[mgerman]

I have a Windows Server 2003 machine with an Intel Entry Server Board 5875WP1-E motherboard. I have two 112 GB drives setup in a Raid 1 array (mirrored) using the Fastbuild Utility 2.01 from Promise Technology. The drives are partitioned to a 20 GB C: (system) drive and a 92 GB D: (data) drive.

The D: partition is running out of space. I want to replace both drives with two 1 TB drives and have the free space added to the current D: partition.

I replaced one of the old drives with a new one, started and ran the Fastbuild utility to re-build the mirror to the new drive. Then I replaced the other old drive with the other new one and rebuilt the array again. At this point the system boots and sees the array as identical to the original array at 112 GB in size. I disconnected one of the new drives and deleted the array to try to boot the system from the other new drive as a stand alone drive but got an error message along the lines of please replace the boot disk.
To get the system bootable, I re-connected the 2nd drive, entered Fastbuild and rebuilt the array back to the 1st drive.

I'm trying to get this all planned out before I try again. I've been reading up and the best I understand is I need to do this:
Disconnect one of the drives for use as a backup if needed.
Startup and enter Fastbuild and delete the array.
Enter BIOS and disable RAID in order for the system to boot from the stand alone drive (I would love if someone could verify this step).
Boot up to Windows and run a 3rd party utility (Easus) to adjust the drive partitions the way I want them.
If all is well with the first drive and boots up at this point, shut down and reconnect the 2nd drive.
Startup and delete the 2nd drive partitions (maybe not necessary)? Restart and re-enable RAID in the BIOS. Enter Fastbuild and create a new array to the 2nd drive.

I'm open to any suggestions but would love to hear from anyone that has successfully done this.

Thank you!
Marty

[Mumbodog]

You would need to use a third party image software like Acronis, use it to create a full disk image of the original primary or secondary drive.

Use this image and Acronis to restore it to one of the new 1tb drives, be sure to use all of the tb disc space when blowing the acronis image onto the drive, after this is done, I always restore the MBR from the Acronis image to the new drive as a second step

Delete the partition9s) on the other 1tb drive


Once this is done, return the imaged 1tb drive back to the PC in the primary position, and the other 1tb drive(partiton deleted) to the secondary position, then rebuild the array.

If they are WD, Seagate or Maxtor 1tb drives you can use their free utility to do this, it is actually an older version Acronis product. They only work on that specific brand of drive.

WD http://support.wdc.com/product/downl...ad&wdc_lang=en

Maxtor http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.js...00dd04090aRCRD

Seagate http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.js...00dd04090aRCRD


Or go to Acronis and download the trial, it is fully functional for 15 days
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...cts/trueimage/

[mgerman]

Mumbodog, thanks for the quick reply!

Your method certainly sounds easier. Any idea how long it will take to image and then to rebild the image of roughly 100 GB used space?

Also, the original 112 GB drives are maxtors. The new 1TB drives are WD.

So, the steps would be:
Disconnect the secondary 1TB drive.
Hook up one of the old 112 GB drives as secondary.
Disable RAID in the BIOS so the system will see the drives as individual drives.
Boot up and delete the partitions on the 112GB drive, re-create a single 112 GB partition on it to have a place to store the image.
Image the 1TB to the 112 GB using Acronis.
Burn the image BACK to the 1TB drive using all available space and restoring the MBR (can this be done directly to the boot drive?).
Shut down, remove the 112GB drive and re-connect the 2nd 1TB drive.
Boot up, re-enable RAID in BIOS.
Enter Fastbuild and create a new array writing primary 1TB to secondary 1TB drive.

Do I have it right?

Which version would I use to burn the image from a WD to a Maxtor?
Which would I use to burn back from the Maxtor to the WD?

Thanks much!
Marty

[Mumbodog]

Do I have it right?

I have always used a bench PC to do all my image work, never the PC I am working on, so this is new territory for me.

The only flaw I see in your method is returning the image back to the 1TB drive, I am not sure this can be done while the drive is booted. I would connect the other TB drive also (if there is the ability to connect a 3rd drive), restore the image on it, then swap the drives around when done. Otherwise use a external usb hard drive to store the image on.



I think I would use the free trial version of acronis, then it will work for sure on either drive.

I assume the WD and Maxtor software is for use on the drive that the image is being restored to, but either may work if it detects its brand is present in the system.

.

[mgerman]

Mumbodog,

I do have an external USB I can use, good idea.
I'll image to it first, reboot and disable RAID. Startup with the drives as stand-alone. Burn the image back to the secondary drive.
Shut down and put secondary drive as primary & disconnect the other drive for the moment. Restart and check that all is good on the new primary drive. If so, hook up other 1TB as secondary and create new array to it.

I'm going to wait to close this until I can do the job. Also to see if I get any other tips.

Thanks again!
Marty

[Mumbodog]

Let us know how it goes..

You are Welcome.

.

[etaf]

open as requested

[mgerman]

I finally got the opportunity to work on this project over the weekend. I had nothing but problems with almost everything I tried.
Note - almost none of the problems were related to Mumbodog's advice.
Here's what happened.
1st_ I disconnected the secondary drive and replaced it with a Maxtor drive, then re-built the array to it. Then I disconnected the Maxtor and set it aside as a spare image in case of disaster.
2nd: I used Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 (on a separate machine refered to as PC2) to backup both partitions of the primary drive to an external drive.
3rd: With drive still hooked to PC2, I used Acronis disk utility to delete both partitions and create new partitions of 50GB, 950GB.
4th: Ran Acronis recovery to write system & MBR back to the drive's new 50GB partition and data to the 950GB partition.
5th: Removed the drive from PC2 and put it back as primary in PC1, leaving secondary drive disconnected. Tried to boot the system. Got "no boot drive available" message. Went into Fastbuild Array utility which listed the drive as "free". I created a "striped" array with it only (note- system doesn't see a PATA drive unless it's assigned to an array).
6th: This time boot went past post to Windows loading screen with progress indicator. Indicator got to about 70% before I got a BSOD. Re-booted, same results.
6th: Re-burned system files to the 50GB partition on PC2. Hooked the drive up again and got same results.
7th: Used Acronis & the "back up" image to create a new image of the system partition. This time selected the "sector by sector" backup option.
8th: Wrote the "new" system image back to the primary drive. Hooked it up as before and was able to boot and logon to Windows successfully. Had full drive space available! Ya!

This is where it goes beyond Mumbodog's instructions and where I had the most trouble. Rebuilding the array.

Here's what happened.
1. Hooked 2nd drive to PC2, used Acronis disk utility to delete both partitions. My thought was that the Fastbuild array utility would see that as a blank, new drive and rebuild the primary drive to it. Hooked it back to PC1 as secondary and entered Array utility. Tried to assign it to the array but got error that there wasn't sufficient drive space available. Hooked it back to PC2 and created identical blank partitions as primary drive.
2. Hooked 2nd drive back to PC1 as secondary & entered Fastbuild Array utility. It showed the primary drive in it's array and the 2nd drive as free. It wouldn't allow me to change the existing array (stiped, primary drive) to mirror so I ended up deleting the array. Created a new array as mirrored and assigned both drives to it.
3. Started the re-build array function. It ran for 30 HRS re-building!! Finally it completed.
4. Re-booted system and got "no boot drive" error message. Took out the Primary drive and hooked it to PC2 in order to re-burn the system files. Opened the drive to find that ALL FILES WERE GONE!
Apparently the array re-build burned the empty drive back to the good one rather than vice-versa. Ugh.
5. Re-wrote system files only to primary drive. Hooked it up alone and booted up ok.
6. Re-wrote sytem files to secondary drive. Hooked it up as secondary and get "no boot drive" error. Disconnect it and primary still boots ok. Interesting note- If I hook the primary drive to the other PATA connector it won't boot either, same "no boot drive" message.
7. Wrote data files back to primary. Booted it to ensure it boots and has full drive space, it does.

Time's up, had to take server back to company for use during the work week.

Sorry for such a long post but I wanted to be as thorough as possible.

Somehow I have to get the 2nd drive mirrored off the primary.
Suggestions?

Marty