How to Expand RAID 5 Array Partition in 2024 [New Methods]

Updated by

Sherly 

Authored by

Linda 

Last updated on April 22, 2024

RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks or Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a data storage virtualization technology that provides a method of storing the same data in different locations on multiple physical hard disks. Are you looking for a reliable way to expand your RAID 5 disk by utilizing unallocated space or new disks?

On this page, you will learn about:

1. What is RAID 5? 2. Why would you need to expand RAID 5? 3. How can I expand a RAID 5 disk myself?

Navigate the content below to find the right way to expand your RAID 5 array on your Windows Server computer:

Please provide the English text that needs to be translated into American English.

## Overview of RAID 5: What is RAID 5?

Typically, RAID 5 is a RAID configuration that uses parity for redundant disk arrays. A RAID 5 setup consists of at least three hard disk drives or more. It is considered one of the more secure RAID configurations because RAID 5 uses parity instead of mirroring for data redundancy.

When data is written to a RAID 5 disk, the system calculates parity and writes it to the disk. In case of a hard drive failure, RAID 5 can use the parity data to rebuild the failed hard drive without losing any files.

What is the difference between Hardware RAID 5 and Software RAID 5?

It's crucial to understand the differences between HardRAID 5 and SoftRAID 5, as their expansion methods differ. Here's a comparison between the two: 1. **Hardware RAID (HardRAID 5):** - HardRAID is implemented using dedicated RAID controllers or built-in hardware on the motherboard. - It provides better performance since the RAID processing is offloaded from the CPU to specialized hardware. - Data is distributed across disks with parity information stored on a separate disk, ensuring redundancy. - Expansion can be more straightforward, as some controllers support adding additional disks to increase storage capacity without losing data. - Generally more expensive due to the need for dedicated RAID hardware. 2. **Software RAID (SoftRAID 5):** - SoftRAID is managed by the operating system or a third-party software utility. - Performance depends on the CPU, as it processes RAID calculations in software. - Functionality is similar to HardRAID 5, with data distributed across disks and parity information stored for redundancy. - Expanding a SoftRAID 5 array can be more complex, often requiring backup, dismantling the array, adding new disks, and reconfiguring the array. - Cost-effective since it relies on the existing system resources without the need for extra hardware. In summary, HardRAID 5 offers better performance and potentially easier expansion but at a higher cost, while SoftRAID 5 is more affordable but may have performance limitations and a more involved expansion process.

Why do you need to expand/extend RAID 5?

Scenario 1: "I have an ML350 G5 server with three hard drives configured as a RAID 5. The RAID volume is almost full. Can I expand the RAID 5 without disrupting data or the operating system?"

Scenario 2: "I have a Compaq ML370G2 server with three disks installed, connected to a 5i controller and configured in a RAID5 array. How do I add a fourth disk to the RAID5 array?"

When the RAID 5 runs out of space, it will severely affect the server speed and computer performance. Plus, you can no longer save data to the drive. What would you do if you encounter insufficient disk space on RAID 5, either of the above situations?

In general, the direct solution is to over-provision the RAID, thus maximizing server performance by providing more disk space on the RAID 5.

How to Expand a RAID 5 Array and Increase Its Capacity (3 Ways)

So, how to extend RAID 5 array to larger size? The method to expand a physical RAID 5 disk is different from that to expand a software RAID 5 disk.

Here we collect 3 reliable methods to help you easily and efficiently upgrade RAID 5 disk to larger capacity:

1. Method 1: Extend a hardware RAID 5 or software RAID 5 disk using unallocated space
2. Method 2: Add a disk to upgrade the capacity of a hardware RAID 5
3. Method 3: Add a new disk to expand a software RAID 5

Editor's recommendation:

• Open Disk Management and check the status of your RAID 5 disk. • If you have unallocated space on your RAID 5 disk, proceed directly to Method 1 to extend it. • If you have no available space, follow Method 2 to expand a HardRAID 5 or Method 3 to add new disks to expand a SoftRAID 5.

Method 1: Extend/Resize RAID 5 Array with Unallocated Space

Applies to: Adding unallocated space to a RAID 5 disk partition to extend it, supports both hardware RAID and software RAID.

When there is enough unallocated space on the RAID 5 disk (either Hard RAID 5 or Soft RAID 5), you can use a professional partition manager to extend RAID 5 space.

Here, you can use a server partition manager with Resize/Move feature, such as the Partition Manager Enterprise.

Step 1: Right click the RAID 5 volume and choose "Resize/Move".

Step 2: Drag the right boundary of RAID 5 to the right to add the unallocated space to the volume, and then click “OK” to confirm.

Step 3: Click “Apply Operation” and then “Apply.”

In addition to using it for RAID 5 expansion, you can use this utility to repair a RAID-5 volume when one or more of the RAID 5 disks is inaccessible or failing.

