add disk to RAID 5

[AndrewFram]

Hi

I have a poweredge 2790 with 3 disks in a RAID5 configuration. Disk manager shows Disk0 as a C primary partition, and D as a logical partition). I bought an identical hard disk and would like to add it to the existing array (to expand the size of existing partitions - and preferably NOT to add another partition).

According to Dell technical support, the only way to reconfigure the array is through the server manager software. The problem is, the server is running Windows 2008 Core, so without a GUI, I can't install it.

Do I really have to image the existing drives, format the server, install regular windows server, install the server manager/openmanage, reconfigure the array, then restore the images, and then use partition software to add the unused space to the D drive???

 

[technome]

Add the extra drive in the raid bios to the raid 5, the space of the added drive at this time will not be added to the array's original size. Extending the original volume needs to be done from within Windows.
Download an eval 2008 standard server, add a SATA drive to the server, install the eval 2008 standard with the raid drivers. Once you boot into Windows 2008 standard, go to disk manager, you should see the SATA disk, the array and unallocated space from the added raid drive.
I have not done it.... but 2008 has the the ability to shrink or extend volumes, you should be able to resize the original raid 5 to use the unallocated space with Windows 2008 standard. From what I gather the built in util does not work on any partition which does not have free space immediately after it. If you need to resize your "primary", you will need to look into 3rd party software.
Backup first or better still, create an image before hand.


........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

 

[AndrewFram]

Fortunately I have third party software to arrange the partitions.

Did something change? I would have sworn I've added disks to RAID arrays in the BIOS and when the system started up again, it automatically rebuilt the array and gave me the extra space.

What would I need to do if I wanted to add the extra disk to the array and just make the extra space another partition (E?

 

[technome]

The raid 5 is expanded, but the available space is not automatically added to the existing volume. Other raid adapter may be able to add it to the existing volume, but not LSI based adapters

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/p/17480233/17606889.aspx#17606889

If all you want is to use the unallocated space granted by the added drive, just select the space in disk manager, create a partition with it, format the new partition.


........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

 

[technome]

I know nothing about Server core, but you should be able to run the disk manager mmc to create a separate partition.

http://blogs.technet.com/askcore/

........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm