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parititioning issues with large RAID6 array

K

Kremlar

Golden Member
Have a large RAID 6 array (8x 2TB drives, so about 12TB of available storage). I need to maximize available space, but wanted a separate partition for the OS (Windows Server 2008 R2 64-Bit).

I figured I'd create a 100GB C: partition for OS and apps, then leave the rest for a D partition.

When installing the OS the paritioning utility initially shows 1 continuous 12TB drive. But, after I create the 100GB OS partition, it then creates a small 'system reserved' partition and divides the remaining space in 2 (a 1.9TB chunk, and a ~10TB chunk).

I'd like that remaining space combined so I can create a single 11.9TB partition.

Not sure what's going on. Can someone enlighten me?

Thanks!
 
Use a bootable OS (systemrescuecd comes to mind) and partition your array the way you want it. Then boot the windows installer. I can't say one way or the other whether that will work, I've never had a system with that huge an array that didn't have a dedicated disk or 2 for the OS.
 
Thanks... normally I'd keep a pair of drives for the OS, but in this case I need all available bays to get the storage capacity I need.

I think the workaround is to create virtual disks in the RAID controller instead of partitioning the array through Windows. I will give it a try tomororw and post back.

Thanks
 
BIOS partition tables are limited to 2TB for the whole drive, the only way around that it to use a GPT which your BIOS probably can't boot from. So you need to either create separate, smaller volumes in the RAID controller like you did or use a separate drive(s) to boot from.
 
It would be best to have the OS on its own drive, separate than the RAID array. Any cheap old OS drive will do. On my fileserver I am using an ancient 160GB spindle drive as my OS drive.

Kremlar, are you familiar with ZFS? it will make your data much much safer.
 
Normally I would prefer to have the OS on a pair of mirrored drives, but in this case I don't have the drive bays available.

Thanks
 
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