We have a Windows Server 2003 system running on a RAID 10 array configured with 12gb for C: Primary partition and 57gb for D:
We are replacing the 36gb hard drives with 300gb sas hard drives and would like to resize the partitions.
C: needs at least another 20gb for growth of windows updates, etc....
D: would get all the rest of the space ~270gb
OR we could make the whole thing into C: (nobody cares)
How do we go about doing this? I know that the array will rebuild automatically onto the 300gb drives when we swap them out (one at a time).
Will we need to go into the RAID controller and change the partitions?
What tools can we use to repartition the drives after everything is done?
Is there anything free that works? I know of Acronis Disk Director Server - would the trial do the job?
I need all the help I can get
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current setup is 4x36gb RAID 10
we want to move to 4x300gb RAID 10
we plan to swap out 1 drive at a time, wait until rebuild is complete and swap next drive, until all 4 are rebuilt on 300gb drives...
that will all happen automatically
what happens next is what we're asking about.
we have a USB external drive to save image if necessary
we do not have any commercial repartitioning software at this time and need advice on what to use
hi,
if you are sure that swapping out 1 drive at a time will happen,
ensure that at the end of this, booting in the new system, without any intervent,
you'll see in Disk Management, just 1 big 600GB disk with two partitions respectively of 12 & 57.
If you'll be in this situation, you can use product ad Acronis to enlarge partitions.
You can do operations on active partition (C:) if you install the sw on the server.
To perform ops, without install such product on the server, you need create a boot CD with
partition SW and array device driver, or can pass them in F6 phase.
bye
vic
hi,
I try to answer each.
a) excuse me, but I don't believe (probably I don't know the array) it is possible to do: first, the swap operation between 36->300 HDs; second if 1st is possible, for me you'll see a 72GB HD, with no possible operations (I hope for you to be wrong)
b) there is not a general rule: everytime I decided a thing for experience, I did a mistake: or waste space on D and C too small, or big C with difficult to reiantall OS on a migration. To be sure, you have to know the evolution of the system in the years (impossible) or install Acronis on the OS and resize in the years the partitions.
c) I have downloaded it, but not used. I have heard it has all sw already inside (licensed?)
I use BartPE + embedded driver or given at F6 + Ghost plugin + Paragon PlugIn
Ghost to image and restore partitions ; Paragon to resize
I believe Acronis is more complete (better to install, difficult to plugin in BartPE).
bye
vic
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by: dolomitiPosted on 2009-04-14 at 12:18:33ID: 24141520
hi,
just some questions, before give a lot of possibilities:
1) old array was RAID10 (4x36 disks) and new is a RAID1 2x300 ?
2) old disks and new, can live together in migration phase, or not enough slots?
3) have you a 3rd device (USB disk?) to save image(s) if no enough slots ?
4) which tools have you to image/resize partition ? Ghost, Acronis, Paragon ?
The bulding of new array/logical disk, is a thing that is out of competence of such product:
you can use just native SW, or in BIOS, or from Card specific CD.
Only when logical volume(s) has been created by above tools, you can use Ghost,Acronis,Paragon,Bart
If you have a RAID10 (seems correct becouse you said 36GB and ~70GB of partitions),
you cannot swap disk one 36 by one 300, furthermore if in RAID1.
From RAID1 2x36 to RAiD1 2x300 it possible, but when you swap the 36 and mirror the remained 36 with 300 one, if the card accepts this, this lats will be "formatted" in 36 (a amirror of the 1st)
bye
vic