Add an extra HDD to the server

[nigelj]

Hi guys!<br>
<br>
I have a server in my school where I work and since I have installed the Internet over the network, disk space is rapidly going down. People are saving all sorts and I need an extra HDD. I have an 8Gb IDE installed now with two partitions for NT4 server. What would be the best way to install an extra HDD without upsetting the existing one and enabling users to have an extra network drive for more space? <br>
<br>
I'm sure there is someone who can help me.<br>
<br>
Thanks!

 

[oneworld]

what kind of server are you working with?

 

[nigelj]

Its a PII 300 NT4 server. Is that what you mean?

 

[oneworld]

Is it Compaq or Dell etc? This is so I can get you going in the right direction. Each company has a different way of doing things.

 

[jsauce]

Is this a stackable server, or just a computer being used as a server?

 

[nigelj]

It is actually a custom built one, as jsauce said, a computer being used as a server. And if it helps the hard drive is an IDE one now, now SCSI.<br>
Is that of any help?? <br>
<br>

 

[Zelandakh]

You get 2 IDE channels, 2 disks on each (including CD ROM if you have/need one).<br>
<br>
Check out Disk Administrator to see how many you have used or open the case and check the cables going to the board. If you have a free cable, either with one or no hard disks on it, add the new drive to the chain. Set it to master if it is the only one, slave if it is second. Make sure the other one, if there, is set to master in a slave environment if there is that option.<br>
<br>
Once connected, switch on and go into the BIOS (press delete or ctrl alt esc or whatever it says) and do Auto Detect Hard Disks. This should find the new disk. Check connections/jumpers if it does not. Save settings and exit.<br>
<br>
Once in NT, go to Disk Admin and make sure the drive is there. You may get a message from NT about finding a disk and wanting to put a signature on it. Choose YES. Assign drive letter or establish mirror / RAID array as required. Save settings and close Disk Admin.<br>
<br>
The new config will be updated in MY COMPUTER.<br>
<br>
In theory, you cannot destroy the data already there, but you can disable existing drives by setting the wrong jumpers on the drives. Consequently repeat the procedure until all drives are visible.<br>
<br>
Be careful not to put the new drive as a master on IDE channel 1 as you will change the drive address of the NT Server drive and the thing won't start. The new one needs to be downhill from the bootable drive or you need to change boot.ini - for lessons on that, book a session with jsauce!<br>

 

[nigelj]

Thanks for the reply, I think my initial question was only partially answered beacause installing the HDD from the hardware point of view was not a worry as much as mapping the drive for network use. <br>
<br>
The current HDD is partioned into C: and D:. The d: drive is the NTFS partition which a have different volumes on (APPS, DATA, PROFILES, etc.)<br>
<br>
How do I make the new HDD a network shared drive ie. map an M: drive since the Main.bat login script "knows" that all the other mapped net drives are on the D: partition. The question I should maybe ask is: should I click in the properties of the newly added HDD in My Computer and tell it to be shared as as M: and then add the "net use" line in the main.bat login script?<br>
<br>
Gee, have I complicated this now or what?!?!?!<br>
<br>
Sorry about that!<br>
Thanks!

 

[oneworld]

If you are looking to merge the drives for an array then that would be another issue. That is why I asked about the machine.<br>
<br>
As far as adding a drive and mapping: That is the easy part. Insert the drive and share it up. Modify the login script to add the new share. If you are using the net use command then the drive letter does not mean much. The UNC name is what you are looking at. You make the drive any letter you want within the login script.<br>
<br>
I am a little unclear as to what you mean when you say that all the other mapped net drives are on the D: drive. UNC names do not care where the data is located physically as long as it can get there.<br>
<br>
Hope this helps. If not. Post again and we'll start from scratch.

 

[nigelj]

I am sure it will help because a least I can order the HDD now and there is a way of doing it. Either way thanks for your help and if it doesn't work I'll let you know.<br>
<br>
I'll get on with it now....<br>
<br>
Cheers!

