OS.

[Louis Henninger]

Make sure disks are basic, not dynamic and Virtual Disk Service (in Windows) is not disabled, if it is set it to manual and continue by running DiskPart.


Good Luck,

Louis

[freddy pacheco]

Dont pay attention to what chris says, follow the next steps that the other person posted.
Just replace one hdd at a time and then go to the array configuration utility and expand and extend the array.
Is easy.

Good luck

[Chris Rosan]

If they say it works I'd love to know for next time. I was just following what i'd been told.

If i still had contact with the person who gave me the advice i would tell them.

[GoldLi]

Thanks for the replies - I will give this a try and let you know the outcome.

[Morgan Poyser]

A couple questions:
Are you running ACU from Windows or from a SmartStart boot disk?
What are the ramifications of replacing both disks and then running ACU?
Thanks!

[GoldLi]

68halfcab
I was running ACU from Windows.

The ramifications of replacing both disks and then running ACU - you would lose your data. I wanted to upgrade the disks without needing a backup/rebuild/restore.

By the way - it worked perfectly.

[Morgan Poyser]

Ok. Had I READ (and comprehended) what was written, I wouldn't have asked about ACU. I replaced one drive, waited a day or so (during the rebuild) then put in the second drive and it rebuilt (I did not use ACU to monitor the progress--that would have been nice).
The logical drive extended in seconds and did not require a reboot or anything. I am going to extend both existing partitions (including the boot partition) using Acronis Disk Director after a reboot.
At this point, everything has worked perfectly.
I appreciate the time and effort of posters who post solid information and results!
Thank you