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racom
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Extending a target disk in VDR 2.0

Hi,

we use VMware Data Recovery 2.0 to backup our VM's to NAS via NFS. Taget disk was 500 GB VMDK assigned to VDR. Due to decreasing free place I've tried to extend it this way:

1. reboot VDR

2. extend VMDK in vCenter to 800 GB

3. reboot VDR again 'cause disk size remained the same (fdisk -l):

Disk /dev/sdb: 536.8 GB, 536870912000 bytes
103 heads, 8 sectors/track, 1272543 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 824 * 512 = 421888 bytes
   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               1     1272544   524287999+  83  Linux

4. delete old partition a add a new partition using all free space (I've did it successfully several times for some Ubuntu/CentOS VMs):

Disk /dev/sdb: 858.9 GB, 858993459200 bytes

103 heads, 8 sectors/track, 2036069 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 824 * 512 = 421888 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System

/dev/sdb1               1     2036069   838860424   83  Linux

5. but e2fsck failed (as well as attempts to use alternate superblocks):

e2fsck 1.39 (29-May-2006)

Couldn't find ext2 superblock, trying backup blocks...

e2fsck: Bad magic number in super-block while trying to open /dev/sdb1

The superblock could not be read or does not describe a correct ext2

filesystem.  If the device is valid and it really contains an ext2

filesystem (and not swap or ufs or something else), then the superblock

is corrupt, and you might try running e2fsck with an alternate superblock:

    e2fsck -b 8193 <device>

6. I've tried to restore original filesystem but number of blocks is different:

Disk /dev/sdb: 858.9 GB, 858993459200 bytes

103 heads, 8 sectors/track, 2036069 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 824 * 512 = 421888 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System

/dev/sdb1               1     1272544   524288124   83  Linux

Does VDR use some special formatting?

My questions:

1. What's a right way to extend VMDK? VDR Administration Guide mentions vCenter part only.

2. Any chance to restore filesystem? I've created new VMDK for next backups immediately but I'd be glad to have access to old backups.

Thanks in advance for tips.

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Sreejesh_D
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

You probably done this already but to confirm, after step 4 did you format the newly created ext3 partion? if no, rpeat the steps again.

1. Delete the patitions on /dev/sdb

2. create new ext3 (hex code 83) partition.

3. format it

mkfs.ext3 /dev/sdb1

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racom
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks for tip but I want to extend disk/partition only. I suppose to loose old backups if I format extended partition.

I was used to extend ext3 partitions using fdisk, e2fsck and resize2fs (along to http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=86137#3).

Is any way in VDR to extend target disk with no data loss?

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Sreejesh_D
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

I am not sure whether or not the utility Parted present in vDR appliance. if its available it helps us in resizing the partition. Following link has details on parted.

http://www.gnu.org/software/parted/manual/html_chapter/parted_2.html

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racom
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks again. But parted neither testdisk isn't installed in VDR appliance.

I can remove VDMK with broken partition from this VDR and add it to another VM with requested tools (or to SystemRescueCd)to try to restore it.

But finaly, loss of old backups isn't so fatal for me (hopely). Main question is find a way how to extend disk for backups with no data loss.

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racom
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Oooops. I had to be blind Smiley Sad I completely overlooked "Extend" in Configuration tab of VDR. I've just run it.

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Sreejesh_D
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

  • Glad you managed to resolve and move ahead!
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racom
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I was afraid the disk geometry is damaged by my attempts. But VDR extended and mounted disk well and I can see both old and new backups now.

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