Disk Management disc tools - can't format uneducated space RAID5

[sysopchris]

Disk Management disc tools - can't format unallocated space RAID5

I am using Win7 Ultimate 32-bit & I have a 2 3Ware Escalade 9500S-8 SATA controllers with four 1.8 TB drives. The 1st partition is 2 TB and is the boot partition. After that I can see the rest of my space as 5.2 TB and labeled as Unallocated Space. When I right click on it everything is ghosted out except properties. I tried splitting the 2 TB partition in half to see if I could expand the new 1 TB partition to use any of the unallocated space but could not. I have tried every partition tool I could download but none will work with the 5.2 TB partition. Any suggestions as to how I can access this space. I am trying to use it as a FTP server.

Thanks in advance,
Chris.

 

[Corazon]

You will need to go to Disk Management and reinitialize the disk as as GPT disk, then create new partitions on it.

I'm assuming that currently it's formatted as an MBR disk - the MBR partitioning scheme however can only address total disk space up to 2TB. Beyond that, it's incapable of "reaching" the rest.

Here's more information about GPT for your perusal: Windows and GPT FAQ

 

[sysopchris]

The partition is not formatted. When it is selected and I go to the actions menu and select all tasks, or right-click on it, all options are ghosted out. When I use the command line DISKPART cmd. the volume is not shown. I would not mind multiple 2 TB partitions then I could use the 5.4 TB. I have attached a screen capture. In the rectangle where it is displayed the only text is 'Unallocated'.

Thanks...

 

[Corazon]

It's not a question of what to do with the partition. You can't use that space because, as I explained before, the entire disk (all 7.2TB of it) is using the MBR partitioning scheme.

That scheme cannot address more than 2TB of space on the disk, which is what you're currently using - hence the remaining 5.2TB of unallocated space.

Maybe there are partition management apps that can convert an MBR disk to a GPT disk without destroying existing partitions. I honestly don't know; one of the other forum members who is more knowledgeable in this regard will hopefully comment on this.

EDIT: It turns out that Partition Wizard (a widely recommended free partition manager in this forum) can do this. http://www.partitionwizard.com/convertpartition/convert-mbr-disk-to-gpt-disk.html

 

[sysopchris]

Now I understand the problem. Losing everything on the disk is not a problem. I just want to access all my space. At this point I could have re-installed Windows a dozen times with the amount of time I've wasted on solving this. Should have come here first.

Thanks!!!
Chris

 

[rraod]

Your 4x1.8TB hard disks are connected in RAID 5 (striped form) showing as 7.2TB single hard disk. To make use of all the space you need to break the strip set.

If there is no problem in losing the data, the easiest method is to remove the data connectors of 1, 2, 3 HDDs keeping 0 HDD. Reinstall Windows 7 on this HDD with the partitions you wanted to create. Once Windows 7 is up and running, connect Disk 1, make all the space on this Disk as unallocated and then create partitions and format in Disk Management program of Windows. Then do the same for Disk 2 and then later on for Disk 3.

Now you will have 4 independent disks with partitions available to you.

 

[sysopchris]

I can't wait to give this a try. Your instructions are very detailed and sound easy enough. Unfortunately the server is not at my home but at a restaurant close by. Usually I manage it with Team Viewer but I will need to be on-site for this which will be tomorrow morning at the earliest.

There is also another problem which I will have to address later. In the BIOS for the 3Ware Escalade 9500S-8 SATA controllers (I have two cards) only four of the five 1.8 TB Hitachi hard drives are in use. The 5th says 'Not in use'.

I should have done this to start with. I have completed my profile here for system specs. and attached my Belarc system profile as a PDF document and here is my Gravator profile.
http://en.gravatar.com/sysopchris

As soon as I complete your instruction I will post a reply here to let you know how it goes. I really appreciate your time helping me out. Thanks so very much!

Regards,
Chris

 

[Corazon]

Good luck - let us know how things turn out.

 

[sysopchris]

I am unable to initialize the disk to GPT. No matter what I do it's always ghosted out in MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro 6.0. Can you please look at my screen capture and see what I am doing wrong. I have one drive on the 1st controller with Windows and two drives on the other controller. All three are now recognized by Windows.

Thanks...

 

[sysopchris]

I may be on to something here. Once I deleted the partition then I could select GPT. Trying it now...

 

[Corazon]

You are indeed...apparently Partition Wizard can't convert MBR to GPT without data loss after all.

In fact, the procedure outlined on the webpage I linked to previously states you must Delete all partitions before the Initialize to GPT disk option becomes available.

Unfortunately, that means having to reinstall Windows and copying all your personal data back from whatever backups you have. I thought there was a way around that.

 

[sysopchris]

I am happy to say this will be my last post asking for help on this topic. Check out the two screen captures. I have Windows on a 500 GB drive on one controller and the other six drives making up 9.09 TB on the other controller.

Thanks!!!!!

 

[Corazon]

Awesome! You did great. Thanks for posting back and I'm happy we got this solved.