Adding/Replacing a Drive in Server

[SimpleSi]

I've got a simple w2k3 server setup on an ordinary desktop computer with its single 40GB drive split 10GB/30GB into C and D drives.

The OS is on C and D holds shares and profiles etc. (Only got about 5 user profiles - i keep things simple )

The head has let me splash out £60 on a 320GB drive which I like to put in as easily as possible.

Whats going to be the best way to add it - should I make it E: - copy things across and then adjust AD settings to point to new locations

or

can I get away with adding it in at E: - copying files and then shutting down and reboot with Partition Magic and remove the current D: partition and reboot and hoping the system will be happy with new big disc as the D drive.

or

.... another way?

And should I get the Robocopy thingy to do the copying or will Xcopy be sufficient.

regards

Simon

[Ric_]

I can't see a reason that you couldn't copy all the contents of D: to E: and then change the drive letter of D: to your favourite letter and change E: to D:

This does sound far too obvious to work mind. A couple of backups just in case should help

[webman]

I thought that changing drive letter allocation would un-share current shares on that drive permenantly, but it turns out that when the new drive is set to the original drive letter where shares were made, they re-appear

[eejit]

Yes, all the share information is in the registry - so if the drive letter is the same and the folders exist - then all the shares 'magically' reappear.

[SimpleSi]

Thanks for replies.

What about folder/file permissions, will xcopy handle that for me?
regards
Simon

[Geoff]

Use robocopy or ntbackup to transfer the files and maintain the permissions/ownership.

[Jon]

Personally I would make both the discs dynamic, and then simple mount the new disc as an extended partition or spanned volume from the existing d drive.

This would negate having to change any drive letters and would simply appear to make the d drive bigger..

[SimpleSi]

@Big-Jon
mm-very interesting.

But is it simple and safe to do it!

regards
Simon

[Jon]

@Big-Jon
mm-very interesting.

But is it simple and safe to do it!

regards
Simon

Hi Simon,

Yes simple to implement, yes safe to do. I have myself used this method on several servers.

Right click MY Computer, Select Disk Managment, Right click disc 0 (your existing c and d drives) and convert to dynamic.

Fit the new disc into the server. go back to disk managment and it will detect the new disc and ask what you would like to with it. set it as a dynamic disk.

right click the d volume and select extend this volume.

Job Done.

Please excuse these instructions, this is not a task that i carry out everyday and cant remember the exact wording of the commands, but you will be able to work it out with the machine in front of you... Good luck.

[ChrisH]

[quote="Big-Jon"]

but you will be able to work it out with the machine in front of you... Good luck.

Famous last words for Simon :P j/k :twisted:

[john]

Must admit I have done this before, my WSUS box needed this the other month and it worked fine after a reboot of the box.

[Jon]

[quote="ChrisH"]

but you will be able to work it out with the machine in front of you... Good luck.

Famous last words for Simon :P j/k :twisted:

I should perhaps have added the bit about making a backup first...

But we all do that anyway don't we?... 8O

[Anddy]

Last time when we were migrating data from our old to new hard drive we used Secure Copy from Scriptlogic. (scriptlogic.com)
It's a very good alternative to robocopy, xcopy or even ghosting. The main advatages that this tool has friendly graphical interface - you don't need to learn different command line keys and it can retain not only permissions but even can recreate shares with their permissions also.