Want to expand RAID 5 setup for a Compaq Array

[shetim10]

I have a Compaq server with a 5 disk RAID 5 setup. The RAID array consists of 5, 9.1 GB HDD. I have one open slot avialable. I would like to add another 9.1 GB HDD, but am unsure if it will work in order to give me some additional storage.

The raid was setup by someone else, the array was configured via a hardware setup and then repartitioned in Windows (C and D drives).

My D drive is starting to run out and I would like to add the additional 9.1 GB HDD to the array and use that space for my D paritions. W=what I am unsure of is since this is a hardware RAID setup, will I need to redo my hardware RAID setup and if so, can I dynamically add a HDD to the array? If so, would I need to use third-party software?

My thinking is that once I get the additional HDD into the array, I can use a third-party utility to expand my Windows paritions.

 

[jhelmstetter]

If you are trying to increase the size of your array, I believe you are going to have to do a full backup first. Next you will add the drive to the system. You will have to go in and reconfigure the array to include the new drive thus increase the drive space available to windows. If it is just a data partition then reboot the server and in windows recreate the partition to use the new size and then restore from backup to the new partition. I am pretty sure you just can't add a drive to a raid 5 without having to recreate the array. Also, I am not 100% sure that you can resize a system partition without reloading the system OS. I could be wrong though, it has happened once before...

I hope this helps you out.

Joe

 

[shetim10]

My thinking was that I would need to recreate the RAID5 setup in order to add another drive to the array. I was hoping that there was some other way to do it rather than have to redo the entire array

 

[ntinlin]

Whether you can expand the array depends what sort of RAID controller you have. Smart221 (if I recall correctly), Smart 3200, Smart 5i etc. will allow it. Smart 2-P or 2-DH will not.

Basically just put the drive in, go into the RAID configuration and see if it gives you the option of expanding the array.

Neill

 

[shetim10]

Unfortunately, I do have one of the Smart 2-P controllers, so I guess I'm out of luck

 

[ntinlin]

Afraid so.

However you could pick up a 3200 or similar on eBay for a few $ and put that in. It would automatically pick up on the existing array and you could then expand it.

I've done it a few times.

Neill