P400 RAID 5

[Kunal Raiker]

Hi,

I wanted to increase the size of one of the 2 volumes on my RAID 5 arry,

To give a little backgroud,I have 3- 750 GB ata drives in RAID 5 array with one logical drive and 2 volumes.
One of my volumes is running out of space therefore i added another 750gb drive and increased the size of the logical frive.

My problem is,what do I need to don in order to increase the size of the volume.

Have I done something wrong here.

The server is 2003 R2.

[Sivaramakrishna_1]

There is no details about the server model which you are using etc.. If it is using Smart Array Controller then I hope you can do the expand the Array by adding one more disk on to the existing array and then you can extend the Logical drive. I have done it quite long back and its a online activity. It may take a long time. Once activity is completed then using windows you can extend the voulme using diskpart.

[Kunal Raiker]

Thanks for your help.

I have done what you advised.
It took about 2 days for the logical drive to be extended.
Now the physical drive list inside the RAID 5 array,but when I went to use disk part it tells me there is no space more then 1 mb to extend.

Could someone please help.

[toomas_aas]

Sounds like you have expanded the array, but you haven't extended the logical drive. You have to do that separately.

[Kunal Raiker]

I have extended the logical drive,I know it was a two step process when I did it.

During the expansion of logical drive I was asked ,what amount I wanted to increase it by and I selected the whole.

[Sivaramakrishna_1]

If the Logical drive expansion is completed, then you can notice the unallocated space left on the partition from the Windows Disk Management console.

If it is not noticing any space try to do a "rescan disks" on the Disk management console after logical drive expansion activity completed. Verify the same from ACU.

Suppose the volume to be extended is like F drive, then follow the below commands to extend the volume from the OS side.

1. Open cmd (command prompt)
2. run diskpart. then you will get a prompt DISKPART>)
3. on that promnt type "select volume F" and press enter
4. It will show that volume X is selected
5. then type command "extend" (this will extend the full remaining space to the existing volume)

Hope this will be useful.

Siva

[Kunal Raiker]

I hate to sound like a broken record, but it says that- the specified disks have less then 1mb f disk space,please specify another disk.

The logical drive shows the extended size in brackets but disk management does not display the extra space.

[gregersenj]

It would be easier to hlp you if you post screenshots from the ACU and The Windows diskmanager.

BR
/jag

[Kunal Raiker]

I have attached a file with screen shots of both.


I have circled the logical drive and the volume of interest.
Please advise.

[gregersenj]

Can't open the file.

Please try another format.

BR
/jag

[Kunal Raiker]

I have inserted another file.

[gregersenj]

Well, as we allready know, you have added the physical disk to the array. Array B.
That's good.

Now we need to check if you have extended the logical drive in the acu
Please post a screen shot of the logical view also.
On the second screen shot, please choose logical view (Top right or in the right pane).


Beware to extend a logical disk is a 4 step procedure:
1. Install physical disk. - Done.
2. Expand Array (ACU). - Done.
3. Extend Logical Drive (ACU). - Need to recheck.
4. Extend partition (Windows). - Waiting for step 3?

BR
/jag

[Kunal Raiker]

I have and that is the first picture if you notice.

Thanks.

[gregersenj]

Sorry, my mistake, so you have :)

That's ood.
ACU reporting 2000 GB, and Windows 1300 GB.

A re-scan from device manager has been suggested. So I beleive, you have done so also.
In this case I have no better idea, than try with a shutdown / Power cycle.
Or if there's a bug in the FW, on the P400.

BR
/jag

[Kunal Raiker]

Thanks for assisting.

Would there be anyone else with some idea on why this is happening.

[gregersenj]

You're welcome.

I havn't seen this before.

If you're on a older FW, you could try with an upgrade.

BR
/jag

[Kunal Raiker]

The Array Configuration Utility I'am using is running 7.70.12.0, would there be an upgrade to this which I require to get this issue sorted.

[Kunal Raiker]

I have just updated the Array Configuration Utility to 8.25.5.0, the options are the same,any help please.

[gregersenj]

What aboute the FW on the controller?.

The ACU is the management software only.
It's the smart Array controller, that report the logical disk size to the operating system.

Have you tried to reboot the server.
Hit F8 during POST, and check the logical disk size?

Latest FW is 7.18
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=dk&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=1121516&swItem=MTX-d2785ac661bb497fb1bb64fad7&prodNameId=3288134&swEnvOID=1005&swLang=8&taskId=135&mode=5

Do beware of dependencies.
Read the release notes.

BR
/jag

[Kunal Raiker]

THe problems fixed by the firmware update on the RAC does not meet the problem I'am having.

[gregersenj]

Well it a long shot with the FW.

If You havn't done so yet, the consider with a reboot.
And since you will take it down then.
Consider a FW upgrade also.

But I would check that it can reboot succesfully, before upgrading the FW.

Sure, it might not help either.

But you seem to have done everything correctly. So I have no better idea.

BR
/jag

[Kunal Raiker]

Thanks for your help so far,waiting to see if anyone else has some advise.

[gregersenj]

You're welcome.

Sorry i could not help you out.

BR
/jag

[Kunal Raiker]

bump

[RaphaelHung]

I have samilary problem. I am using HP Proliant DL380G5 Controler Smart Array P400. ACU version installed V 8.30.5.0, SmartStart CD ACU V 8.3.0. I swap array B two 147 GB disk with 300 GB disk, it rebuild successed with swap disk one by one. also add two 300 GB disk at bay 7 & 8. I cannot find menu option to extend the logical drive or expand the array. Please see attached file. Refer to message 12 above, how can I follow those 4 steps to make use of the new disks. I expect to make the bay 3 & 4 can access up to 300 GB, then expand bay 7 &8 to bay 3 & 4 to make the logical drive up to 600 GB.