DuncanFullerton
asked on
Dell PowerEdge 840 25GB C: partition only shows as 4GB when running SBS 2003 at mid-install point
Hi,
I am installing SBS 2003 on a new/clean Dell PowerEdge 840. I used Dell OpenManage Server Assistant to drive the install. It created a 25GB partition and ran through the first disc of SBS fine. My problem now is that for the completion of the installation, SBS is complaining about lack of disc space.
Windows Disk Management shows pictorially (at the bottom of the display) a C: partition "25GB NTFS Healty (System)", but textually (at the top of the display) "C: Partiton Basic NTFS Healthy (System) 4.00GB"!! Something is confused.
Windows Explorer also thinks C: is 4GB, but I've also downloaded Partiton Magic Server Edition and it thinks C: is 25GB. Argh!
Other useful info: discs are SAS 160GB in a RAID-1 array. Pagefile is on C: and is 2046MB
I must be missing something obvious here. I search EE to no avail on this partiuclar issue. Any help/pointers gratefully received.
Thanks,
Duncan
I am installing SBS 2003 on a new/clean Dell PowerEdge 840. I used Dell OpenManage Server Assistant to drive the install. It created a 25GB partition and ran through the first disc of SBS fine. My problem now is that for the completion of the installation, SBS is complaining about lack of disc space.
Windows Disk Management shows pictorially (at the bottom of the display) a C: partition "25GB NTFS Healty (System)", but textually (at the top of the display) "C: Partiton Basic NTFS Healthy (System) 4.00GB"!! Something is confused.
Windows Explorer also thinks C: is 4GB, but I've also downloaded Partiton Magic Server Edition and it thinks C: is 25GB. Argh!
Other useful info: discs are SAS 160GB in a RAID-1 array. Pagefile is on C: and is 2046MB
I must be missing something obvious here. I search EE to no avail on this partiuclar issue. Any help/pointers gratefully received.
Thanks,
Duncan
ASKER
All the drviers are the latest versions cross checked inc ase of updates with the Dell website. It is a hardware RAID solution. The point about using OpenManage is that it hands the relevent drivers over to the O/S install so you don't have to run around chasings drivers everywhere. So it's not those unfortunately. That would have been too easy!
Duncan
Duncan
That sounds like you have a faulty formatting on your drives because somewhere the system thinks they are still formatted as FAT32, which has a 4GB limitation. I'd suggest that you reformat as NTFS and reinstall.
Jeff
TechSoEasy
Jeff
TechSoEasy
ASKER
Hi Jeff,
Hope you're well. I kicked of a manual re-install this morning which got around the issue. Looks as you say, like a problem with the DOSE disc although it Windows Disk Management does think it is NTFS. Dell are stumped too.
Duncan
Hope you're well. I kicked of a manual re-install this morning which got around the issue. Looks as you say, like a problem with the DOSE disc although it Windows Disk Management does think it is NTFS. Dell are stumped too.
Duncan
It could be a faulty disk controller. Since the server is new, I'd insist that Dell provide you with a new controller just to ensure that's not the problem. If it's an embedded controller, have them give you a new MoBo.
Jeff
TechSoEasy
Jeff
TechSoEasy
ASKER
Seems to be working fine post install, Jeff. My guess is that it was down to a glitch during partition setup that the Dell setup disc couldn't handle.
Duncan
Duncan
Duncan,
The reason for my first post was that I have regular issues with these automatc install disks.
Especially the Intel ones. You can't beat a manual install.
Since you were so sure that "that would be too easy" , I did not insist.
OlafDC
The reason for my first post was that I have regular issues with these automatc install disks.
Especially the Intel ones. You can't beat a manual install.
Since you were so sure that "that would be too easy" , I did not insist.
OlafDC
ASKER
Sorry Olaf. Just to be clear: I was well aware of how to work around the issue by doing a manual install. What I wanted to know was if anyone had a way to work *through* the issue. It seems not.
Regards,
Duncan
Regards,
Duncan
Thanks Duncan.
I am sorry because I didn't have a better way to help out.
Olaf
I am sorry because I didn't have a better way to help out.
Olaf
ASKER
Olaf, Dell were stumped too. As I say it seems that something went adrift when the share was created. We don't know what but it may be that it was not converted from FAT to NTFS. FAT is the default parition type in the Dell setup as you may be aware. The conversion is one of the last things done before the OS install by the Dell management program.
Duncan
Duncan
It happens a lot with the new Intel Server boards using the linux based auto-confuguration.
(Don't use Dell. Once bitten twice shy.)
Works perfect for doing all the updates prior to installation but after that its all manual again.
That's life.
Olaf
(Don't use Dell. Once bitten twice shy.)
Works perfect for doing all the updates prior to installation but after that its all manual again.
That's life.
Olaf
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Computer101
EE Admin
Computer101
EE Admin
We had the same problem on a dell poweredge r200. The default partition size is 25GB and the minimum that the slider bar would allow was 20GB.
I got around this by continuing the installation up until it ejected the dell disc. Using control+Alt+F2 to go to a console. Then I used fdisk /dev/sda to delete the 20GB partition and create a 12GB one. I set it to be bootable, and fat 32. Control+Alt+F7 took me back to the installation.
I got around this by continuing the installation up until it ejected the dell disc. Using control+Alt+F2 to go to a console. Then I used fdisk /dev/sda to delete the 20GB partition and create a 12GB one. I set it to be bootable, and fat 32. Control+Alt+F7 took me back to the installation.
If you use the Windows setup, F6 to add the driver and use windows to set the partitions and format your problem will probaly vanish unless you do have a driver problem.
Hope that helps,
OlafDC