Resize Partition in Server 2003 HELP

[Scroatdog]

Built a server for class, and next week is when we'll be getting to start the networking and such. It;s got one 80 gig HDD, and I stupidly made the C drive 3.5 gigs and left the rest as free space. Needless to say, after the initial install and subsequent updates and the service pack, there is only about 110 megs left on the C drive, with all that unpartitioned space going to waste for now. I already made the page file a min and max of 512, the amount of memory in there.

Are there any freeware apps out there that will work on Server 2003 to re-size that partition for me??? I brought in my personal copy of Powerquest Partition Manager 7.0, but it wouldn't work. I also tried a demo version (downloaded) of Symantec Partition Magic 8.0 and it too couldnt' do that.

I'd rather not spend the $$$ since it's a class project and it's not my server, and my professor doesn't have any partitoning tools..........

So, anyone know of any freeware that I can use to fix my dilemna ???

Thanks in advance

 

[feigned]

Not sure why PM wouldn't have worked. I've heard very good things about it and while some people have major issues with it but for one problem you hear about there's probably 10 success stories.

If it's still a vanilla install with SP1 and updates applied...I would run it through setup again to nuke and pave the disk and reinstall. Really...it shouldn't even take an hour to go back through all of that unless that machine is showing some age.

One more thing...don't partition disks anymore. The cool kids stopped doing it years ago.

 

[djnes]

One more thing...don't partition disks anymore. The cool kids stopped doing it years ago.

Tell that to the people who still try to argue that splitting up the drive for the OS, apps, and games actually makes sense. Apparently they find it easier to argue than to research.

PartitionMagic won't work on server OS's, unfortunately. ServerMagic will, but it's not free. I know there are a number of free disk partitioner's out there, so you'll have to just check their compatibility.

 

[Tarwn]

You could always download a SystemRescueCD image. Comes with an open source partioning client, though I haven't tried it in ages.

Best advice I have seen so far is to just format and re-install. Though I would have to argue for seperate partitions for various things. My windows box is one massive partition, but I much prefer the various partitions I have on the linux box. Saves a massive amount of time when performing OS changes or updates because my non-system files are untouched, no crazy drive swapping or having to meticulously track everything down to keep myself from deleting something important (like my web directory and over 200 ASP/PHP/etc scripts a few years back).

 

[Scroatdog]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I am trying to avoid a reinstall because the class is only 3 hours long and that would eat into an hour of our time when we're supposed to be learning how to hook these up to a domain controller box and then connect our client through our second 10/100 LAN card.

I'll search for some more open source stuff, I guess. The reason Partition Magic won't work for Server 2K3 is, I beleive because the disks are made dynamic by default during the install. I could be wrong, but that's what I think. Also explains why there are "server" versions of some of the various partition managers out there. As for Partition Magic, I've had great luck with it on my home box. The reason I like multiple partitions is, because when I want to go ahead and do a clean install of Windows from an image I already created, I just put it on the C partition, and all of my files are on another partition or disk.

 

[feigned]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

No problem.

The reason Partition Magic won't work for Server 2K3 is, I beleive because the disks are made dynamic by default during the install. I could be wrong, but that's what I think.

Yes, you're wrong. 2k3 does not make a disk dynamic by default. It never has and never will. Read up on your setup chapters a bit more.

Also explains why there are "server" versions of some of the various partition managers out there. As for Partition Magic, I've had great luck with it on my home box.

There are programmers out there better than you or I (I don't code at all) that figure this very kind of thing out every day...if it's a server OS they're going to know and their boss' boss will tell them to create a seperate product for server OSes. It's that simple.

The reason I like multiple partitions is, because when I want to go ahead and do a clean install of Windows from an image I already created, I just put it on the C partition, and all of my files are on another partition or disk.

You need to plan better or have a very educated guess next time you decide to go all willy-nilly and install a server OS on a measly 3.5GB partition.

Just wax the disk and chalk this up to indiscretion.

 

[sitheris]

windows has built-in partitioning.

go to administrator tools, computer management, disk management. You should see your unpartitioned space there, just create a new partition for it/

 

[feigned]

windows has built-in partitioning.

go to administrator tools, computer management, disk management. You should see your unpartitioned space there, just create a new partition for it/

You don't understand the point of this thread.

 

[XOR != OR]

One more thing...don't partition disks anymore. The cool kids stopped doing it years ago.

[Pedantic]Under windows, maybe this makes sense. Under linux ( and, I would assume, the many other *nixs ), partitioning is a common safe guard.

For example: One way an attacker might try to DoS a box is to take action against the target that he/she knows will generate a log entry. In a single partiiton system, /var/log is on the same partition as everything else. Eventually, if the software doesn't limit the log entries itself, this will fill the remaining space on the drive, which would bring most services to a halt.

Another nice precaution is to create a seperate directory for your /home, /tmp, /var, ect...and mount them as noexec. Not bullet proof by any means, but certain is a stumbling block.

