iowarob
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Expanding a Raid 5 Array
I have an HP ml310 g5 server running Small Business Server 2003. When I set it up, I thought it was like Server 2003, so I made the C: drive 24 Gb. C: is getting short on room. I have moved things off of it, and clean it up regulairly. I got this idea to add a drive. It has 3 - 72 Gb drives on I beleive an e200 controller. I ordered another drive and installed it thinking that it would be hot swappable and configure itself into the array, giving the C: drive preportionally more room. But it didn't. Called HP and they sent me a link to make a bootable CD running the HP Array Configuration Utility, and the user manual. I have a couple questions. First, if I expand the array with this drive, will it make the C:: drive any bigger, or will it stay the same because it was partioned at 24 Gb? Next question-it says in the manual that the OS needs to ALLOW LOGICAL DRIVE EXTENSION. Here is a link:
http://docs.hp.com/en/9320/acu.pdf
pages 24 and 25. Will Small Business Server 2003 deal with this expansion??
Thanks very much, Rob
http://docs.hp.com/en/9320/acu.pdf
pages 24 and 25. Will Small Business Server 2003 deal with this expansion??
Thanks very much, Rob
If you add a fourth drive to your array you can expand the array. Not only ill it be 72 GB larger but it will be way faster too. You will have to open the HP array configuration util from within windows and configure your new array settings. (its way easier in windows that the BIOS)
As for expanding you C:\ drive I don't think you can expand your C;\ drive with the windows utilities, you may have to get a 3rd party software.
Here is a thread on resizing C:\ after you have configured the Array:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/25598653/Looking-for-partition-resizing-tool-that-support-windows-64bit-server.html
As for expanding you C:\ drive I don't think you can expand your C;\ drive with the windows utilities, you may have to get a 3rd party software.
Here is a thread on resizing C:\ after you have configured the Array:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/25598653/Looking-for-partition-resizing-tool-that-support-windows-64bit-server.html
You can add an extra drive to the existing array, then expand the array and Windows will see the free space, but the free space will sit at the end pf the last partition on your server. With 3rd party tools like Paragon's Partition Manager (http://www.partition-manager.com), you can move / re-size volumes to take advantage of the new space, but you MUST take a full system backup before you venture down that road as it can trash your server very quickly if the process does not run smoothly.
You may want to look at clearing up space on the c: drive because 24Gb of space is plenty for an operating system to play with and reading the following link (From Lee Wilbur MVP) will give you some excellent ideas on what to get rid of on your C: drive:
http://www.lwcomputing.com/tips/static/bootdrivesize.asp
You may want to look at clearing up space on the c: drive because 24Gb of space is plenty for an operating system to play with and reading the following link (From Lee Wilbur MVP) will give you some excellent ideas on what to get rid of on your C: drive:
http://www.lwcomputing.com/tips/static/bootdrivesize.asp
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Thank you for the replies. I have been reading the links in the replies, and reading the info HP sent me. I need more time to get a handle on it all. I did do a bunch of cleanup as suggested. As some say you can do it, and some say you can't, I need to figure out which is true for sure.
Thanks, Rob
Thanks, Rob
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As for which is true, I would say Microsoft. That is why I attached the link to their page that explains that you can not expand C:\.
Third party software is required.
Third party software is required.
ASKER
Thanks for your help. I appreciate it. Rob
I should mention that this will only work if C:\ is the only partition on the drive. If it isn't you'll need to run a partitioning utility off a CD (like GParted) to change the size of your partitions.