Need more HD space.

Fenris · 16 Jul 2009 at 14:17

Ok, I currently have a single hard drive of 320GB, I now need some more space as I am getting a bit close to the limit.

The HD has 2 Partitions, a 40Gb for my OS/apps etc and the rest for everything else. Basicaly, if I get a new hard drive, how would I go about making it so the new hard drive would extend my "everything else" partition?

Would this require a raid set up?

Any help/advice would be great.

Thanks.

JonJ678 · 16 Jul 2009 at 15:46

Please explain clearly what you wish to do. Sometimes I struggle with reading.

My best guess is you want two volumes, one 40 gb, and the other 320-40+new drive. That can be done, but means if either drive dies you lose all the data from the spanned partition. It also offers no performance benefit, you probably dont want to do this. Its similar to raid, but not the same as there is no redundancy and no performance improvements.

That you're asking suggests you really dont want to do this, it'll be quite an effort to set up. If you're using windows, it'll be hilarious amounts of effort for really very little gain. Your best options are three volumes in my computer rather than two, using the entire 320 for your operating system, or binning the 320 and just using the big one.

What I would be inclined to do, and again I hope you're not using windows or this may be tricky, is to keep the 320 as it is. Make a 320-40gb partion on the new drive, and raid 1 the two same size partitions. Keep important data there. Format the rest of the new drive as a seperate partition, and store less important data there.

This is all conjecture however, if you clarify what you have in mind I'll be happy to say more useful things. Cheers

Fenris · 16 Jul 2009 at 15:57

JonJ678 said:
What I would be inclined to do, and again I hope you're not using windows or this may be tricky, is to keep the 320 as it is. Make a 320-40gb partion on the new drive, and raid 1 the two same size partitions. Keep important data there. Format the rest of the new drive as a seperate partition, and store less important data there.

That sounds perfect, so if I got a 500GB Drive, made a 40gb and 280Gb partition on that and then raid 1 these two partitions to my original drives partitions of the same sizes (basicaly doubling them), then have the 180GB left as a 3rd Partition, so I end up with 80GB, 360Gb and 180Gb.

Assuming that is what you meant of course.

Can you suggest the best way of achieving this? such as what program to use?

Thanks for the help.

Kriist · 16 Jul 2009 at 16:45

I would stick with conventional storage. 2 drives in, 1 for your OS the big one for all other...

miniyazz · 17 Jul 2009 at 01:13

You can probably convert the "everything else" partition into a dynamic partition, if it isn't already, and simply extend it using Disk Management in Vista/7. But I wouldn't do that. Either faff around with RAID, or do the simple option, of backing up everything in the "everything else" partition onto one big new partition on your new hdd, and then use the original "everything else" partition for backup/spare space.