I want to extend the C partion (currently 10gb) on my win2003 server. I have 30gb of free space according to disk management. Is there a way of extending the C partion using disk management?
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If it is unallocated space then you can use DISPART to entend into the unallocated space as much as you want. However DISKPART will not extend into a partion uless you delete that partiton.
A Description of the Diskpart Command-Line Utility
http://support.microsoft.c
or the one from the Win2000 Resource kit
http://support.microsoft.c
Ranish Partition Manager
http://www.ranish.com/part
Partition Manager is a freeware program that partitions hard disks. It will help you to install and dualboot Linux and multiple copies of Windows. For example, it will let you to run Win ME, Win 2k, and Linux on a single box. Also, using Partition Manager you can copy, move, and resize disk partitions.
http://www.igd.fhg.de/~asc
Partition Resizer
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The popular freeware partitioning program is back! The first free program to resize and move partitions without data loss, is now more complete, with support for disks up to 2TB of size.
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You may want to consider these. I think most cost a little less than PM and one called Partition Manager says it works with Win2003
Partition Manager
http://www.partition-manag
Partition Manager from Paragon provides easy and safe partitioning functions to even non-professional users.
With Partition Manager you can reclaim wasted disk space, organize your data, add new operating systems, speed up file system performance.
In the past, partition modification was risky and time-consuming task. Users had to backup all files, create new partitions, format them, may be reinstall operating system, and restore data. With Partition Manager you just select what partition modification should be done. All will be done automatically without data loss.
System Commander
http://www.v-com.com/produ
System Commander 7 provides the ultimate OS management and full partitioning in one integrated package!
Supports every PC-compatible OS!
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New - installs from any Windows, including Windows XP NTFS.
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Partition Commander
http://www.v-com.com/produ
Partition Commander lets you reclaim hard disk space, organize your files, add new operating systems (OSes), and in many cases speed up hard drive access speeds. Best of all, you don't have to be an expert. Partition Commander automates the process - guiding you through step-by-step. Where you have a choice, helpful suggestions are made available - the rest is handled automatically!
BootIT Next Generation
http://www.bootitng.com/bo
BootIt NG is a partition and multi boot manager with a powerful and simple to use set of tools for partitioning, imaging, and multi-booting your computer. It combines the features of several standalone products costing hundreds of dollars more.
Here's a list of some of the features you'll find in BootIt NG:
Windows XP Compatible!
support for large hard drives (2 TB) and partitions (1-2 TB).
non-destructive resizing and conversion for FAT/FAT32.
non-destructive resizing for NTFS.
creation and deletion of partitions/volumes.
undelete partitions/volumes.
FAT/FAT32 formatting
copying and moving of partitions/volumes.
support for Linux Ext2/Ext3 and ReiserFS file systems.
Imaging (including directly to CD-R/RW or DVD+R+RW-R-RW)
booting any partition on any hard drive
booting from the CD ROM drive
booting multiple operating systems from a single partition.
create over 200 primary partitions (if desired).
user id and password protection.
free upgrades (1.00-1.99) (registration-key versions only)
and lots more....
zBoot Manager
http://www.zbmsoft.com/
zBoot Manager is an effective boot manager and partition manager, which allows you to easily install and use multiple operating systems on a single hard drive.
Acronis PartitionExpert
http://www.acronis.com/pro
Resize, copy, and move partitions without losing data*
Create and delete partitions of any type
Format partitions*
Automatically optimize hard disk space usage
Convert FAT16 <=> FAT32, Linux Ext2 <=> Ext3 partitions without losing data
Change cluster size, automatically or manually**
Browse through the detailed information about all hard disks, partitions and file systems
Hide or make visible partitions of any type
Previewing changes made in partition layout before applying them to disk
Supports large disks over 180 Gb
DiskPART works fine on Windows 2003 Boot partitions as long as they are BASIC DISKS. Just delete all other partitions on the disk first and then run diskpart. Select the volume and extend. It works perfectly everytime.
I just tested it on a WinXP machine that I had created a D and E volume on and decided I wanted on larger partition. I deleted the D and E and ran diskpart.
BASIC DISK is the key.
ALl the products in the market talk to the same APIs Diskpart talks to, remember that. Of course they have many enhancements and advancements but playing with partitions on a server is dangerous if you expect that server to be dependable.
Good Luck
Doug
There is NO problem extending a Boot disk with DiskPart as long as it is a Basic Disk. I have personally done this several times.
