Disk expanded but does not show up correct in explorer

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Disk expanded but does not show up correct in explorer

SQLQuest29

SSCrazy Eights

Points: 8264
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December 30, 2009 at 8:23 am

#215005

Hi All,
I have Windows Server 2008.
E: drive was expanded from 300 GB to 450 GB
When I go to Disk management, I see that the E: drive is showing up 450 GB.
But when I go to My computer (Run -> explorer), its still showing up 300 GB.
I am little confused to why it is showing up that old space :w00t:
Any ideas !
Thanks,
\\K
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
HTH !
Kin
MCTS : 2005, 2008
Active SQL Server Community Contributor 🙂

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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GSquared SSC Guru Points: 260824 More actions · Answer 1

I've seen Windows do that before. The only solution I've ever seen work was a reboot.

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SQLQuest29 SSCrazy Eights Points: 8264 More actions · Answer 2

GSquared (12/30/2009)
I've seen Windows do that before. The only solution I've ever seen work was a reboot.

Thanks for your reply !

What does Mark as Active partition do ? (disk management -> point to the drive and rt click --> mark partition as active)

I am not familiar with windows system stuff.

Also, I tried rescanning the disks, but still it is not showing up. Reboot is not a valid option for me as of now.

Any ideas !

Thanks,

\\K

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
HTH !
Kin
MCTS : 2005, 2008
Active SQL Server Community Contributor 🙂

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 3

SQL_Quest-825434 (12/30/2009)
What does Mark as Active partition do ? (disk management -> point to the drive and rt click --> mark partition as active)

Makes that the boot partition, ie the one that the computer will look for an OS on when it boots. Don't fiddle with it.

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
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Jon Russell Hall of Fame Points: 3048 More actions · Answer 4

K,

I am not a Systems Engineer, just a DBA, but I think GSquared is right. I think the information you are seeing in Explorer is from the last boot. I don’t know if this means you can’t use all 450 GB. My guess is no, because Windows in not aware of the additional 150 GB yet until you reboot.

Mark Partition as Active: I don’t think this is relevant to your problem. Maybe someone can confirm this, but “Mark Partition as Active” just sets the boot sector on a partition.

You may want to post this on a Windows forum to confirm all this.

Jon

SQLQuest29 SSCrazy Eights Points: 8264 More actions · Answer 5

Thanks Gail and Jon for your replies

I am still not sure that the extra 150 GB can be used without a reboot :w00t:

I cant remember, but there is a way (setting) that has to be done in disk management so that the explorer can see the added space. (My lead DBA showed me once, but rt now I cannot remember and the lead DBA is on vacation :exclamationmark:)

I thought that windows 2008 does not require a reboot for such cases (It used to be in Win server 2003).

Edit ** When we expanded the disk, it has corrupted the file system !

The error message is

"The file system structure on the disk is corrupt and unusable. Please run the chkdsk utility on the volume " :crying:

Thanks and I will post if I find a way around (except reboot)

Thanks again for all you help,

\\K

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
HTH !
Kin
MCTS : 2005, 2008
Active SQL Server Community Contributor 🙂

ganci.mark Hall of Fame Points: 3533 More actions · Answer 6

Hello. I am experiencing a similar situation right now.

This is on a clustered SQL Server.

I had the SAN team physically expand a cluster disk/lun.

I had the Windows team expand it in windows.

The disk management shows the extra space on the drive now but in windows(explorer) it is not there.

Did anyone ever figure this one out?

Yhanks

Mark