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Topic: Success story: Windows 2003 server NTFS system disk partition resize

I would like to share our successful GParted experience smile

Objective: Enlarge the system boot disk partition on Windows 2003 Server (400Mb free on the boot disk is not enough...:))
The server: Dell PowerEdge 800, 1Gb RAM
The HDD: Hardware SCSI Raid PERC 4 controller connected to 2x68Gb HDD in RAID 1

Initial partitioning: 3 partition
  C: --> Boot disk, 10Gb size, 1Gb swap file, 400Mb free
  E: --> Data disk, 10Gb size, 2Gb swap file,     3Gb free
  F: --> Data Disk, 38Gb size,    no swap file,  23Gb free

Target partitioning: 1 single big partition
  C: --> Boot + Data disk, 68Gb size

The Tool: GParted LiveCD 0.6.2-2 cool

The backup tool:
    DDS4 tape
    NAS (2x2Tb HDD in RAID 1) on a 100Mb LAN
    USB external HDD 1Tb


Story:

0) DO THE BACKUP! :-)
    we had the following backup:
    *) complete, 1 day old, server backup done with NTBackup
        *) stored on a DDS 4 tape
        *) stored on the NAS as a single .bkf file
        *) stored on the USB HD as a single .bkf file
    *) near-complete, 1 minute old, files backup done with SyncBack Freeware (not complete only because you cant do a "complete" backup of a running system with a file copy operation)
        *) stored on the NAS
        *) stored on the USB HD

1) Preliminary server preparation
    *) Uninstalled some software that was installed on disk E: and F:
    *) Removed swap file from disk E: (I leaved only the 1Gb swap file on disk C:)
    *) Run "simple" chkdsk on all partition, C: / E: /F:
    *) Run "complete" chkdsk on all partition, C: / E: /F: (rescheduled for next system boot)
    *) uninstall antivirus
    *) Stop and disable various service (IIS, web, SMTP, SQL Server....)
    *) Disable all scheduled task

2) Reboot server
    *) chkdsk run various time
        *) chkdsk C:
        *) chkdsk D:
        *) chkdsk E:
        *) Autoreboot
        *) chkdsk D: (run again, I dont know why)
        *) chkdsk E: (run again, I dont know why)
        *) Autoreboot

3) Re-Run SyncBack for last-time update the files-backup on NAS and on external USB HD

4) Disconnect USB HD

5) GParted Testing
    *) insert GParted CD
    *) reboot server
    *) try boot GParted with standard parameters --> garbled screen
    *) reboot server
    *) try boot GParted with SAFE parameters --> garbled screen
    *) reboot server in windows
    *) check graphics card --> it's an intel E7221
    *) look for info about intel E7221 / linux-debian / gparted... --> found nothing
    *) reboot server
    *) try boot GParted with the following boot parameters modification (press TAB to modify boot parameters)
            remove i915.* parameter
            remove radeon.* parameter
            remove xforcevesa parameter
            modify vga parameter in "vga=normal"
        ---> EUREKA, IT WORKS!
        Check the disk --> Ok, GParted see only one 68Gb disk with 3 partition.
        Write down on a piece of paper the partiotion size/start/end (as seen from GParted)

6) Shut down GParted, remove CD, and reboot in windows

7) Start the scary job smile
    *) Start the windows disk manager
        *) delete partition F:
        *) delete partition E:
    *) Reboot the server in windows

8) Write down on a piece of paper the partition size/start/end (as seen from windows)

9) Do a "complete" chkdsk of disk C: (scheduled for next reboot)

10) Reboot the server
    *) Chkdsk disk C:
    *) autoreboot
    *) windows restart

11) Shut down windows

12) insert GParted CD

13) boot in GParted with modified parameters (remove i915 parameter, remove radeon parameter, remove xforcevesa parameter, modify vga parameter in "vga=normal")

14) In GParted
    *) Enlarge the C: partition to fill the disk
        *) check that the starting position of the partition doesn't change
    *) apply the modification
    *) close GParted
    *) reboot the server
    *) remove the CD

15) Rebooting
    *) chkdsk Disk C:
    *) autoreboot
    *) windows restart
    *) windows finish detecting new device (new disk/partition configuration)
    *) reboot windows

16) You are mostly done:
    *) check disk size in disk properties
    *) check disk size in disk manager

17) Start copying back all data from external USB HD

18) re-enable services and scheduled task

19) check and update needed things (backup task, scheduled scripts, service configuration...)

20) check service functionality (SQL Server, Mail server, folder share, etc...)



These operation took about 2,5 hours, frm 18:00 to 20:30.
The actual disk C: resize took less than a minute :-)
The copying back of file from external HD finished at about 21:30.

The external backup and the preliminary server operation (see point 0 and 1) took about 6 hours.
Checking and reconfiguring all server's service (SQL Server, Mail, backup script and schedule, ecc... ) took about 6 hours.

Thanks to all GParted developer and supporter big_smile

Adaway

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Re: Success story: Windows 2003 server NTFS system disk partition resize

Thank you for sharing your story.

We are glad that GParted helped you to complete your task successfully.  smile

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Re: Success story: Windows 2003 server NTFS system disk partition resize

I followed this story and did the same on a Dell 1850 also with Perc4 raid controller. In my case I could reduce the number of steps and the main portion of this operation only took about 1/2 hour.

Topic: Success story: Windows 2003 server NTFS system disk partition resize

I would like to share our successful GParted experience smile

Objective: Enlarge the system boot disk partition on Windows 2003 Server (400Mb free on the boot disk is not enough...:))
The server: Dell PowerEdge 1850, 4Gb RAM
The HDD: Hardware SCSI Raid PERC 4 controller connected to 2x73Gb HDD in RAID 1

Initial partitioning: 3 partition
  C: --> Boot disk, 12Gb size, 400Mb free

Target partitioning: 1 single big partition
  C: --> Boot + Data disk, 68Gb size

The Tool: GParted LiveCD 0.24.0-2-i586

The backup tool:

One of the 2 harddisks, inserted new HD and let the PERC 4 controller sync it

Story:

0) DO THE BACKUP! :-)

1) Do a "complete" chkdsk of disk C: (scheduled for next reboot)

2) Reboot the server
    *) Chkdsk disk C:
    *) autoreboot
    *) windows restart

3) Shut down windows

4) insert GParted CD

5) In GParted
    *) Enlarge the C: partition to fill the disk
        *) check that the starting position of the partition doesn't change
    *) apply the modification
    *) close GParted
    *) reboot the server
    *) remove the CD

5) Rebooting
    *) chkdsk Disk C:
    *) autoreboot
    *) windows restart
    *) windows finish detecting new device (new disk/partition configuration)
    *) reboot windows

6) You are mostly done:
    *) check disk size in disk properties
    *) check disk size in disk manager

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Re: Success story: Windows 2003 server NTFS system disk partition resize

Thank you tkramer for sharing your success story.  This may indeed help others searching for solutions to similar challenges.