1 Topic by robsp

  • robsp
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Topic: ??Win2k3 Server - Extending Partition on G drive

Hi all,

Thanks in advance. I am currently running a Win2k3 server (dell 2950)
I have a DAS attached to it, which is know as the G drive. Previously I had to run the GPTGEN to allow the G: to go past the 2TB point. I was able to do that. Several months later, which is today, I added 3 more drives to my DAS, used Dell Server Admin to add the drives (RAID 6)...yada yada,

I can see the "unallocated space" in Disk management which is 1395.75GB
which is listed under Disk 2 (basic) and before the unallocated space is the G: , still on Disk 2

anyway, after adding the 3 drives thru Dell Server Admin, I tried to use diskpart, list volume, select volume # and extend...and I get the following:
The volume you have selected may not be extended.
Please select another volume and try again.

I tried the "hotfix" that Microsoft suggest...still no workie.
I talked to Dell and of course it's an OS issue, I even tried Dell's EXTPART software and I still receive an error message: Current volume size     : 2381951 MB (2497657650688 bytes)
Unable to get partition information for current volume

I say all of that to ask this, should I use the Gparted Live in order to try to extend the G: ?

2 Reply by gedakc

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Re: ??Win2k3 Server - Extending Partition on G drive

If you do wish to try to extend the drive, you could use the GParted Live CD, but you will need to use the command line program "parted" with the drive to perform the actual extend.

Prior to embarking on this quest, I suggest you back up your data first especially if the problem really is a limitation with the OS.  Otherwise you might not be able to access your data from Windows.

3 Reply by robsp

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Re: ??Win2k3 Server - Extending Partition on G drive

So can I follow this document for Win2k3


http://gparted.sourceforge.net/larry/re … sizing.pdf

4 Reply by gedakc

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Re: ??Win2k3 Server - Extending Partition on G drive

Yes this is the correct document to follow to resize the file system.  Please read further for why I mentioned command line "parted".

If you have a GPT partition table on the disk, you must first use command line "parted" to adjust the GPT partition table for the added disk space.  This is because a GPT partition table stores information at the beginning and end of the disk space.  Since you have added space to a RAID configuration, this space will not yet be recognized by the GPT partition table.

If, instead, you have an MSDOS partition table on the disk, then with a sector size of 512 bytes, the largest partition supported is 2 TB - 1 byte.  I have heard of ways to extend this to 4 TB - 1 byte but have never worked with this myself.

5 Reply by robsp

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Re: ??Win2k3 Server - Extending Partition on G drive

Thanks

still a little confused...you mention command line "parted", where are the commands located?

6 Reply by gedakc

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Re: ??Win2k3 Server - Extending Partition on G drive

If you boot from Live media, such as GParted Live, you have the option to open a terminal or console application.  This is like the command prompt in Windows.

Then from the command line you can enter the command:

parted /path-to-your-raid-device

where /path-to-your-raid-device is something like /dev/mapper/isw_cjbdddajhi_Vol0, or /dev/sda

At this point the parted program should ask you if you wish to use the additional disk space.

If you are unsure of the RAID device name, you could try opening GParted first to see what disk devices are available.

7 Reply by robsp

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Re: ??Win2k3 Server - Extending Partition on G drive

thanks I will try that