If your BOOT disk is NOW Dynamic you cannot extend it with Diskpart since originally it was a Basic disk and was converted to a dynamic disk.
In general you do not want to use Diskpart with Boot disks but as I said if it was never converted to dynamic and there are no other partitions it can be done safely..
Here is more info http://support.microsoft.c
I use it generally to extend hardware raid partitions. It works fine but they are basic disks.
Just be careful.
Doug
You won't be able to resize that partition with the Win 2k3 disk management tools as that is the system partition.
I would suggest the best way to do it is to use a disk imager such as Ghost or Powerquest, take an image of that partition and save it onto a separate disk or partition.
If you have unallocated space I would boot the server off a dos disk, use fdisk to create a partition in the unallocated space. Use Ghost/Powerquest and image your system drive into this new partition (you could make it smaller if you compress the image). Then delete the original partition, create a new partition (using Fdisk) of whatever size you want, and then restore the image back onto this new partition. After which you can delete the partition you created to store the image.
I am confused regarding the recent comments regarding extending the w2003 system partition.
I just tested it on my demo machine and you can extend the partition even if it is the BOOT drive/system partition. As long as your system partition is the only partition and you have no others it works. My system partition was a basic partition.
I have heard that if you converted a basic partition to Dynamic that diskpart will not work.
Microsoft does have a document that states you cannot extend a system partition. They have other documents that state you can but they do not recommend it.
I believe that is a marketing agreement they have with third party product makers because I have done this several times with no issues, but on XP Pro. W2003 did succeed as well but I only did it once as a test and reformatted a few days later.
Nonetheless this issue is DEAD, the original poster has purchased a product. I only responded here because it is bothering me that two people have added info based on something they read not experience.
DC
I apologize if I came off wrong.
You are correct that this forum is about helping people solve their issues.
What I had said "bothered" me (which I should not have said, you are correct) was that statements were being made that did not appear to be tested statements. Nonetheless I had no right making such a comment and should have left well enough alone.
I am sorry I offended.
Doug
Late Entry - I just used Partition Manager 6 Professional to extend a volume on a Windows 2003 Server and it worked. One major problem though, after the reboot all my shares were gone! It does keep the security settings though. I just spent 3 hours recreating all my corporate shares and re-assigning permissions.
I think it does more than that. IIRC the 2000 diskpart doesn't work with 2003. I'm guessing that the hotfix tellls the 2003 diskpart to ignore the error and run anyway.
Just a guess though.
I called the Microsoft 800 number and they emailed me a password protected hotfix. The fix has not been fully regression tested, but it worked like a champ for me.
I used V2i Protector v2.04 from Symantec (previously PowerQuest) to successfully expand my c: drive. I recommend purchasing a Gold support contract to help ensure you have everything configured correctly in V2i. The resize procedure is not difficult, but why take risks with a system drive.
My system:
Dell PowerEdge 2600
Perc 4/Di Raid controller
SBS 2003
Hi all,
I'm not suggesting anyone do it this way, but this is how I do it, free!
We have Dell PowerEdge servers at our company. A lot of them have the same base array controller, LSI 3DC, 4DC, 4eDi, etc. To extend C:, I do this:
1. bring down the server
2. remove the drives that made C:'s array
3. install them into a downed windows 2003 development server with 1) same array controller at same firmware and 2) open drive slots on backplane or powervault or whatever
4. re-tag the drives (in my case, it was a mirror which meant only two drives to move!) DO NOT INITIALIZE THE NEW LOGICAL DRIVE OR YOUR DATA WILL BE GONE!!!
5. bring up my development server and extended the 1st server's system partition (D: on my development server) using diskpart
6. down development server
7. moved drives back
8. fixed NVRAM configuration mismatches on both servers' array controllers
- development server - deleted the 2nd logical drive
- original server - re-tagged drives, WITHOUT INITIALIZING LOGICAL DRIVE
9. on the 1st boot of original server, it sometimes says something about installing new devices that I haven't figured out, but in that case, after the 2nd reboot, all was well.
Hi,
You can use a software to make an Image of partition C: (like Acronis True Image), then after you reboot the system (if possible), run the CD boot Loader (created during installation of the software).
After this, It will be asked to choose the image, after choosen it is possible to install the image in the C: partition and an useful option is to modify the current size of the partition where you want to install to.
Remeber to make a backup of important data before install image and modify partition (if something goes wrong !!)
