Increase the size of the hard disk

[kc_vmnewbie]

Currently using Vmware View.  I need to increase the size of a VDI base image used for linked clones.  When I power on the base image and look at the hard disk size, it is grayed out, so it cannot be changed there.  The only other way I think I can achieve this is to clone the current base image and change the size of the drive, create a new snapshot and link the snapshot to the existing pool, will that work?

Thanks in advance.

[mittim12 · Accepted solution]

You can only change the size of the drive when the machine is powered off.  You would then have to expand the system drive inside of the OS so that the new space is being utilized.

In order to do this on a linked clone machine you would need to committ the snapshot before making a change to the disk.   If you did it with the snapshot in place chances are your VM would no longer boot.    The other method you descibed would work as well though I've never tested it on a linked clone.

[kc_vmnewbie]

Hi,

Thanks for the information.  I can't try it until this weekend, once I test it, I'll be back to award you the points.

Thanks again,

Kim

[kc_vmnewbie]

mittim12,

I powered off all the desktops in the pool.  Then deleted the snapshots associated with the base image.  Increased the size of the hard drive through edit options...  then attached the hard drive to a different computer to use the extend command to increase the size of the disk.  Then removed the hard drive from computer 2.  Powered on the base image and it booted fine.  I then powered down the base image, created a new snapshot and in view administrator recomposed the pool with the new snapshot.  Worked like a charm - your solution was much easier than mine.

Thank you!

[mittim12]

Great news.  

[Vodder]

Another method I have used on any type of VM is to use gparted. Power down the VM, edit settings and change the size of the disk. Attach the iso of gparted and connect at power on. Follow through the steps on gparted to expand the partition and reboot. Simples. Make sure you keep the starting block the same as the one it detects though otherwise it won't boot afterwards.

[partitionsaver]

¨      

There are three ways to increase VMware hard disk

    Method 1: Using VMware Converter

¨         Method 2: Using VM Disk Manager

¨         Method 3: Using VM Disk Manager GUI (only on VMware Workstation 7.0 edition or later)

The method 1 is not always recommend because       there’s a disadvantage that VMware Converter will create a new (many GB) copy of your VM. And the method 3 is the easiest way to use, unfortunately, this feature is only added into the VMware Workstation 7.0 edition or later. Therefore, VM Disk Manager is the master key that increases virtual disk size

¨         Method 1: Using VMware Converter

¨         Method 2: Using VM Disk Manager

¨         Method 3: Using VM Disk Manager GUI (only on VMware Workstation 7.0 edition or later) 

The method 1 is not always recommend because       there’s a disadvantage that VMware Converter will create a new (many GB) copy of your VM. And the method 3 is the easiest way to use, unfortunately, this feature is only added into the VMware Workstation 7.0 edition or later. Therefore, VM Disk Manager is the master key that increases virtual disk size.

If you want to learn more details you could refer to my answer in this topic.

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1765944

best wishes