Can’t create new Volume on Unallocated Space

windows-server-2008windows-server-2008-r2

I installed Windows Server 2008 R2 on a Dell server that has one volume that is a 6 TB RAID 5 array. I created a 120GB install volume and I'm now trying to create a 5 TB data volume. For what ever reason Windows will not allow me to create a new volume out of all of the unalocated space. Windows will allow me to create a new volume out of one 2TB block of unallocated space but not the remaining 3.5 TB block. Tried to post a screen shot but I was blocked.

If I right click on the 1949.85 GB block of space there is the option to create a new volume. If I click on the 3539.5 GB block of space that option is grayed out. If I go into diskpart and try to create a new partition, diskpart says that there is only 1949GBs free on the volume.

I know this process works because I did the exact same thing on another server that we have that is the exact same hardware configuration on which I used the exact same Server 2008 R2 install image.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Nate

Best Answer

3 ways:

  • Go with GPT. As Shane said, it's your boot volume, so you need EFI bios to do that.
  • Do the raid differently (2 volumes), so windows will see 1 disk for system, and 1 for data. So will be able to use GPT for data (if no EFI bios).
  • Convert to dynamic disk. Create 3 partitions of 2TB and make that an aggregate. Never tested and it's ugly. Only try that if the others solutions are really not possible.
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