Just a "gotcha". I purchased Partition Manager to deal with the following:
Dell Server running W2K3. C partiton was the Dell default 4 GB partition. D Partition is 63 GB. Wanted to merge the two as the C is nearly out of space. Have many apps installed on the D partition. Partition manager sounded like the "miracle" cure. Problem is there is a 63 mb dell "utility" partition in front of the C partition. Partition manager will on allow me to merge those two partions. Won't give me the option to merge C and D. HUGE dissappointment. I had another dell server that had not gone into production yet and tested merging the utility partition and the C partition. Once done, the mbr is gone and there is no recovery. bottom line...I'll have to start over.
Vince
I had that same problem. But the real problem was the pagefile size. As soon as I realize that the C partition was 4GB (i was mad at first) but then started to install everything that let you change the installation folder to the second partition in my case E: and also move the pagefile to E:
I save about 3GB for stubborn apps that won't let you change installation dir.
start -> properties in My computer -> Advance Tab -> Pereformance Settings -> Advance Tab -> Change Virtual Memory
It will show you a list of possible targets and the one with number besides it is the actual target. You can click the second drive click custom size and then type in the same range of the actual file. DONT FORGET TO CLICK "SET" and do this after working hours. This probably will ask you to reboot your system. Mine did.
Try to use Acrinis Disk Director Suite, it does it without any pain:
http://www.acronis.com/hom
Best
VaioMan
Another option under 2k3 is to mount a partition as a folder under the system disk.
For instance:
c: is current boot disk, but too small. Stub App located in c:\stub is filling up the disk.
create new partition at mount point C:\stub2.....copy all files into the new spot...then delete the original folder and rename stub2 back to stub
Not the best way, but it can get you through in a pinch until you can resize the partition.
Thanks all....I lost the partition and had to do a disaster recovery with Legato...a nightmare unto itself...The problem with ALL of the partition products is that Dell puts a utility partition on C: that cannot be deleted. The partitioning tools won't let you move space from any other partition until that partition is gone (dumb dumb dumb!). I purchased Partition Magic, and Acronis' tool....neither could deal with that utility partition...anyways...than
Vince
I'm sad to hear that you lost the partition. Hope all eventually works out. It seems like everyone here has been trying the simplest method to fix the partitioning problem. Most work while some don't. I just wanted to add my Ghosting method (should you have semantec ghost at your disposal).
Benefits of ghosting is that you also have a image backup. Aside from that, upon re-imaging the original machine with the ghost image, you can set the new partition size. I've done this numerous times with windows 2003 and it works perfectly everytime. I takes a while longer because I ghost through the network. However, it has yet to fail me so that's my preferred method of partition resizing.
Greetings to everyone following this thread,
This is a question/concern to Tumminello,
Did you mean that after trying one of the third party software, i.e. Partition Magic,etc.. it still wiped the disk 0 (c:)?
The reason I'm asking is because i have a similar situation where:
On disk 0 (C:) Im showing the small DELL utililty as a partition unto itself and then a C: partition (which is 12GB, NTFS formated with the Op Sys on it ) and an unallocated space of 22GB. Disk 0 is set as a Raid 1.
I also need to grab the rest of the unallocated space and assign it to C: without disturbing the Op Sys. 2003. So I was just considering, after reading all the threads, purchasing an updated copy of Partition Manager when I got to your post.
If this is the case - Then perhaps I should follow Clearodefs' advice and ghost it, then repartition it on the way back...
do you agree?
The hotfix in KB 841650 which chavett mentioned on 7/27/04 applies to a bug in W2k3 when you try to "extend a logical drive in an extended partition on a basic disk". It does not apply to a drive on a primary partition.
* Doug (dcohn):
I'm sure I get an error when I try to extend my C: into the unallocated space with diskpart. Can you be more specific how you do this? I'm sure you will make many ppl happy!
That's what I have on my BASIC disk :
(partition -- type -- size -- offset)
part 1 -- OEM -- 39 MB -- 32 KB
part 2 -- prim -- 12 GB -- 39 MB
On partition 2 there is one volume (C:) with NTFS. That's the one I cannot extend with diskpart (The volume you selected may not be extended.) Whether it's because of the OEM-partition or because of the pagefile (or yet another reason) I don't know. Fact is, it's not working, as several posters have reported.
Roger
New question, when resizing a system partition (C) for Wiindows 2003 server, what is the minimum partition size you should use?
I used Partition Commander and resized the drive to 5 GB. I figured that it would be enough. But after installing Service Pack 1, I'm down to 333 MB? I had close to 1 GB free prior to SP1.
