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8 Replies Last post: Oct 19, 2009 11:42 AM by Scissor  

Resizing system disk with diskpart posted: Oct 19, 2009 11:00 AM

Click to view hutchingsp's profile Hot Shot
hutchingsp
254 posts since
Jun 21, 2007

I have a 2003 R2 x64 server running on ESX 3.5 U4, and the system/boot VMDK is filling up.

Am I right in thinking it should be a case of switch off the VM, increase the VMDK size under the VM properties, attach the VM to a different VM as a second disk, boot that VM, and use diskpart as I normally would on the (now second volume) boot volume?

Cheers!

Re: Resizing system disk with diskpart

1. Oct 19, 2009 11:02 AM in response to: hutchingsp
Click to view Troy Clavell's profile Guru vExpert
Troy Clavell
7,258 posts since
Oct 12, 2007
yes, that will work as well.

.....but you can use ExtPart and so it live.

Re: Resizing system disk with diskpart

2. Oct 19, 2009 11:02 AM in response to: hutchingsp
Click to view vmroyale's profile Champion vExpert
vmroyale
2,237 posts since
Jun 15, 2007
Hello.

That is correct, but you might also want to check out Dell's extpart utility that can extend the C: drive real-time.

Good Luck!

Re: Resizing system disk with diskpart

3. Oct 19, 2009 11:03 AM in response to: hutchingsp
Click to view sbeaver's profile Guru User Moderators vExpert
sbeaver
7,727 posts since
Nov 1, 2004
Yes those are the steps you will need to follow to expand that disk

Steve Beaver
VMware Communities User Moderator
VMware vExpert 2009
====
Co-Author of "VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center"
(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach
Come check out my blog: www.theVirtualBlackHole.com
Come follow me on twitter http://www.twitter.com/sbeaver

**Virtualization is a journey, not a project.**

Re: Resizing system disk with diskpart

4. Oct 19, 2009 11:05 AM in response to: hutchingsp
Click to view JDLangdon's profile Master
JDLangdon
995 posts since
Jun 30, 2006

While I have never worked with x64 versions of Windows, this is the procedure that I follow with the 32-bit version.

The nice thing about working with VM's is that you can always clone the existing VM, make the modifications, and then test. If the modifications fail, just revert back to the clone copy and trash the original.

________________________________
Jason D. Langdon

Re: Resizing system disk with diskpart

5. Oct 19, 2009 11:16 AM in response to: hutchingsp
Click to view hutchingsp's profile Hot Shot
hutchingsp
254 posts since
Jun 21, 2007
With extpart on a test server I just get an error "Unable to connect to C" when using that as the drive letter?

I'm happy downing the VM if it's the safer option.

Re: Resizing system disk with diskpart

6. Oct 19, 2009 11:19 AM in response to: hutchingsp
Click to view Troy Clavell's profile Guru vExpert
Troy Clavell
7,258 posts since
Oct 12, 2007
i've had some issues with extpart on our blade enviornment, but we haven't been able to figure out why it can't find the C drive

if you are increasing the size from say 30GB to 32GB, the command should look something like

extpart c: 2048

Does diskmanager see the unallocated space? If extpart is not working, then yes your alternative method will work just fine.

Re: Resizing system disk with diskpart

7. Oct 19, 2009 11:22 AM in response to: Troy Clavell
Click to view hutchingsp's profile Hot Shot
hutchingsp
254 posts since
Jun 21, 2007
Thanks Troy (and others). Not sure why but it worked on the VM I wanted it to - quite neat though I'm sure I shall be crossing my fingers next time I reboot it :)

Re: Resizing system disk with diskpart

8. Oct 19, 2009 11:42 AM in response to: hutchingsp
Click to view Scissor's profile Master
Scissor
1,355 posts since
Oct 8, 2007
I use GParted to accomplish this.

There is a bootable ISO available from the website here: http://gparted.sourceforge.net/

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