Occasional NTFS errors on Windows Server VM

[ddockter]

I have a Windows 2003 server that I occasionally (every 2 weeks or so) get NTFS errors during the backup (Backup Exec 12.5). It is always the same disk (dynamic spanning two volumes). The VM datastore is on a NetApp iSCSI SAN. If I run chkdsk, the errors clear up. Happened last night again. I have an entire directory that is inaccessable now. Hopefully chkdsk will fix it again.

[AntonVZhbankov]

I'd try to convert spanned dynamic disk to basic, and I suggest to avoid using dynamic disks unless you have no other choice.

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MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[ddockter]

I don't think you can covert dynamic back to basic if it spans volumes. I initially did the "span" because I needed to increase the size of the drive. So I added another drive in the VM config then created the spanned volume in Windows Disk Manager. Maybe there was a better way to accomplish this?

[msemon1]

Can you create new VMDK with basic disk and copy data from dynamic?

Mike

[AntonVZhbankov]

Yes, you can not just convert it back, you have to create new basic disk and copy all the data.

Is your spanned disk bigger than 2TB?

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MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[ddockter]

That is what I'll probably have to do. Is there a different (better) way to expand the space on a VM's disk than the way I did it?

[ddockter]

Volume is only 60 G.

[AntonVZhbankov · Accepted solution]

60 GB is a small disk, dynamic disks is the only way for volumes more than 2TB.

You can expand vmdk from VI client and then resize NTFS partition with Dell ExtPart, gparted or any partitioning tool you like.

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MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[ddockter]

Sounds like a better way to go. Thanks.

[msemon1]

If it is a data partition then you can also use diskpart. Quick and easy.

[ddockter]

It is a data partition.