 

[jsauce]

This one seems like sort of a simple one to answer. If the question is simply how do I put in a hard drive?<br>
<br>
If it is SCSI then goto SCSI<br>
If IDE continue.<br>
<br>
1. Find an open IDE connector, and attach the drive.<br>
Make sure the jumpers are set so that the drive is a slave. One a IDE channel you have 2 open, on EIDE you have 4, 1 Primary and Secondary with each having its own Master and Slave. <br>
<br>
2. Attach an open power cable.<br>
<br>
3. Close the case and start the computer<br>
<br>
If the BIOS is setup to AUTO, (I like this and recommend it should always be set this way.) it will auto detect the drive on boot. <br>
<br>
SCSI<br>
<br>
1. If you have a SCSI card installed this is simple. If not just install the SCSI card into a free slot.<br>
<br>
2. Attach the SCSI cable to the card, unless one is already there and then just attach the drive to the cable on the next available slot in the daisy chain.<br>
<br>
3. Attach the power cable to the drive. Set jumpers if neccessary.<br>
<br>
4. Put the case back on, and start the computer.<br>
<br>
If all goes well your SCSI controller will detect the SCSI drive and install it. NOTE: You don't even have to set anything in the BIOS on most systems.<br>
<br>
From there:<br>
<br>
In Windows NT, the drive will appear, it should move the cd rom drives up one. Then Partition the drive using the Disk Administrator, found under START, then PROGRAMS, then Administrative Tools(Common). As people have suggested before change any scripts to point the new drive if neccessary. Share the drive or drives(if partitioned) as you would any normal drive.<br>
<br>
Thanks for the props Zelandakh, although I think changing the boot.ini isn't neccessary in this situation, but it isn't that hard to do. Windows NT is not that difficult to operate in once you understand how everything works. I am testing Windows 2000 now, looks great, I may also end up being on the Windows Millenium beta test team now as well.

 

[Zelandakh]

I spent a while getting to grips with boot.ini prior to my NT Server MCP exam, but I am now happy that I understand UNC naming strategies - its just a little daunting to someone who has never seen one and is adding a new drive that stops the machine from working. You know, someone who is panicing that it will never work again and the users will be screaming any moment...<br>
<br>
Can't wait for W2K so I can forget all I know about domains...

 

[jsauce]

Windows 2000 seems to be funny and useful. I recently placed a SCSI controller and drive in my Windows NT machine to get some files from the drive. Booted the computer, it detected and continued in. Once in Windows NT the drive was no longer being seen. I tried everything I could, and being that I know how things work in NT, I was pleasantly surprised by this little mystery, but nonetheless I had to get the files. I just happen to also have a Windows 2000 dual boot setup on the same machine so I booted into Windows 2000 to see if It would work in there. Right at startup a box pops up and tells me a SCSI controller was found, and then it started a program called, "Hard Drive Install Wizard." I was amazed, I mean a hard drive install wizard? I never knew we needed one, things just always seemed to work without them. Let it do its thing, btw I clicked next and it said hard drive installed, and then it went into windows fine. Opened My Computer and there was the drive, so I was very happy. But it just suprised me to see that Hard Drive Install Wizard...

 

[Zelandakh]

Perhaps someone at Microsoft thought that if they put in something like that people would be amazed and in theory it can never go wrong...<br>
<br>
sub NewDrive<br>
rem<br>
rem Drive info changed in BIOS<br>
rem<br>
On detect change_in_BIOS_settings_for_drives<br>
do msgbox "Hard Drive Install Wizard", "Windows is installing new hardware and is locating the correct software", Nextbutton, Cancelbutton<br>
do progress_bar<br>
pause 00:05<br>
msgbox "Installation Complete"<br>
rem Users are so gullible<br>

 

[jsauce]

I was actually thinking that this was probably something along the lines of the actual process. It doesn't seem to do anything, because when you click next, it tells you the hard drive has been installed. I wonder what else Microsoft made for an Install Wizard. A mouse install wizrd maybe? or a cpu fan install wizard?