Need to Adjust Partition Sizes in Server 2008

[Jeff Zylstra]

I just checked my server disk space last nice, and found that I only have 1 Gig left on my operating system partition on my domain controller/file server.  It's a Dell R710 with Perc 6 RAID Controller, and I'm wondering if it is safe to use GPartEd to increase the partition size of the OS and shrink the data partition a bit. 

I would also like to set up WSUS on that server, and have it store the Windows updates on my new eSATA drive if that is possible.  Just wondering how much WSUS will affect the size of that partition if I store the updates on another drive (if that is possible).   Anyone know?  Thanks in advance.

[Jeff Golas]

If it were me I'd try gparted, but first I'd take an image of the partition if thats possible. I've done it once or twice already...I use Clonezilla for everything. If its 2008 make sure you don't have Dynamic partitions where you can natively resize it.

WSUS I don't think uses a ton of space on the native drive but definitely a couple hundred meg like with any other service/function. I use a sata drive for the repository and it works great.

[Jeff Zylstra]

Thanks, Jeff.  I think I've posted somewhere else about my recent misgivings regarding Clonezilla. Anyway, I tried to restore an image to an identical hard drive with Clonezilla, and it tells me that the target partition (66 MB) is smaller than the source partition (80 GB).  Obviously not true.  The source was a Dell GX 620 running XP Pro with SP3, but I believe that it had 3 partitions on it.  A small VFAT partition for recovery, the regular partition, and another small partition.  I think it was the VFAT partition that screws it up, but I'm not sure.  I even shrank the large partition before I imaged it (as suggested), and it still didn't work.  

For those of you lurkers, VFAT is what gives the old DOS based File Allocation Table partitions support to recognize filenames longer than 8 characters plus a 3 character extension.  Up to 255 characters in all, I think.  Anyway, there goes back to Windows 95 so don't worry about it.  It just amazes me that you still have to worry about these things.

P.S.  I guess my other concern was that the RAID controller would function correctly if I boot using the GPartEd boot CD.  My understanding of modern RAID controllers is that once you load the drivers on them, the drivers reside on the RAID controller and not on the hard drive, so any Linux based boot CDs will still work even though you never access the NTFS partitions for file access.  Correct?

[Jeff Zylstra]

This project is on hold until I can find my Server 2008 DVD.  Apparently there is an issue when using GParted that renders systems running Vista, Windows 7 and Server 2008, unbootable after running GParted.  Apparently there is new, shared code between these operating systems that is not properly handled in GParted quite yet, and running "startrep.exe" off from the Windows 2008 DVD is necessary to repair the problem. 

I also tried using the Server 2008 disk manager, but it seems that it will not allow you expand a partition unless there is an unallocated area behind area in question where the partition can expand into.  If I could somehow trick it into inserting a space there, I would prefer that to rendering my system unbootable.  If anyone knows how to do this, I'd be most appreciative.

http://gparted-forum.surf4.info/viewtopic.php?id=13530

http://gparted-forum.surf4.info/viewtopic.php?id=13970

[Jeff Zylstra]

Just got done repartitioning my Server 2008 R2 equipped server, and everything went fine.  A little bit slow, but I think that the commercially available software is anywhere from $500 to $700 for partitioning software that will work on a server.  That's kind of steep for single use software in my book.  Anyways, GParted 8.0-5 Live version ("Live" is the bootable CD based version) worked just fine with no compatibility issues. 

Windows does like to give you a scare however, and will go through a recovery process a few times (with reboots in between), because the disks have changed partition structure from the last time Windows accessed them.  It goes into Startup Recovery mode and ultimately runs chkdisk to take inventory of the changes. 

[Jim Jensen]

dredging an old thread, I know, but I like to recycle. Jeff - are the instructions for using gparted fairly straight forward? I'm considering this as part of my server repairs - I have lots of unallocated drive space, but OS partition running short. I can't reallocate the space within Server2003 because the OS partition had to remain a basic disk. Being just a part-time tech wannabe, my skills don't match most in this group when it comes to the server. I need a little more of a WSIWYG-type instructions. Doesn't need to be highly graphical, just fairly straight forward in regular english, not techlish.

[Jeff Golas]

Have you guys thought to check out why you're running out of room on OS partitions? Chances are its log files causing it...c:\windows (or c:\winnt) \system32\logfiles

It could be patches and all that too, just sayin it may help to see why its eating up space before focusing on how to make more space.

[Jim Jensen]

Have you guys thought to check out why you're running out of room on OS partitions? Chances are its log files causing it...c:\windows (or c:\winnt) \system32\logfiles

It could be patches and all that too, just sayin it may help to see why its eating up space before focusing on how to make more space.

I did winnow out any old updates in WSUS, which previously ate up room, plus have cleared old log files and regained a little more than 1 GB. I have more to regain from Exchange's log files, but that's a separate issue dependent on some other fixes. I am at about 75% full. I may not have any direct current issues from that, but figured while I'm working on it, I might as well try to move some of the unallocated space to provide plenty of breathing room.

[Ben Thoele]

Are all the servers we are talking about in this conversation physical servers?  Seems like when I have this problem I just make the drive bigger in vcenter and then expand the drive in disk management. 

As for server disk space best practices,  I would put everything in separate partitions,  so on our utility server we have a WSUS partition, a antivirus, a firewall, and other log partitions. On our Exchange we separated the logs from the mail. 

Anything that produces logs should be moved to a separate partition.

[Jim Jensen]

Yes- physical server with no virtualization. VCenter is a virtual server product, I take it.

[Jeff Zylstra]

dredging an old thread, I know, but I like to recycle. Jeff - are the instructions for using gparted fairly straight forward? I'm considering this as part of my server repairs - I have lots of unallocated drive space, but OS partition running short. I can't reallocate the space within Server2003 because the OS partition had to remain a basic disk. Being just a part-time tech wannabe, my skills don't match most in this group when it comes to the server. I need a little more of a WSIWYG-type instructions. Doesn't need to be highly graphical, just fairly straight forward in regular english, not techlish.

Yes, GParted is pretty straight forward.  Just make sure that you know which drive and partition you are performing your actions on as you will not see the standard Windows/DOS C: or D: drive letter designators.  There will be prompts asking if you REALLY want to do this, so you can look around a little and back out of an operation before you pull the trigger.  Familiarize yourself with the structure and confirm what you are doing before starting and you should be fine.  As noted above, please have your Windows system disks available just in case, and a backup is ALWAYS a good idea.  If you need any other particulars, many folks here are familiar with GParted, and most are more knowledgeable than I am.

[Jim Jensen]

Thanks, Jeff - I read through the "manual" last night. Looks very straight-forward. Any reason that you used the Live version instead of the regular version? It appears that the only difference is running from a boot disk instead of running off the hard drive version. Looked like either one can deal with the OS partition fine. Did I mis-read this?

[Jeff Zylstra]

Thanks, Jeff - I read through the "manual" last night. Looks very straight-forward. Any reason that you used the Live version instead of the regular version? It appears that the only difference is running from a boot disk instead of running off the hard drive version. Looked like either one can deal with the OS partition fine. Did I mis-read this?

GParted is the version that runs on Linux or other *nix systems.  GParted Live contains a boot version of Linux so that GParted can run, as it will not work under Windows.

[Jim Jensen]

Thanks, Jeff - I read through the "manual" last night. Looks very straight-forward. Any reason that you used the Live version instead of the regular version? It appears that the only difference is running from a boot disk instead of running off the hard drive version. Looked like either one can deal with the OS partition fine. Did I mis-read this?

GParted is the version that runs on Linux or other *nix systems.  GParted Live contains a boot version of Linux so that GParted can run, as it will not work under Windows.

Aha - a very important quality that I missed.

[Charlie Charbonneau]

*Bump*

Anyone have any experience with Partition Assistant Lite Edition?   
http://www.extend-partition.com/partition-assistant-lite.html

It was recommended as a free (limited) partition resizing utility.  No reboot required?


Good old SBS2008 has outgrown its OS drive and want to shift the data drive into the OS.  replacing data onto another drive.

Toyed with just moving all the data to separate drive (my intent anyways) and wiping the data drive and expanding C: through Disk Management, but everything I read says 3rd party is the better way to go.

[Mark]

Dell shipped one of my clients a 2008 R2 server with only 40GB partitioned for the OS.  I should have done a reinstall when I saw that because i KNEW that for 2008 especially, that 40GB was going to fill up fast. Wish I woudl have paid closer attention when I was setting up their data partition -- I could have deleted it, expanded C to whatever I wanted, then formatted the remaining for data and been off and jolly.  Instead, I'm going to shrink the data partition, create a 3rd partition, move ALL the data to the 3rd partition, expand C to whatever I need, move the data back to the 2nd partition, delete the 3rd partition and expand the 2nd to all unallocated space.

All with Disk Manager in windows.  It's a small shop and I don't want to screw with Gparted or any 3rd party stuff.

GParted is excellent, I just rather do it this way.

[Charlie Charbonneau]

I thought about doing that too, but seemed like a hassle.

[Mark]

If I had to do it here, it WOULD be a hassle.  But, they only have a few shares, plenty of available GB and not very much data, so that is probably the route I'll go.

[Charlie Charbonneau]

So, don't waste your time downloading that Partition Assistant Lite software.   Looked great on paper but fell flat on it's face when it came time to do the deed.  Server Manager/Disk Management took care of it like a champ.

In the end I added a 2T internal drive to the server and moved the Data over to there.  Dumped the entire Data partition and then expanded the OS Partition as needed.  Reset my shares and have all the room in the world for my OS to grow now.

Also retweaked my shadowcopy settings now that I have more room!  Will need to check backup settings now.

[Mark]

Sweet deal!