So our computer at work was partitioned stupidly.
This server runs Windows Server 2003, which takes up rather a lot of space; then there's the actual software that runs the pharmacy, which takes up a similar lot. Then there's the database. I don't do SQL, so I know nothing about that end of it. The OS and programs are located on partition C:; the database is on D:. This wouldn't be a problem, except that the sizing is . . . lets avoid insulting terminology and just say it's inappropriate.
See, they set it up so C: is 10 gig, and D: is 63 gig. (These are actually two identical drives in RAID-1 configuration, but that's transparent to me so I'll pretend it's actually one physical drive with two partitions.) The OS partition has maybe 200 meg left out of that; the database partition is maybe 25% full, if that.
(There are also two other partitions that as far as I can tell don't do a hell of a whole lot. These are on FOUR physical drives, striped AND mirrored in RAID 1+0 configuration. No idea why they thought they needed that level of redundancy+performance for what is essentially a scratch space to store data until it's dumped to the backup systems, but that's a rant for another time. Who needs RAID 10 for a temp directory? I've hidden my renamed copy of Firefox in there for now, too.)
So, I need to make C: bigger. Unfortunately, D: starts right after it. Therefore, I need to make D: smaller first. What I'd have used for this would have been Partition Magic 8.0, which I have on my home computers, but it won't install in a server environment.
Tried AOMEI Partition Assistant (despite their penchant for spamming every help forum that even mentions partitioning), but found that you can only shorten the end of a partition in the free edition. If you want to shorten the beginning, a box pops up saying that'll cost you $160 US before you can do that. No thanks, guys.
EaseUS states that their Partiton Master free edition won't work on Windows Server either, and the paid version is likewise $159. Again, no thanks.
Sure, I could backup the D: partition to elsewhere (in fact I already have), blow away the partition, resize C:, recreate D: smaller, and then restore the backup to the new D:, but just thinking about that is giving me weak knees. Any slipup here and I'm taking my entire store down, given that D: is where the main prescription database lives. Especially given that we don't even own this damn machine, it's leased.
(I've brought this low disk space situation to the vendor's attention before; they go through the directories, empty the recycle bin and the temp directories, delete some older Windows updates and call it good, but I've already done all that and there's just nothing unessential left to delete. We're scheduled for a new server at the end of the year, but until then we're stuck with what we have.)
So can anyone recommend something similar, that would work on Win2K3 and doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Free, by preference?
This server runs Windows Server 2003, which takes up rather a lot of space; then there's the actual software that runs the pharmacy, which takes up a similar lot. Then there's the database. I don't do SQL, so I know nothing about that end of it. The OS and programs are located on partition C:; the database is on D:. This wouldn't be a problem, except that the sizing is . . . lets avoid insulting terminology and just say it's inappropriate.
See, they set it up so C: is 10 gig, and D: is 63 gig. (These are actually two identical drives in RAID-1 configuration, but that's transparent to me so I'll pretend it's actually one physical drive with two partitions.) The OS partition has maybe 200 meg left out of that; the database partition is maybe 25% full, if that.
(There are also two other partitions that as far as I can tell don't do a hell of a whole lot. These are on FOUR physical drives, striped AND mirrored in RAID 1+0 configuration. No idea why they thought they needed that level of redundancy+performance for what is essentially a scratch space to store data until it's dumped to the backup systems, but that's a rant for another time. Who needs RAID 10 for a temp directory? I've hidden my renamed copy of Firefox in there for now, too.)
So, I need to make C: bigger. Unfortunately, D: starts right after it. Therefore, I need to make D: smaller first. What I'd have used for this would have been Partition Magic 8.0, which I have on my home computers, but it won't install in a server environment.
Tried AOMEI Partition Assistant (despite their penchant for spamming every help forum that even mentions partitioning), but found that you can only shorten the end of a partition in the free edition. If you want to shorten the beginning, a box pops up saying that'll cost you $160 US before you can do that. No thanks, guys.
EaseUS states that their Partiton Master free edition won't work on Windows Server either, and the paid version is likewise $159. Again, no thanks.
Sure, I could backup the D: partition to elsewhere (in fact I already have), blow away the partition, resize C:, recreate D: smaller, and then restore the backup to the new D:, but just thinking about that is giving me weak knees. Any slipup here and I'm taking my entire store down, given that D: is where the main prescription database lives. Especially given that we don't even own this damn machine, it's leased.
(I've brought this low disk space situation to the vendor's attention before; they go through the directories, empty the recycle bin and the temp directories, delete some older Windows updates and call it good, but I've already done all that and there's just nothing unessential left to delete. We're scheduled for a new server at the end of the year, but until then we're stuck with what we have.)
So can anyone recommend something similar, that would work on Win2K3 and doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Free, by preference?
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