Extending W2K System partition, Proliant ML370 RAID5

[Redfox1]

Goal 1: Increase the size of the C: System partition on a Windows 2000 Standard Server SP4 + latest fixes to more than 4GB.
Goal 2: Increase the sizes of E: and F: data partitions as well.

I describe 2 different options that I could think of and but have some questions about each. For the questions see below the '****'

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Server info:
HP Proliant ML350 G2
SmartArray 532 FW: 1.92 Hardware Revision: B
2 arrays:
A - 3x18.2GB RAID 5 = BASIC disk i.e. Disk 0
B - 1x18.2GB RAID 0 = BASIC disk i.e. Disk 1

Windows 2000 Partitions:
Disk 0 - Partition 1: C: 4GB NTFS
Disk 0 - Partition 2: E: 30GB NTFS
Disk 1 - Partition 3: F: 18.2GB NTFS
D: is the CDROM drive

E: and F: are used for file shares. I had to move the pagefile to E: - yes - I do realize that system dumps can't be written now.

This machine is our W2K Forest Root for 4 (W2K native) domains world wide and was upgraded from NT 4.0 SP6a - hence the 4GB partition problem. We do have another Domain Controller similarly running W2K on a Proliant in the same domain as this machine.

We do have/use Backup Exec with a tape drive in this server.

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Option 1:
My 1st plan is as follows:

1. Backup server + system state onto tape. VERIFY that it can be read. Also, create a backup of the system state to disk using Veritas BE and copy this single file to another server for safekeeping.

2. Create a small pagefile on C:
3. Remove the E: partition from Array A completely.
4. Remove Array B completely (this wipes out F
5. Power down
6. Remove the single 18.2GB drive - Array B.
7. Add three 72GB drives
8. Power up
9. Set the Controller's Array Rebuild & Expand priority to HIGH
10. Add a new RAID Array B as RAID 5 using the 3 x 72GB drives.
11. Add a Logical Disk 1 from Array B.
12. Save settings
13. Reboot
14. Insert NTFS 'boot disk'
15. Boot into W2K in SAFE mode or Command Prompt Only?
16. Run Diskpart.exe
enter: 'list part'
enter: 'select volume'
enter: 'extend [size=n] [disk=n]' (where n is the full size of Array A - 18.2GB & disk=1)
enter: 'exit' to quit diskpart
17. Reboot
18. Remove floppy boot disk
19. Re-add E: and F: on the 72 GB Disk (Array B)
20. Restore files to E: and F: from tape.

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Question 1:
Can anyone tell me whether diskpart.exe will 'extend' a SYSTEM partition?
What if it's not marked as a 'BOOT' partition?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325590/en-us

Does not mention this restriction although the article IS titled '... to extend a data volume...'

Question 2:
If I was to boot from a W2K 'floppy' disk into safe mode, would diskpart work then?
(per

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=119467

Comments:
From research I know that Ghost WILL NOT work on W2K Servers and I don't want to shell out $500-600 for some other 3rd party tool...

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Option 2:
1. Backup all partitions + system state onto tape. VERIFY that it can be read. Also, create a backup of the system state to disk using Veritas BE/or ntbackup and copy this single file to another server for safekeeping.

2. Remove all RAID volumes & physical drives - at least I'll have these as backup! (right?)

3. Insert 4 new 72 GB drives
4. Create Array A as a RAID 5 array using the 4 x 72GB drives.
5. Install W2K - Same hostname & IP, C:\Winnt (must be in the same location as previous OS)
6. Create E: and F: partitions
7. Install SP4
8. Install Backup Exec & Tape drivers (same version & location as previous BE)
9. Reboot
10. F8 - AD Directory Restore Mode (Non - Authoritative restore)
11. Restore all partitions & system state.
12. Reboot
13. Replicate AD & Verify that AD is in sync and that all is well.
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Question 3:

I have done used Option 2 before one of our other DCs before so I know it will work OK. Any suggestions about shortcuts or things I should look out for?

Last time I did this I used ntbackup to backup and restore the server. During the middle of the restore, ntbackup quit all of a sudden. I realized that it was trying to replace itself... so I copied it to a temp location and performed the restore all over again with success. Anyone else had this problem?

Would it be better to use Ntbackup rather than Backup Exec?

Question 4:
When using either Backup Exec or ntbackup do I restore all FILES first then restore the System state? or vice versa?
(Some system files are going to be in 'use' - is that a problem?)

Overall question:
Which method do you suggest I should attempt 1 or 2?

 

[Seaspray0]

Another option... move any FSMO roles and services (DNS, DHCP, etc) on this server to another domain controller. demote this server. blast it and remake your partitions. Load the OS. promote it back as a domain controller.

This approach is similar to the swing method of upgrading but you can use it to rebuild.

I like your option 2, but still move FSMO roles and services before you backup and rebuild. Once you're sure your domain will run with this DC removed from the network, then isolate it, back it up (along with backing up your other DC's too), rebuild it, and do the non-authoritative restore. Put it back on the network and let it resynch. If you have issues booting after the restore, you may need to adjust the boot.ini file to account for any differences in how your scsi partitions are now configured. print a copy of the boot.ini before the non-authoritative restore to assist.

Start, Help. You'll be surprised what's there. A+/MCP/MCSE/MCDBA

 

[Redfox1]

Thanks, I'm familiar with this option and I may consider doing just what you have described.

However, there are lots more issues to consider on this server:

This server is also a
DHCP server,
Primary DNS server for all of our DNS zones
and also a Windows 2000 TSE License Server.

So to demote it and remove it from the domain the reinstall it would make things a bit more complicated. That WOULD make it a LOT more cleaner migration path I do agree.

Thanks for you suggestions.