Expanding C: drive on Windows 2008R2 server
Have a Windows 2008R2 (SBS2011) server. HP P410i array controller, 4 600GB SAS drives. The original configuration was 146GB C: drive and 971GB F Drive. C: Drive is running out of space but F drive has 2/3 unused space. Had an online spare for the RAID5 configuration
Tried to shrink F drive but amount available was minimal. Thought it would be easiest to use the online spare (removing as a spare) and adding to the existing logical drive to allow expansion and replace the spare then.
Original configuration was a single 1.2TB logical disk with the C: and F: drives partitioned on it. However, when the additional 600GB drive was added to the logical disk, it placed the unused portion after the F: drive partition. In netware/oes, you could use that space by any volume. But in windows, while you can extend the F: drive, you cannot extend the C: drive.
In the past I had used a tool called Partition Command 10-Server edition to resize and move over a partition so the C: drive could be expanded. The tool, purchased in 2010 from Avanquest, appears to not be a currently supported tool and do not know if it would work reliably on the 2008R2 server. Worked with a 2003 server, non-raid, duplexed system after breaking the duplex.
What is the best way to accomplish this at a reasonable cost. I see a tool from EaseUS, a Chinese company, called Partition Master Server, cost $159, that would appear to perform the resize/move.
Another tool from PartitionMagicserver.com, called MiniTool Partition Wizard Server 8.1.1 is available for roughly the same price. Cannot determine where they are located.
I know Acronis has a tool, but significantly more expensive.
What are my choices and what is the recommended tool to use. If I would have know before, when I added the former spare to the array, I could have made it a new logical drive and then I think I could have used that space to expand each area. If the original installer had made the C: drive and F: drive each on its own logical drive, then I could also have allocated the new space from the former spare to each drive.
Again, what is the best way to resize/move/expand the c: and f: drives reliably and what tool, if needed, is a good tool.
Tried to shrink F drive but amount available was minimal. Thought it would be easiest to use the online spare (removing as a spare) and adding to the existing logical drive to allow expansion and replace the spare then.
Original configuration was a single 1.2TB logical disk with the C: and F: drives partitioned on it. However, when the additional 600GB drive was added to the logical disk, it placed the unused portion after the F: drive partition. In netware/oes, you could use that space by any volume. But in windows, while you can extend the F: drive, you cannot extend the C: drive.
In the past I had used a tool called Partition Command 10-Server edition to resize and move over a partition so the C: drive could be expanded. The tool, purchased in 2010 from Avanquest, appears to not be a currently supported tool and do not know if it would work reliably on the 2008R2 server. Worked with a 2003 server, non-raid, duplexed system after breaking the duplex.
What is the best way to accomplish this at a reasonable cost. I see a tool from EaseUS, a Chinese company, called Partition Master Server, cost $159, that would appear to perform the resize/move.
Another tool from PartitionMagicserver.com, called MiniTool Partition Wizard Server 8.1.1 is available for roughly the same price. Cannot determine where they are located.
I know Acronis has a tool, but significantly more expensive.
What are my choices and what is the recommended tool to use. If I would have know before, when I added the former spare to the array, I could have made it a new logical drive and then I think I could have used that space to expand each area. If the original installer had made the C: drive and F: drive each on its own logical drive, then I could also have allocated the new space from the former spare to each drive.
Again, what is the best way to resize/move/expand the c: and f: drives reliably and what tool, if needed, is a good tool.
WORKS2011
you may want to see about clearing up space using this free utility, click here for windirstat.
I would NOT use Acronis it embeds itself in the registry and often causes problem later on.
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I will have to look at the SBS console. I am not familiar with this feature. Specifically what is the wizard in the console that could move these. I have the following major items on the c:
inetpub 2GB
Program Files 8.73GB
Program Files (x86) 10 GB, which includes Arcserve data files
ProgramData 6.28GB
User 11.8GB
Windows, 52.8GB
WSUS 11.7GB
I also found out yesterday that the person who installed the system set up the shadow file copy for the C: drive on the C: volume and it uses 14GB. About 130GB of data is used.
Symantec Endpoint is on F: drive. Exchange Data File are likely on the C: drive also.
I now have 1.6TB of space available to the F: drive,, 900GB currently allocated, plus 600 GB not allocated which is for the user data, and only about 300GB is being used.