Any thoughts?
Hi
"New question..." - why don't you start a new thread? But anyway.
I can't offer much advice since I only have used one w2k3-Server so far but here ar my 2 cents:
This Win2k3 Server was a DELL machine with a preconfigured 12 GB C: drive and 131 GB in D:. So I guess, that's what the DELL technicians thinks as a suitable size for the system partition. We wanted it larger (it's now the whole 143 GB of the entire disk) because we are using that machine as a build server and are going to transfer a Visual Source Safe database and stuff to that machine from one that had everything on C:.
In NT4 Workstations (!) we used 2GB and later 4GB as C:.
We have Win2k server standard that was set up two years ago with what seemed a generous 6 GB system partition which is now way too small. I had to install programs that let me choose the installation location to other drives (and there's not much: OS fully patched, Exchange, anti-virus and anti-spam software and backupexec (the server, not the agent).
I think 5 GB is way small for a W2k3 system partition. I wouldn't start with less than 10 GB but that's just my not so very educated guessing based on my experience with older windows versions. It depends largely on what services you install, how many and which programs, size of pagefile, what kind of data that cannot be moved to other drives etc. But if you can spare a few GB go for biggest possible rather than minimum size to save you work in the long run.
Roger
Just for the benefit ot those who come to this thread later:
I did a last attempt to extend the partition with diskpart from the recovery console. However this version of dikspart only offered the option to delete the partiton or create a new one in the empty space. No extend.
So, as suggested above, I ghosted the partition (uncompressed), deleted the partition from the recovery console, and wrote it back from the ghost with a larger partition size. Took me about an hour (3 GB data).
Roger
Greetings to all,
I believe this thread was an interesting thread. We all have tried one way or another to overcome what used to be a very simple issue - extending a partition but now takes an act of "hacking" - any wonder why there are hackers. So I'll think about changing my handle to "DCA" - dazed, confused and abused!
Ghosting works for me!
Hi,
I have a Dell 600SC poweredge with 2k3 and have extended the primary partition out from 12gb to 74ish by using partition commander 9. I tested it on an xp machine and it changed and restored the partition without a hitch. I know xp isnt 2k3 but couldn't find much that I felt confident about so I took a calculated risk. The partition extended smoothly and all my programs worked without a hitch except for 2 issues (so far):
1) symantec SBE indicates in the controller that it is fully functional yet the "autoprotect is disabled" popup keeps appearing.
2) the Logical Disk Management system won't initialize. The message I get is that it is connecting yet it doesnt.
I have recieved some suggestions in another forum (to check if APC services are still starting and a MS article http://support.microsoft.c
Ghosting may have been the softer easier way!
Any input is appreciated!
Odatsme
I just wanted to follow up dcohn's comments above where he had success extending the boot partition on Windows 2003 on a basic disk. Based on his experience I gave it a try but it did not work for me. I received this message from Diskpart "The volume you have selected may not be extended. Please select another volume and try again".
I have a Dell PowerEdge 2900 Server with SBS 2003. I have hardware RAID 1 for the OS. My disks are basic disks. The disk with the OS is 80GB and has 2 partitions: 141MB (Dells Utility partition), and 25 GB for C:. I had 50 GB free unpartitioned space after C:. I took the mirror offline, moved the page file off C: and tried Diskpart to extend the volume but it failed with the message above.
Next I will try and find the ExtPart.exe he is talking about above.
I did not use Diskpart. I used extpart a utility from Dell.
It works everytime for me and I have done it more than once unluckily.
System is stable 1 1/2 years later as well. 64 Bit WSS 2003 R2.
Ask Dell technical support for a copy for your machine.
I found this on Dells site but I have no idea if it is the correct version for your OS/hardware yet I cannot see how the hardware can affect it.
http://support.dell.com/su
GParted is free and works well.
http://gparted.sourceforge
Hi!
I dont understand how people can say that diskpart works for system volumes. My pagefile is on another disk, so it's "just" system on c-volume that I want to extend.
"The volume you have selected may not be extended.
Please select another volume and try again."
If you realy can use diskpart, please tell me what I'm doing wrong. Does anybody have any suggestion of free and non restartable extend partition manager?
/Carl-Marcus
Business Accounts
Answer for Membership
by: stevenlewisPosted on 2004-01-24 at 14:30:45ID: 10192820
In short, no (not with out destroying the partitions and the data), you need to use third party softwar (