ML 350 G3 - Disk question

[Hans hansen_2]

I have a ML 350 g3 server with two 36 gb disk in raid 1.

There are two partitions - C: and D: drive.

There are only 300mb left on C-drive while there are 15gb left on the D-drive

So my question is simple - how do I solve this problem the easiest way?

[~sesh]

Since you have 2 partitions on the 36 GB logical drive (array), you can move the data (if possible) from the C: to D: using Windows.

If you can't move the data, you can use utilities like Partition Magic to resize your partitions. Whatever suggestions you follow, please backup your data first. :)

[Hans hansen_2]

What if we buy 2 new 72 gb disk and than remove one of the 36 gb disk - afterwards will the data be rebuild on the 72gb disk ? - and when the 72gb is ready the last 36gb disk can be replaced with an 72gb disk and so the two 72gb disk will be raid 1

Will this work?

[Víctor Cespón]

Yes, you can migrate a RAID 1 to bigger disks by replacing a disk, let the RAID rebuild and then replacing the other.
But this does not change the Windows partitions, the data is copied sector by sector, so you'll still have the same C: and D: partitions, and a unused space.
Your problem is software-related and cannot be solved by hardware. The hardware does not modify OS filesystem structures.

[~sesh]

That's right. You can increase the capacity of the logical drive by swapping 1 disk at a time allowing time to rebuild.

As mentioned by vcespon, the C: & D: would remain the same because they have been setup using partitioning or Windows Logical Volume Manager (LVM).

Your solution of installing 2 x 72 GB can be used, but you would need some utility like Partition Magic to resize the partitions.

As always, keep a valid backup of your data!

[Hans hansen_2]

My thought was that if the raid was moved to two 72 gb disk - afterwards I would be able to assign the unused space to the c: drive.

Partition magic is a great tool for pc´s, but not for raid systems is my experience

[Rami Gabriel]

Kim,

Use Acronis Disk Director, extremely powerful and user freindly, just beware of the options and as mentioned before, complete backup first !

I've tested Acronis software with both DL380 G3's here and with great results...

www.acronis.com

They offer a 15 day trial too...

Rami

[~sesh]

Hi Kim,

If the C: was a logical drive created on the array controller, with separate logical drive for D: (hardware), you would be able to extend the logical drive (C:) using the Array Configuration Utility.

However, since you have 2 partitions on the same logical drive, it would not be possible extend C: alone. The complete logical drive can be extended, but not specific partitions.

[Hans hansen_2]

OK. So If i delete the entire D: drive - afterwards I will be able to add the unused space to the c-drive.

After that a new D: can be made, if I understand correct.

But of course you need hell of a backup, that you for 110% sure are able to recover is something fails

[e4services]

Well, an interesting idea, but still there may be problems, and if you were going to go to all THAT trouble, then you would not need to extend, you might as well backup and restore both to new drives.
My suggestion is this. First find out what is filling up you C: partition, that is, what besides your OS is using it to store data more than the temporary files. Instead of replacing the 36GB disks, add 2- 73GB disks, construct a new RAID1 logical drive using the entire disk and copy everything from the D: partition to them, then delete the delete the old D: partition.
Once complete, if Windows, you would only have to make sure that the OS assigns "D:" to the new logical. Of couse then I would remove any Windows OS from any sort of hard mirror because the controller spend 90% of its time copying all that Windows temporary/VirtualMem stuff, which you have no use for, and also having a mirror of your Windows OS does you no good since most of the time it is corruption that cause the OD loss and not the loss of a drive.
Then you can backup and restore the OS partition to use the entire 36 GB

[Hans hansen_2]

Just as I understand - just add to new disks and make a new raid 1 system and afterwards copy the whole content of the d-drive to the new raid 1 disks. Than there would be enough space.

I don´t quite understand the last in your post. A mirror of the OS, why isn´t that good ? - In my view a OS running in Raid 1 is a must, if something crashes on a server disk.

[Hans hansen_2]

Another possibilty would be to using Ghost. Make a ghost of the raid and when you are "ghosting" it back to the disk you are able to set what partition size it have to be.