Things that grow are would be the users file for the those that log into the server, the email and the arcserve file. I did not think about the arcserve location when I installed this and should have not put it on the C: drive, but can move it.
Since I have the additional space on the F: drive already and 600GB of unallocated, should I just allocate some space to F: and then greate a new drive partition for some of the other things to be moved off the c: drive.
The issue looking at the future, is if I leave c: at the 146GB, expand F: to 1.2 or 1.3TB, leaving 300-400GB for a new drive (all are on a single logical raid volume), the new drive would come after the F: drive and would then lock the size of the F: drive for future growth. I don't think they will really have that much growth before the system needs to be replaced.
What are your thoughts and recommendations. I had no problems using a tool to move the data before, but that was on a single SCSI mirrored drive, not RAID involved.
What do you mean by flatten. And for logical drives on the RAID, say you were having 3 main drives, C:, G: for programs and other data on server and g: for the user shares, would you create these as separate logical volumes on the RAID5. I have one server setup that way and when an additional drive was added, I could easily allocate space from the new drive to each of the logical drives, which could then be expanded within disk management.
My exposure to this is somewhat limited so recommendations are most welcome. The person who originally setup this server supposedly had alot of experience with both large and small customers but I question that as I am constantly called to fix what he originally setup.
Cliff.
inetpub 2GB
Program Files 8.73GB
Program Files (x86) 10 GB, which includes Arcserve data files
ProgramData 6.28GB
User 11.8GB
Windows, 52.8GB
WSUS 11.7GB
I also found out yesterday that the person who installed the system set up the shadow file copy for the C: drive on the C: volume and it uses 14GB. About 130GB of data is used.
Symantec Endpoint is on F: drive. Exchange Data File are likely on the C: drive also.
I now have 1.6TB of space available to the F: drive,, 900GB currently allocated, plus 600 GB not allocated which is for the user data, and only about 300GB is being used.
Things that grow are would be the users file for the those that log into the server, the email and the arcserve file. I did not think about the arcserve location when I installed this and should have not put it on the C: drive, but can move it.
Since I have the additional space on the F: drive already and 600GB of unallocated, should I just allocate some space to F: and then greate a new drive partition for some of the other things to be moved off the c: drive.
The issue looking at the future, is if I leave c: at the 146GB, expand F: to 1.2 or 1.3TB, leaving 300-400GB for a new drive (all are on a single logical raid volume), the new drive would come after the F: drive and would then lock the size of the F: drive for future growth. I don't think they will really have that much growth before the system needs to be replaced.
What are your thoughts and recommendations. I had no problems using a tool to move the data before, but that was on a single SCSI mirrored drive, not RAID involved.
What do you mean by flatten. And for logical drives on the RAID, say you were having 3 main drives, C:, G: for programs and other data on server and g: for the user shares, would you create these as separate logical volumes on the RAID5. I have one server setup that way and when an additional drive was added, I could easily allocate space from the new drive to each of the logical drives, which could then be expanded within disk management.
My exposure to this is somewhat limited so recommendations are most welcome. The person who originally setup this server supposedly had alot of experience with both large and small customers but I question that as I am constantly called to fix what he originally setup.
Cliff.
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Inetpub - what log files can be deleted and can it be controlled so that it does not need to be done manually.
How do you move exchange to another partition?
Arcserve can be reinstalled to another partition I think
Users. A system administrator call xxxxxadmin was created to replace the administrator account. This user is using 11.1GB. Don't know what is in there yet, It appears that about 2GB are in documents, many related to the ACT program. Downloads are 666MB, a program download file and 8GB are on the desktop, which would be alot of program installation file that could be move.
Windows Temp is 21 GB. What is the best way to clear that. Disk cleanup task did not clean this up.
Exchange is on the F: drive program files already, 8.2GB
WSUS - how do you clean up or move it to f: drive. Can this be an automatic process. If it has to be done manually, it is a ongoing problem.
Cliff
How do you move exchange to another partition?
Arcserve can be reinstalled to another partition I think
Users. A system administrator call xxxxxadmin was created to replace the administrator account. This user is using 11.1GB. Don't know what is in there yet, It appears that about 2GB are in documents, many related to the ACT program. Downloads are 666MB, a program download file and 8GB are on the desktop, which would be alot of program installation file that could be move.
Windows Temp is 21 GB. What is the best way to clear that. Disk cleanup task did not clean this up.
Exchange is on the F: drive program files already, 8.2GB
WSUS - how do you clean up or move it to f: drive. Can this be an automatic process. If it has to be done manually, it is a ongoing problem.
Cliff
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Also, 14GB is allocated to shadow copies for the C: drive on the C: drive.
This is also a WSUS folder on the F: drive, so on both the c; and F: drives.
I think Exchange is already on the F: drive.
This is also a WSUS folder on the F: drive, so on both the c; and F: drives.
I think Exchange is already on the F: drive.
what's so large in the users profile(s).
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Moving the SBS Monitoring Database - the process should be similar, though this is for 2008.
http://it.gamerz-bg.com/index.php/category/windows-server/windows-sbs/windows-sbs-2011/
How to Move WSUS Content and Database Files to a Different Volume
http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2009/09/23/how-to-move-wsus-content-and-database-files-to-a-different-partition.aspx
http://it.gamerz-bg.com/index.php/category/windows-server/windows-sbs/windows-sbs-2011/
How to Move WSUS Content and Database Files to a Different Volume
http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2009/09/23/how-to-move-wsus-content-and-database-files-to-a-different-partition.aspx
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In the windows temp, the adminstrator user xxxxxadmin had 8.GB of install files in a folder on the desktop. Easy to move them.
Also, in windows\temp, was a 23GB file sqla0000.tmp. This is related to SEPM Symantec Endpoint Mgr. It is a related problem. It is supposed to be limited to 200mb with sep 12.1 RU1. We are at 12.1.1101.404 RU1 MP1 but still has the 23GB file. Restarted the embedded database and SEPM Manager compressed it but I don't know for how long.
Also, since I don't think I need to have moved the former spare to the logical drive, is there anyway to undo this an remove it from the logical drive short of of backing up and recreating the array.
Also, in windows\temp, was a 23GB file sqla0000.tmp. This is related to SEPM Symantec Endpoint Mgr. It is a related problem. It is supposed to be limited to 200mb with sep 12.1 RU1. We are at 12.1.1101.404 RU1 MP1 but still has the 23GB file. Restarted the embedded database and SEPM Manager compressed it but I don't know for how long.
Also, since I don't think I need to have moved the former spare to the logical drive, is there anyway to undo this an remove it from the logical drive short of of backing up and recreating the array.
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It appears the the Smart array advanced Pack v2.0 allows you to shrink the array, removing a drive, but that costs as much as the drive itself.
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My concern with this method, that drive is the F: drive and it has the Symantec Endpoint solution and mail protection services loaded from the Program Files (x86) folder and Microsoft Exchange and MSSQL (data files for sharepoint) in the Program Files folder.
These applications are always running. I would expect that these could be turned off, but I am not certain how to do that. It they are on when this is done, I would likely cause major problems. They would have to be burned off during likely the backup, partition deletion, partition expansion, partition creation and volume restore from backup.
That appears to be a little scary because of these two major programs.
These applications are always running. I would expect that these could be turned off, but I am not certain how to do that. It they are on when this is done, I would likely cause major problems. They would have to be burned off during likely the backup, partition deletion, partition expansion, partition creation and volume restore from backup.
That appears to be a little scary because of these two major programs.
Did you clear up enough space to not have to worry about endpoint security for the time being? Or create another post regarding it I'm not a fan of Symantec products I expect someone on EE can help with downsizing.
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At this point, I have 46GB free out of the 146 GB original
What is left:
c:\wsus - 11.5GB - contains susdb\updateservicedbfiles
sqla0000.tmp. That file is now reduced to 347MB though people are saying it is supposed to cap out at 200mb with version 12.1 RU1 MP1 of SEPM. I will monitor this.
c:\windows is now 26.1GB with temp only 347GB, most in the SEPM sqla0000.tmp file
c:\users is now down to 3 GB, most if the xxxxadmin user related to the installation of Sage ACT's sample database. I can likely put the sample database into a different location or delete it.
Related to Progdata and inetpub, log files, how do I determine what to delete, what is safe to delete and is there a way to easily configure the log files to not grow so large.
