Server Full - Need to repartition c drive

[Agentstarks]

Right now my file/application server only has a 4 GB C drive, and it is at it's limit. I'd like to not have to start over with this server as it runs all our accounting software, dns, dhcp, backup, as well as a main fileserver. Has anyone used Symantec VolumeManager ( used to be from PowerQuest ) to resize the c drive? Or would the best thing be to move all the DC roles off to another DC and reformat the server and just start over that way? If that's the case, is there a white paper or best practices guide for making sure I get everything off before I reformat?

 

[Davetoo]

Need a lot more information. You only have a C:\ drive? How are you expanding your HD capacity? Running RAID? Hardware or software?

I'm Certifiable, not certified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[Agentstarks]

Sorry, should have mentioned that. It's a Compaq ML370 with 6 drives in it, using 2 arrays. 3 drives for each array. Array A has the c,d,e drives which are 4gb,15gb,50gb repectively. Array B has the f drive which is 68gb and is a main fileserver. Ultimately, I'd like to make the c drive 15 gigs, d drive, 15 gigs, and e drive can have the rest.

 

[Davetoo]

How many servers in total do you have?

I'm Certifiable, not certified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[Agentstarks]

Right now this server (Apollo) and another one (Titan) are the DC's for the domain. I also have another server (Alpha) that is just a member server, as well as a NAS and a Printserver, but I wouldn't use either of those as a DC.

 

[dholbrook]

I would do the following, assuming you have a good backup capability:

Step one: Make a complete backup of the C:, D:, and E: array, (and system state) and verify the tape can be restored from. If possible, store a copy on the other array to restore from faster. This is your safety line if all else fails.

Step two: Run DCPROMO on the server in question to demote it from the DC role (not necessary, but it will greatly simplify the process). Now make a backup of the old C: drive in the non-DC (member server) configuration, including the system state info. Saving a copy of this to the other array will speed up the recovery also.

Step three: Run your SCSI configuration utility and re-configure the first array to the configuration you want, then run the installation manager to install the original OS back onto the new C: drive in Array one.

Step four: Once the OS has been installed, run restore and recover the original OS configuration (of the non-DC server, restore the system state, then restore all the data etc., for D: and E: (from the first set of backups) to the other partitions of the array.

Step five, run DCPROMO and bring the new configuration back on line as a DC.

You system should now be back to the original configuration, but on larger partitions. The idea if 15 GB for C: is nice, and I would not go smaller than 10 GB at least, depending on the amount of RAM you are using.

HTH,

David

 

[Agentstarks]

Thank. Looks like I may do that once I make a full backup. I only have like 50 MB free on the C drive, and I think that's part of what's slowing down the new Tape Autoloader I just installed. I'm only getting like 75 MB/min backup locally, while I'm getting like 450 MB/min backing up over the network. I'm thinking drive space may be the issue, and that's slowing down the backup.

 

[dholbrook]

Trying to run WIn2k on a 4 GB partition is doomed to failure, it is just not enough space, especially if you have lots of RAM. To help temporarily, truu moving the page file off of C: to E: (add swapspace on E:, reboot if needed, then delete the swapfile on C: and reboot if needed). The backup will run better and will not have to copy the swapspace (could be several GB).

Another suggestion to get the good backup you need, take the system off line from the network and turn off all the services you do not need before you run the backup to get as much of the open files closed so the back up properly. Does not hurt to boot to safe mode if your backup will still run, as this will further reduce the number of services, etc that are "hot" when doing the backup.

Remember to do the backup twice, once before demotion of all the drives, and once after demotion of only C:. First one is failure recovery back to full DC, and second gives you the recovery of the demoted (original) system.

Have fun!

David