Server HDD Upgrade

[TheFeniX]

I've got a Windows 2003 Server for a small business that's running great. The only problem is that we're beginning to run low on disk space.

The server right now runs two 80GB SATA HDDs which are mirrored using the XP work-around. Essentially, you use the XP Computer Management to connect to the server remotely, then do a software mirror from there. This is because for some stupid reason, Server 2003 doesn't have that module built in. The performance hasn't degraded, but then again there's no real calculations to do with RAID 1.

Ok, so the "correct" way to go about this whole ordeal would be to backup my data and system state to our Rev drive, then install the new drives, install Server 2003 on one driver, restore data and system state, then re-mirror the drives. The problem is that I don't want to blow an entire Saturday on this and our server has quite a few little programs on it to make life easier. I'd rather avoid a re-install at all costs.

I'm considering a way to cheat this system and was wondering if anyone had any experience or can point out any pitfalls with my line of reasoning:

1. Manually break the software mirror, shut down, remove one of the drives, and install a new 750GB HDD.
2. Recreate the software mirror, let it rebuild (problem #1: will Windows stop me from mirroring different sized drives?)
3. Shut down and remove the other 80 GB drive.
4. Reboot and set the 750GB HDD as the primary boot on the SATA controller card (Problem #2: will Windows refuse to boot off this drive?)
5. Verify system will boot off the 750 GB drive. If so, continue. If not, at least I can go back to the two 80 GB drives without issue.
6. Re-partition the single drive with third-party software. I'm thinking something like 100GBs for the system, then split it into two other drives for Company Data and other software. This may change as I think the NT kernel won't allow for more than 384 GBs on a single partition.
7. Reboot and make sure the repartitioning takes.
8. Shut down and install 2nd 750 GB drive. Remirror using the XP work-around.

This has more steps then I technically need, but the whole ordeal is setup step-by-step so that I can immediately move back to the original setup. I can't see how this would fail unless the two problems I've mentioned comes up. If this was a hardware mirror, I'd be more cautious as some old controllers fought tooth and nail to break and remake mirrors if you weren't dealing with unformatted hard-drives. Any thoughts?

[Uraniun235]

Uhh, I think something's pooched with your Server 2003 install, it should definitely have mirroring available in Disk Management.

This may change as I think the NT kernel won't allow for more than 384 GBs on a single partition.

whaaaaaaaat

no

no, that's not right at all, that is totally incorrect

Any thoughts?

- lol third-party partitioning software ("partition TRAGIC" oh ho ho)

- i don't see any mention of backups

- why aren't you using this as an opportunity to reinstall what is clearly a broken install of Server 2003 (seriously no mirroring, what the fuck)

- I don't see any mention of backups

- why don't you just add the two 750GB drives as additional drives rather than play musical hard drives?

- WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO PERFORM A BACKUP BEFORE MONKEYING WITH A SERVER?

[phongn]

What the hell? W2K3 shouldn't require any hackery at all to do RAID! Secondly, you are playing with fire here. There is no guarantee that each disk in your RAID-1 array have consistent data: one drive's sectors may be corrupt while the other is not. The only correct way to do this is to add in another drive to the mirror, allow it to replicate, THEN pull the old drive (or, if you can, add two drives at a time). Expand the partition afterwards.

Also, Uraniun is right. Where are your backups? Is this an AD controller? We need to know more, because you could be putting yourself into a world of hurt.