[Hans hansen_2]

e4services -

Could you please explain this that you wrote below ? - it doesn´t make sense for me

Of couse then I would remove any Windows OS from any sort of hard mirror because the controller spend 90% of its time copying all that Windows temporary/VirtualMem stuff, which you have no use for, and also having a mirror of your Windows OS does you no good since most of the time it is corruption that cause the OD loss and not the loss of a drive.
Then you can backup and restore the OS partition to use the entire 36 GB

[~sesh]

I think the suggestion to start everything from scratch, because you will have to backup everything perfectly.

Start with two logical drives, configured on the controller itself.

One logical drive for the OS and the other for the data. The logical drive for the OS can be on a mirror. I have seen many implementations of RAID 1 for the OS without any performance issues either in the controller or OS.

The data can be on RAID 0, 1, or 5 depending on the criticality of the data & the number of hard drives available.

[Hans hansen_2]

As I understand here it what to be done.

Add two new disk to the server and make them Raid1 - so there is 2x2 raid 1

The old raid 1 will not be touched - besides - when the new raid have been made the data fra the D: partition(on the old raid) will move to the new raid, which than will be the d-drive.

When everything works, the old d: partition on the old raid can be deleted and the c: drive will have been increased.

What about access rights for the data on the D: partition - when you copy the data to the new raid, will the rights still be there ?

[~sesh]

If you already have RAID 1 configured on 2 x 36 GB drives. You will only have to install the 2 x 72 GB drives and create an array.

Move all the data of the existing D: to the new RAID 1 array of 2 x 72 GB drives.

However, if you delete the D: (existing) drive (partition) after moving all to the new RAID 1 logical drive. The space will be freed, but since it is a Windows partition you cannot extend it using the Array Configuration Utility. You will need to use the Windows Disk Management.

I would suggest that you retain the D: (just delete the contents), use the free space for your requirements.

[Hans hansen_2]

My collegue asked if it is possible when everything is moved to the new D: drive - and the old partition is removed.

The free disk has to be added to the c: partition - but you say this can be done by windows disk management, without any problem

[~sesh]

As in my previous post, I would recommend that you keep the old D: as D: (empty) and just use the unused space.

I am not really sure how it works in Windows Disk Management, so I can't tell you if you will be do it, and if it can be done without any problems.

[~sesh]

Hi Kim, just reading some information about the Windows Disk Management.

As far as I can see, you can only extend the current C: after deleting D:, if they have been made dynamic disks & configured as logical volumes.

There is a difference here. If the existing C: & D: drive are just partitions, they will stay that way. You cannot extend, resize them. If C: & D: are logical volumes, then you will be able to resize/extend.

Check this MS link:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323442/en-us

[Hans hansen_2]

I just inserted the new disks and made a new array in raid 1 - so now there is C:, D: and F: (new)

I am a bit surprised. I can not see any reason to buy new disk and make a new array, if the old D: have to stay on the old disk ?. What does it help to add two new disk, if the OS partition is to small ?. The problem is still the C partition, not the D: - but as I understood if you move the data from D: to a new drive, the unused space could be used for the C partition

[~sesh]

That's right. The C: is small for the OS. Check the Microsoft Link. You should be able to convert the disk to a dynamic disk (not Basic), and then extend it.

Even in the previous posts, this has been highlighted. How you can extend the existing C: would depend on how the disks are configured in Windows Disk Manager (partitions vs. volumes). If you've read all that including the post by e4services, the reasons are clear.

If you hadn't bought new disks, where would you store your data, for this option to be even available? If you have any problems in extending the C: (because it's a basic disk with partitions), there are two options.

1.
Try to convert it to a dynamic disk & try extending. How much it'll work I am not sure as I have already said.

2.
Recreate the first array (currently configured with C: & D:) after backing up information & restore on the new array using the full disk space.

[Hans hansen_2]

I have checked - it is a basic disk, not dynamic. :( :( :( :(

Has anyone experience of changing from basic to dynamic disk on a server.

[Hans hansen_2]

I´ve just read on microsoft, that converting from basic to dynamic on hardware raid servers is giving problems as the dynamic disk is storing information in an table that is uniqe - and than on both disk there will be a problem as they will have two uniqes numbers - so they say, that the hardware raid must be split up in two.

Another thing I found is the diskpart.exe dos program, that is integrated in 2003 server. Anyone who knows if this can be used for my setup ?