Resizeing partition

[Guest]

Hi,

I'm administering a Win2k server where the hdd has filled up to the extent
when I regurlary need to clean it of logs and stuff just to keep it running.
The disk is partitioned into a system partition and a user data partition and
the server is running RAID1.

My question is is it possible to enlarge the system-partition without
loosing any data (obviously after removing the user data partition)? How
would you solve it?

Thanks
Patrik Söderberg

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hi,

I'm administering a Win2k server where the hdd has filled up to the extent
when I regurlary need to clean it of logs and stuff just to keep it running.
The disk is partitioned into a system partition and a user data partition and
the server is running RAID1.

My question is is it possible to enlarge the system-partition without
loosing any data (obviously after removing the user data partition)? How
would you solve it?

Thanks
Patrik Söderberg

There are no native tools in Windows to do this. You could
use a third-party tool such as Disk Director (Acronis) or PQMagic
(PowerQuest) to resize your partition on the fly. To play it absolutely
safe you would have to back up both partitions to a separate disk,
test this disk for full functionality, then resize the partitions. Here is
alternative method:

1. Break the mirror.
2. Partition the mirror disk the way you want it to be and
label it "Mirror". Mark the primary partition active and
format both partitions.
3. Connect the main disk and the mirror disk to the
secondary IDE controller of some Win2000/XP PC.
4. Use xcopy.exe with the appropriate switches to copy
the main disk to "Mirror". Make sure to include hidden files,
attributes and security descriptors.
5. Install "Mirror" as the primary master on your server (but
not the main disk!). It should boot normally.

If all works well then you can reconnect the "main" disk,
delete its partitions and rebuild the mirror.

Since you are not changing anything on the main disk (other than
breaking the mirror), the method is safe and completely reversible.

 

[seth]

just fyi...

partition magic is not an option here because it doesn't work on a server...
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/products/overview.jsp?pcid=sp&pvid=pm80

....neither does it support dynamic disks
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...3fbe514ea88256e75007cc701?OpenDocument&seg=en


i can't find any information indicating that acronis disk director supports
dynamic disks
http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/diskdirector/

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

AFAIK, PQMagic has a server version (which is quite
expensive). Furthermore the OP said nothing about dynamic
disks.

The manual solution I suggest is not affected by either of
these restrictions.

 

[seth]

the second link refers to symantec (which bought powerquest) volume manager
for NT/2000 which doesn't support it either
i didn't say your suggestion wouldn't work; just that the 3rd party software
won't work with dynamic disks...in case he had that configuration

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the answer!

The problem with doing it as you suggest is that I don't have a different
SCSI controller equipped server to play around with. I guess I just have to
solve it some other way.

Thanks anyway.

Regards,
Patrik Söderberg

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

You never mentioned SCSI in your original post . . .

I would try doing the same by booting the machine
with a Bart PE boot CD (http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/#download).
Making one of those takes a bit of time but it is a terrific
tool for server administrators.

 

[JCO]

Are you running NTFS or FAT32?
Partition Magic 8 should do the trick but you still should back things up
before do so.

 

[Guest]

I'm running NTFS and the Virtual disk is a set up as a basic disk.

 

[JCO]

Partition Magic will work but it does require a certain amount of free space
in order to do more delicate jobs. I'm not sure how you are devided now,
that is... the ratio, (other than 2-partitions).

 

[Guest]

The system partition is 4Gb with about 100Mb of free space. The other
partition is 30Gb and free space here is not really an issue because the data
can be moved to a different system temporarily.

 

[JCO]

I'm not sure but I think you need 10% free space to resize the partition
using Partition Magic.
You may have to move some stuff from one partition to another, in order to
create space. I still recommend Partition Magic.

It will do the job for you.