Oh, and I have been known to make my window partitions 10gigs ( for work ).

Why? So I can image them and keep backups on my file servers. I won't dispute ghost as the reining champion of disk imaging, but I will say `dd` is easier for me to use.[/pedantic]

 

[Scroatdog]

You need to plan better or have a very educated guess next time you decide to go all willy-nilly and install a server OS on a measly 3.5GB partition.

The class was told specifically by the professor to do a 3 gig partition. Now, there are a few who didn't, (like me initially), out of the 4 teams 2 formatted the entire 80 gig disk as the C drive, my team and one other...... The professor gave us the wrong install disk, so the key he gave us would not work. We had to reformat and install again, this time with a 3 gig partition, but I decided to go 3.5 for a little "buffer zone". Needless to say, the class has left ALOT to be desired. Nevertheless, I'd like to have the server ready to go as soon as possible once the class begins so I can network to the domain controller (team with the 80 gig C drive) and my client box.



I do, however, appreciate your witty, yet colorfully abrasive response.

 

[dbwillis]

you can always move the pagefile to another partition to free up 512mb space in a pinch, right?

 

[Scroatdog]

Yeah, sure can. I'm still on the lookout for some freeware though in the meantime. I do appreciate the reminder though!

 

[feigned]

[Pedantic]Under windows, maybe this makes sense. Under linux ( and, I would assume, the many other *nixs ), partitioning is a common safe guard.

For example: One way an attacker might try to DoS a box is to take action against the target that he/she knows will generate a log entry. In a single partiiton system, /var/log is on the same partition as everything else. Eventually, if the software doesn't limit the log entries itself, this will fill the remaining space on the drive, which would bring most services to a halt.

Another nice precaution is to create a seperate directory for your /home, /tmp, /var, ect...and mount them as noexec. Not bullet proof by any means, but certain is a stumbling block.

Point taken.

Oh, and I have been known to make my window partitions 10gigs ( for work ).

Why? So I can image them and keep backups on my file servers. I won't dispute ghost as the reining champion of disk imaging, but I will say `dd` is easier for me to use.[/pedantic]

I understand that as well. Different strokes.

[Peter]I found your post to be very shallow and pedantic.[/Peter]

The class was told specifically by the professor to do a 3 gig partition. Now, there are a few who didn't, (like me initially), out of the 4 teams 2 formatted the entire 80 gig disk as the C drive, my team and one other...... The professor gave us the wrong install disk, so the key he gave us would not work. We had to reformat and install again, this time with a 3 gig partition, but I decided to go 3.5 for a little "buffer zone". Needless to say, the class has left ALOT to be desired. Nevertheless, I'd like to have the server ready to go as soon as possible once the class begins so I can network to the domain controller (team with the 80 gig C drive) and my client box.

You need a new instructor if your current one doesn't realize how large a 2k3 installation is after SP1 and updates. Yes, it's ridiculous but it's not hard to figure out. I'm sorry you have to go through this.

But honestly...it takes the same amount of time to quick format an 80GB partition as it does a 3GB partition; roughly .3 seconds.

I do, however, appreciate your witty, yet colorfully abrasive response.

Hey no problem. I shouldn't have assumed and I am sorry. I thought you had made the decision to castrate the OS. My bad. <3 Go tell the instructor he's a dummy and needs to rethink his instructions for the future.

 

[Scroatdog]

Point taken.


Hey no problem. I shouldn't have assumed and I am sorry. I thought you had made the decision to castrate the OS. My bad. <3 Go tell the instructor he's a dummy and needs to rethink his instructions for the future.

No worries!

 

[XOR != OR]

You need a new instructor if your current one doesn't realize how large a 2k3 installation is after SP1 and updates. Yes, it's ridiculous but it's not hard to figure out. I'm sorry you have to go through this.

True story:

I was taking a brand new linux class at the local JC. Not expecting much, I figured an easy A at least.

I dropped out of class after the third night. Why? Well, we had just started going through a RH5.1 installation ( this was 2 years ago ), when the professor came to something called "K-D-E". Up to this point, he had been explaining what the different things he was installing were ( badly ), and he paused, obviously not knowing what it was. You could see him thinking about it for a moment, then he got it:

"Ah, and this is the Kernel Development Enviroment. We're going to need that"

I quietly packed up my things, thanked him, and walked out. Never went back.

This was after we went through disk partitioning, btw. Where my teacher needed a few helpful pointers to get past. Such as making a root partition, and a swap ( only 32 megs of memory on this machine ).

So the moral of my story is this: If you are very lucky, your teacher will know what the hell they are talking about ( in college computer classes ). However, don't get your hopes up. Most are math teachers who broke so many computers they got pushed to the comp sci dept because "they liked to tinker with this stuff". Always always always read and teach yourself. Never take what your teacher says as gospel, they are probably wrong.

 

[HHunt]

I've had a teacher recommend blackViper. He's otherwise a good guy, so I just let it slide, but ...

Kernel Development Environment is hilarious, though.