Expanding existing partition by adding an additional SCSI drive

Hmm ... How's about implementing software RADI 0 system and expand the partiton F with the new drive ...
Should be looking for the Adaptec RAID software ..
I think this should work

I'm assuming you meant RAID 0 System.  Can you tell me how I do this, or where I can find the information?

Thanks again,


Bruce

well

I've had this scenario, but with mirrored disks - i.e. a C: of 2Gb and a D: of 6Gb and space was almost up. Simply backup all of C: and D: to tape. I then installed 2x 18Gb new disks and created a C: of 6Gb and a D: of 12Gb (created using a temporary install of NT on another disk to create and format these partitions as NTFS). I then restored back to C: and D: from the tape. Thats it.

Note that to create a C: partition larger than 4Gb needs NT - i.e. NT setup will not allow greater; so, you have to use an exsting NT install (or a temporary one) and create your C: in NT Disk Admin.

Your scenario will be the same except you create the RAID config you want in the RAID BIOS/setup program first, then install a temp copy of NT on a drive (e.g. separate from the array or on a small partition temporarily created at the end of the array)  to then allow you to create/format C: at the start of the array as required. Note that you can have greater than 8Gb for the C:
drive but its not recommended, as if the OS files are pushed past this limit (e.g. after a defrag) NT will not boot anymore; though I have never seen this happen, it is possible.

Hope this works for you too ...

RAID 0 - expands drives
RAID 1 - mirroring drives

Wow!  Sure sounds like a lot of work. not to mention being a bit scary.  Since I am not attempting to expand/extend the system partition, do you know if there is a way via the DELPART utility or 3rd party product (Partition Magic) that will let me do this easier?

Thanks,

Bruce

Well I guess you could use Partition Magic ... I haven't so far ....
but from what I'be heard .. once you have RAID setup ... doing it with Partition Magic is piece of cake ... I think you can do that even during the proces of installing the RAID drive with the raid software ...

Good luck !

OK - Thanks.

You have given me a direction in which to begin.

Can you provide a little more information about your hardware? The make and model of the server and details of the disc configuration (ie RAID or SCSI, the SCSI controller type etc) would be handy and would enable us to point you in the right direction.

If you have a RAID 1 set (that is; a mirrored pair) you may be able to expand that to a RAID 5 set depending on the RAID controller in the server.

If this is a server in a production environment ***DO NOT USE RAID 0***. RAID 0 offers no method of ensuring data integrity and if you have a disc failure, then you lose your data. End of story. RAID 5 uses a parity scheme to protect your data and can survive a disc failure. Have a look at http://www.acnc.com/04_00.html for more information.

If data integrity is not a worry, then go ahead and use RAID 0.

meyersd Did you borrow thatone from my previous RAID thread .. ? :) LOL ...

regarding RAID there has been a discussion in the following therad ...
you can take a look further there if you like..

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21191440/Adding-RAID-1-or-other-options-to-current-systems.html#12480637

Cheers !

Let me get a few things off my plate and I will send you the information you requested as soon as I can.

Thanks much,

Bruce

RAID 0 is not RAID! RAID stands for Redundant Array of Inexpensive/Industry Standard/Insert favourite Discs. RAID 0 is not redundant and was never promulgated by the RAID Advisory Board. It should only be used in combination with other RAID levels that do offer redundancy such as RAID 1 or 5 so you get RAID 0+1, RAID 1+0 (which aren't the same) and 50 where RAID 0's performance really shines.

The bottom line is that RAID 0 offers no/nada/zip/nothing/none/nyet redundancy so if you lose one disc in a RAID 0 set you lose all your data. I suspect that its popularity has increased because vendors such as Promise and so on offer SATA/IDE RAID controllers for home PCs. RAID 0 is attractive because of its storage efficiency and performance - it sucks big time if you have a hardware failure.  RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 3 and RAID 1+0 for me!

End of sermon! :-)

Here is the information you requested regarding the server:

Clone PC
Pentium v 2.4 Ghz Processor
1 GB RAM Memory
Adaptec AIC-7892 Ultra 160/M PCI SCSI Card
Disk Drive 0:  Western Digital (EIDE - 40GB):
                    Primary Partition:
                           C:  9.77 GB
                           D: 27.50 GB
Disk Drive 1:  Seagate (SCSI -1000RPM):
                    Logical Drive (F:)  17 GB  (1.7 GB Available)

Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 4

Going into Administrative Tools\Computer Management\Disk Management, I do not have the option to extend the Logical Drive (F).  Perhaps I did not take the appropriate options when I first setup this drive.  At any rate, what I want to do is add a 2nd SCSI drive and use the space on this drive to expand logical drive F.  Another thought I have, which might be easier in the long run, is to install the 2nd SCSI drive (37 GB capacity), then copy the contents of the current "F" drive, then re-map the drives so the new drive is Drive F and the previous drive is another drive letter (e.g., Drive G).

Thanks again,

Bruce