Extend partition of a VM c:\ partition

[Wajeeh]

Dear Experts,

We recently installed a product of HP operation manager for windows on a virtual machine having 4vCPU, 4GB Mem and 50GB HDD as C:\ partition. The storage is not local but a SAN. So the datastore is on SAN defined of 250GB and in this data store other virtual machines also exists.

We came to know now that this given space of 50GB is not enough for this product, and we want to extend the size say from 50GB to 80GB. This is the partition where OS is running and it is Win 2008 R2 x64 bit. I am new in this area and need to know if possible to extend the C:\ partition and how, is it possible when the VM is live ON OR shutdown is required? what ever is the case Live extension OR shutdown, let me know the steps to follow on this. Also once the partition is extended how to make Windows see that new space and join it to existing 50GB c:\. What steps needed in Windows after VM settings are edited.

I look forward for support.

Kind Regards,

[eeg3]

If you increase the size of the virtual disk inside Edit Settings, you can then go into Disk Management (Right click My Computer->Manage->Disk Management) and find the partition, right click it and extend it.

No downtime should be required.

[aravinds3107]

Extending the C drive on Windows 2008R2 is staright forward and it can be done online. Assume that you only a single partition on this virtual disk.

1) Connect to vCenter or ESX host, Select VM, Click on Edit Settings, Edit the Virutal hard Disk with new value (80 GB in you case)

2) Login to the server from disk management console and perform rescan if you do not see the new size

3) Right Click on Allocated partition and click expand

Take a look at this video if you still require clarification

[rickardnobel]

Wajeeh wrote:

we want to extend the size say from 50GB to 80GB. This is the partition where OS is running and it is Win 2008 R2 x64 bit.

Do you have any other partitions on the same disk? If not, then the process is very easy and require no downtime, using the steps above. If you have other partitions, like 😧 on the same virtual harddrive it is much more difficult.

[Wajeeh]

Dear Aravinds,

You mean to say even if virtual machine is live, it will allow me to edit the settings for hard disk, and I can put value of 80GB where I have 50GB now ? Are there any chances of that operating system goes corrupt, OR any loss of data ? Is it safe to do this when virtual machine is live OR advisable to perform it offline.

Please provide me the video link again, the one you gave is not a link.

If possible let me know the following below also :

- How to make additional partition in a virtual disk, like I mean when I create a new Virtual Machine I define it's harddrive size, fine, and when I install guest OS, I only see partition C:\ How I can have D:\ partition as well in a VM ? Do I need to create another VDisk ?

- If in place of Win 2008 R2, I have a case of Win 2003 R2 std. 32 bit and I require same extension of C:\ partition, with what steps I can do this.

Waiting for your reply.

Thanks for your support.

Kind Regards,

[aravinds3107 · Accepted solution]

You mean to say even if virtual machine is live, it will allow me to  edit the settings for hard disk, and I can put value of 80GB where I  have 50GB now

Yes you can EDIT the VM settings when its Powered ON and add the new disk size

Please provide me the video link again, the one you gave is not a link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RumwV9dtpSc

How to make additional partition in a virtual disk, like I mean when I  create a new Virtual Machine I define it's harddrive size, fine, and  when I install guest OS, I only see partition C:\ How I can have D:\  partition as well in a VM ? Do I need to create another VDisk ?

Its better to created new Virtual Disk for the new volume so it would be easy when you want to perform disk extend

I have a case of Win 2003 R2 std. 32 bit

To perform disk extend on OS level of Windows 2003 is different from Windows 2008, You have look for some third party tools to extend the C: Drive on Windows 2003 Check ( http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100407... )

I use a utility called extpart to extend C drive on Windows 2003 which i have posted here

[john23]

If OS is running, Because C: is primary partition, it will not allow to extend C: ,it will extend as a new partition.

If you want to extend c: , its require a down time.

-- Map this C: vmdk to other Windows operating system, There it will not come as C:.

-- Extend using gui-->edit setting

-- windows(other windows) diskmgmt go and extend it.

You can give a try to gparted (live cd as well).

[eeg3]

You can extend a C:\ without downtime. It does not require you to power down the VM.

[vGuy]

As mentioned above, it's always recommended to separate each partition on its own virtual disk.

You may also want to put your application data on a different partition than your system drive..

[Fitou13]

Hi,

You can use free software provided by Dell called ExtPart. After vmdk extension via venter console, launch this software under Windows CLI.

Sample: "extpart c: 20480M"

Christophe.

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/DriverDetails/DriverFileFormats?c=&s=&cs=&l=&DriverId=R64398

[beckham007fifa]

how to do if we have a recovery partition installed on the disk. As it get installed default with win2k8 installations?

any way to do it??

[Fitou13]

You don't have to change recovery partition size, just extend your system disk. (c:)

Fitou

[beckham007fifa]

its not allowing in my case, recovery partition is a primary partition before c partition on the same disk, its not giving me options to extend. Let me know how to do it.

[Fitou13]

If you use win2008r2 no thrid-party software need for volume extension.

Sorry but i'am not Microsoft specialist.

Good luck

[beckham007fifa]

lol, how did you say just select c and extend. I have already mentioned win2k8.

[SydS]

I have worked for Microsoft premier support. If you want a fully supported OS, Do not use any third party tool.

If the OS is lesser than 2008, you will have to connect the VMDK file to another VM and use diskmgmt.msc (GUI) or diskpart (command line).

If the OS is 2008/2008 R2 you can increase the size from VMware and then use diskmgmt.msc to extend the c: drive.

[beckham007fifa]

even, I do the same but yeah third party tools are there. Even VMware doesn't recommend using third party tool..

courtsey:

• VMware does not endorse or recommend any particular third party utility, nor is the above list meant to be exhaustive.
  

• The preceding links were valid as of June 19, 2009. If you find the links to be broken, provide feedback on the article and a VMware employee will update the article as necessary.

  
  

But I have faced issues extending win2k8 with recovery partition before the c partition and in other cases system partition before the primary C partition.

[RanjnaAggarwal]

extpart from Dell does work on 64-bit machines.  It is the self extractor that doesn't work on 64-bit.  So extract it on a 32-bit machine, move the real extpart.exe to your 64-bit machine, and enjoy free boot partition extensions with no reboots or downtime.

[rickardnobel]

SydS wrote:

I have worked for Microsoft premier support. If you want a fully supported OS, Do not use any third party tool.

Could you give some link for some official Microsoft view of this?

[vGuy]

beckham007fifa wrote:

how to do if we have a recovery partition installed on the disk. As it get installed default with win2k8 installations?

any way to do it??

I think you should be able to extend it using VMware Converter..