One other item, taking 14GB of space is the twice daily shadow copies, currently using 8.6GB of 14GB maximum allocation. A previous comment touched on moving this to the F: drive, but I need to determine how to accomplish this.
Finally, since I converted the online spare to an actual array active drive and added to the single logical drive on the P420i array, is there a way to remove that extra not needed drive from the array. I see the Smart Array Advance Pack has that capability, but it costs almost as much as the drive, so that is not cost effective.
In addition, if I want to add more storage to the array, how do I add it so I can add the storage to the C: drive or the F: drive. Just extending the logical drive just puts it after the end. On a similar server I setup, I had on the array, 3 logical drives, one for c:\, one for user data, E:\ and one for user personal files, Z:\. Then if I added another drive to the array, I could add some to each of the drive(partitions), c:, e: or z:.
c
What is left:
c:\wsus - 11.5GB - contains susdb\updateservicedbfiles
sqla0000.tmp. That file is now reduced to 347MB though people are saying it is supposed to cap out at 200mb with version 12.1 RU1 MP1 of SEPM. I will monitor this.
c:\windows is now 26.1GB with temp only 347GB, most in the SEPM sqla0000.tmp file
c:\users is now down to 3 GB, most if the xxxxadmin user related to the installation of Sage ACT's sample database. I can likely put the sample database into a different location or delete it.
Related to Progdata and inetpub, log files, how do I determine what to delete, what is safe to delete and is there a way to easily configure the log files to not grow so large.
One other item, taking 14GB of space is the twice daily shadow copies, currently using 8.6GB of 14GB maximum allocation. A previous comment touched on moving this to the F: drive, but I need to determine how to accomplish this.
Finally, since I converted the online spare to an actual array active drive and added to the single logical drive on the P420i array, is there a way to remove that extra not needed drive from the array. I see the Smart Array Advance Pack has that capability, but it costs almost as much as the drive, so that is not cost effective.
In addition, if I want to add more storage to the array, how do I add it so I can add the storage to the C: drive or the F: drive. Just extending the logical drive just puts it after the end. On a similar server I setup, I had on the array, 3 logical drives, one for c:\, one for user data, E:\ and one for user personal files, Z:\. Then if I added another drive to the array, I could add some to each of the drive(partitions), c:, e: or z:.
c
> A previous comment touched on moving this to the F: drive, but I need to determine how to accomplish this.
I told you how to accomplish this:
You cannot move the existing Shadow Copies from the C: drive to the F: drive but you CAN disable them. THEN re-enable them and put them on the F: drive (you can only assign a destination for the copies when there are no copies in existence.
> It appears that the sql database is still on c: drive. I did not check the referenced blog posting above. Is it also possible to move this file.
I told you how to do this in this comment
I also answered the question about reconfiguring logging for IIS...
Please re-read my comment.
I told you how to accomplish this:
You cannot move the existing Shadow Copies from the C: drive to the F: drive but you CAN disable them. THEN re-enable them and put them on the F: drive (you can only assign a destination for the copies when there are no copies in existence.
> It appears that the sql database is still on c: drive. I did not check the referenced blog posting above. Is it also possible to move this file.
I told you how to do this in this comment
I also answered the question about reconfiguring logging for IIS...
Please re-read my comment.
"That appears to be a little scary because of these two major programs."
remove them first and install them again after.
You have the solution now, its just a case of implementing it!
remove them first and install them again after.
You have the solution now, its just a case of implementing it!
oh to add you can do this is safe mode if you are worried about services as well but i would still remove/install the progs anyway as this is correct practice
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Thanks,
I had look looked at the shadow copy process and was unsure. I will look at it again.
I had scanned the WSUS stuff but not thoroughly enough.
I incorrectly did not associate the inetpub stuff with WSUS or the SBS monitoring.
I had look looked at the shadow copy process and was unsure. I will look at it again.
I had scanned the WSUS stuff but not thoroughly enough.
I incorrectly did not associate the inetpub stuff with WSUS or the SBS monitoring.
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I would not have a problem with uninstalling SPEM, but I would not want to touch exchange. I just do not have enough experience with exchange to accomplish this, especially with emails databases. I did not setup it up originally so I don't know what configuration choices they made.