billyboy9200
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NTFS Partition Wrong Size Displayed After Resize On Windows Server 2003?
We have a Dell Poweredge server running Server 2003. We have a 160GB SCSI hard drive in it.
We had the configuration that came from Dell that featured 12GB primary partition and the rest as a logical partition.
We can't run W2K3 with only 12GB, so we loaded up GParted (live CD), deleted the logical, and made two primary partitions (you can have up to four before you get into extended/logical areas) that we evenly divided. All is fine, except....
We only still see 12GB in My Computer and the error that we are running out of space. Yet in Computer Management/Disk Tool, it shows the entire amount. In GParted, it shows to perfect partitions of the correct size.
I tried to do a DISKPART to extend the file system, but it wouldn't let me.
Help...we don't want to reload the entire system and their has to be a fix/solution....we are so close!
We had the configuration that came from Dell that featured 12GB primary partition and the rest as a logical partition.
We can't run W2K3 with only 12GB, so we loaded up GParted (live CD), deleted the logical, and made two primary partitions (you can have up to four before you get into extended/logical areas) that we evenly divided. All is fine, except....
We only still see 12GB in My Computer and the error that we are running out of space. Yet in Computer Management/Disk Tool, it shows the entire amount. In GParted, it shows to perfect partitions of the correct size.
I tried to do a DISKPART to extend the file system, but it wouldn't let me.
Help...we don't want to reload the entire system and their has to be a fix/solution....we are so close!
is this running on vmware host by any chance?
ASKER
No. Very simple setup. Windows Server 2003 with AD, VPN, SQL and that is about it.
No VMWare to speak about.
No VMWare to speak about.
you applied the changes and rebooted?
ASKER
yes...i have rebooted several times....gparted shows the changes....disk management shows the changes....my computer/file system doesn't?
what filesystem are you using?
ASKER
NTFS for both.
a third party tool is most likely needed here. Easus Partition Master allows you to resize partitions. Partition Magic for Servers is also a good program.
another method: backup the entire C drive (and any data drives you might erase) using a backup program like Acronis Server (something that runs outside of windows). then reformat the drive the way you want it and reinstall Windows 2K3 on the machine (just install it until you get to the first login screen after a reboot). Then use your backup software to restore the actual data files and overwrite everything on the drive (not restore the image .. just restore the files).
A final method, try using Windows PE to extend the partition using Diskpart.exe. Because you are booted into Windows PE, the C drive will look just like a data drive and should be accessible. See this link for the many paged instructions: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911896
another method: backup the entire C drive (and any data drives you might erase) using a backup program like Acronis Server (something that runs outside of windows). then reformat the drive the way you want it and reinstall Windows 2K3 on the machine (just install it until you get to the first login screen after a reboot). Then use your backup software to restore the actual data files and overwrite everything on the drive (not restore the image .. just restore the files).
A final method, try using Windows PE to extend the partition using Diskpart.exe. Because you are booted into Windows PE, the C drive will look just like a data drive and should be accessible. See this link for the many paged instructions: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911896
Yeah Ive used Gparted but it only works some of the time. Easeus is a better solution.
Chkdsk perhaps? Maybe better would be running the scandisk tool from the properties of the C: drive.
Can you take the screen shot of Windows Disk Management of the server and load it here?
Ignore the suggestions of using Easeus etc etc. You do not need anything else than Gparted yet.
If I understood your actions description correctly then your Windows PartMgr service failed to update the new sizes of partitions. And I know the way to fix it. But first show me the screen shot.
Ignore the suggestions of using Easeus etc etc. You do not need anything else than Gparted yet.
If I understood your actions description correctly then your Windows PartMgr service failed to update the new sizes of partitions. And I know the way to fix it. But first show me the screen shot.
ASKER
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ASKER
I have 12GB on C.....disk 0.....Gparted won't let me go down to 200MB????
Please advise, as the last thing I want is data loss!!!
Please advise, as the last thing I want is data loss!!!
He means shrink it by 200MB, i.e. down to 11.9GB, not shrink it to 200MB.
Alternatively if you could find fsextend from MS that would probably fix it, but very hard to get hold of.
Alternatively if you could find fsextend from MS that would probably fix it, but very hard to get hold of.
Thanks Andy, yes, I meant make it smaller for 200MB. I see on the screen shot you have free 1.5GB space so GParted will let you shrink it. You just need slightly change the end of the partition to left. The mandatory thing is that you shrink it - boot to Windows - if problem is not fixed then boot into GParted again and extended the partition to 200MB again. This normally fixes it.
I have been able to fix such issue almost 12 times already using this approach.
I have been able to fix such issue almost 12 times already using this approach.
ASKER
Interesting noxcho! I will try it tomorrow morning (next time I am in front of the server) and post a reply. Thank you for you (hopefully) innovate solution.
ASKER
Noxcho....it worked.....I took 300MB out of it via GParted and the OS recognized it correctly.
My question to you is this....WHY??????
Also, you think I can add that 300MB back with no issue?
My question to you is this....WHY??????
Also, you think I can add that 300MB back with no issue?
Windows diskpart suffers from the same problem, does the first part of the job but fails on the second - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/832316
I guess I gave the explaining of the problem in my first answer =)
Problem is in PartMgr which is responsible for partitions and disks work in Windows. It has glitches and I spent some time five years ago looking for solution. Various tests showed - yes, this "shaking" is a solution.
And yes, you can allocate it back to C: without any fear.
Problem is in PartMgr which is responsible for partitions and disks work in Windows. It has glitches and I spent some time five years ago looking for solution. Various tests showed - yes, this "shaking" is a solution.
And yes, you can allocate it back to C: without any fear.
I think the glitch is with gparted, if it was PartMgr then "shaking" it twice back to the size that it originally failed on would show it failing again. Still, problem solved.
Abdy, I've seen this problem with all partitioning tools as: Partition Magic 8, Acronis DD, Paragon Partition Manager, Windows Disk Management, DiskPart, Gparted, Parted Magic and Easeus Partitioner.
Really this is my experience. And this shrink and extending works always.
Really this is my experience. And this shrink and extending works always.