Increasing partition size on non-production Dell 2950 Win2k3 server with PERC/6i controller and Virtual Disk
I've read through several threads on increasing the OS partition in a RAID array and I'm trying to apply it to my situation.
I have to add storage to two Dell 2950 "recovery" servers so at this point they do not contain any useful information, except Win2k3 SP2 Standard OS and Double-Take software which I'd rather not re-install... but can if I have to.
Problem: Target servers have less storage than source servers in both C: (OS/apps) and D: (data ) drives.
There are three physical drives on PERC/6i integrated controllers which are then treated as a Virtual DIsk. I'm adding three more disks to each server.
Once the new drives are added and I have the additional space available, my plan would be to delete the current too-small D: data partition leaving only the C: OS-apps partition. At that point can I then add some of the additional storage to the C:\ partition since it is "continugous" then recreate the 2nd partition with the remaining space?
Does the Virtual Disk create a specific problem with this plan?
I have to add storage to two Dell 2950 "recovery" servers so at this point they do not contain any useful information, except Win2k3 SP2 Standard OS and Double-Take software which I'd rather not re-install... but can if I have to.
Problem: Target servers have less storage than source servers in both C: (OS/apps) and D: (data ) drives.
There are three physical drives on PERC/6i integrated controllers which are then treated as a Virtual DIsk. I'm adding three more disks to each server.
Once the new drives are added and I have the additional space available, my plan would be to delete the current too-small D: data partition leaving only the C: OS-apps partition. At that point can I then add some of the additional storage to the C:\ partition since it is "continugous" then recreate the 2nd partition with the remaining space?
Does the Virtual Disk create a specific problem with this plan?
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What Is the reason I need the 3rd-party software... can't I do this with Disk Management in Windows? The two Win2k3 SP2 servers are being prepped to be replicant targets so they have nothing worth preserving but the OS and the replicating software already on the c: drives. Worst case is I reinstall those, right?
I'm also interested in the presence of the Virtual Disk. It is comprised of all three physical disks currently in the RAID. Would I need to delete the Virtual Disk first, or reconfigure it after I add the additional three hard drives? How does this relate to Garycase's comment re: "dynamic disks"?
Please note I'm a Net Admin, not an engineer, so I may be oversimplifying...
I'm also interested in the presence of the Virtual Disk. It is comprised of all three physical disks currently in the RAID. Would I need to delete the Virtual Disk first, or reconfigure it after I add the additional three hard drives? How does this relate to Garycase's comment re: "dynamic disks"?
Please note I'm a Net Admin, not an engineer, so I may be oversimplifying...
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It works with both basic and dynamic drives. And works in both CD and Windows installed mode. Plus backup functionality that allows you to take exact ghost image before running resize operation which is for sure a potentially dangerous intervention to file system work with any partitioning tool including even diskpart.