Method 2: Add Disks to a RAID 5 Array to Increase Capacity

Applies to: Add a new disk to the server and configure a RAID 5 disk to upgrade the capacity of an existing HardRAID 5.

Note that if the Server Controller was used to configure RAID 5 when disk space was full and no unallocated space was available, you must add new disks to expand the RAID 5 capacity.

Please remember to back up data on RAID 5 in advance with reliable server backup software, like free RAID backup software. Here, you can use the tool - Todo Backup Enterprise, to effectively back up everything on the RAID 5 disk volume with just a few simple steps.

Here, we'll show you how to expand the RAID 5 disk capacity by adding new drives, using a Dell server and Intel array card as an example. If your server vendor is not Dell, contact your vendor for assistance.

Upgrading RAID 5 capacity on a Dell PowerEdge R940 server:

You can do this by following a video tutorial or the step-by-step guide below.

Source: YouTube; Creator: VRLA Tech

Step 1: Install the disks into the server through the RAID controller, and then power up the server.

Step 2. Press F2 to enter the System Setup menu.

Step 3: In the system settings menu, choose "Device settings."

Step 4. In the System Settings menu, select Device Settings.

Step 5: Select RAID Controller > Main Menu > Physical Disk Management.

If all your hard drives show as “Ready,” click Back to return to the main menu.

Step 6: Navigate to Configure Management > Create Virtual Disk.

Step 7. Under Select RAID Level, choose RAID 5 from the drop-down menu.

Step 8: Click on “Select Physical Disks” and then select all the physical disks listed under “Unconfigured Physical Disks.”

Step 9: Then select “Apply Changes” to complete the process.

Click "OK" to continue.

Step 10. Select “Create a virtual disk” > check “OK”, and click “Yes”. (All data previously on the hard drive will be lost. Therefore, back up your hard drive data beforehand.)

Step 11: A message will confirm that the action was successful. Click OK.

Then restart the server and check in Disk Management to see that the RAID 5 volume has been extended.

Step 12: Now open Todo Backup, click on Restore, and select the files you wish to restore from the backup image to your new RAID disk.

Method 3: Add a New Drive to a SoftRAID 5 to Expand

If all the space on all the dynamic disks in the RAID 5 set is used, you can add a new disk to expand the RAID 5 set.

Note: It is essential to back up the data on the current RAID 5 disk to another external storage drive first.

Then, to add another drive to the RAID 5 on a Windows server, do the following:

Step 1: Connect the new hard drive to the server computer with an interface cable.

The new disk must have the same capacity as the others.

Step 2. After installing the new drive, boot up your computer and open Disk Management.

Step 3. Right-click the new disk, and select Online. Initialize the disk with the same partition style as the old RAID drive.

Step 4: To add the new disk to the RAID 5, you need to delete the old array.

Please note that this will result in data loss, so back up all important data beforehand.

5. Next, right-click on the unallocated space and select “New RAID-5 Volume”.

Step 6. Select all of the old and new drives to be added to the RAID 5 array. Click “Next” to continue.

Step 7: Assign a new drive letter to the RAID 5 volume and set the file system for the new RAID 5 array, then click Next to continue.

Step 8: Click “Finish” to complete the process.

Now, wait patiently for the disk to resync and format. When it's done, you'll see that your RAID 5 array on the server has been extended with the new disk.

Step 9: Also, remember to restore your backups to the new RAID 5 disk.

What is the best RAID level? RAID 0, 1, 5, or 10?

Which RAID is the best? What's the difference between RAID 5 and RAID 6? You can find the answers here.

RAID 0 stripes data across two or more disks with no parity information, providing no redundancy or fault tolerance. It is typically used for performance.

RAID 1 refers to the exact duplication (or mirroring) of a set of data on two or more disks. It writes two copies of data to two separate drives simultaneously. It is commonly used in small database systems, enterprise servers, and home PCs that require affordable fault tolerance. (See also: How to recover data from RAID 1.)

RAID 6 extends RAID 5 by adding another parity block. It uses block-level striping with two parity blocks distributed across all member disks. A RAID 6 array requires a minimum of four drives. RAID 6 is one of the best choices when a large amount of reliable storage space is needed, as it can protect data even in the event of two drive failures.

In terms of data safety and read-write speed, RAID 5 outperforms RAID 0, 1, and 6.

What are some common questions about RAID 5?

If you encounter other issues with RAID 5 disks, don't worry. You can refer to the solutions below for a quick fix:

How to recover data from a RAID 5 disk?

There are two ways to perform RAID 5 disk data recovery. When one of your RAID 5 disks fails, you can still boot the array, and RAID 5 will automatically rebuild the data for you.

If you cannot access the RAID 5 volume, run reliable RAID recovery software to scan and retrieve all data from the RAID 5 disks. Data Recovery Wizard can help you with that.

Then, you can rebuild the RAID 5 on the server computer, as shown on this page.

2. How do I back up my RAID data?

Most of the time, you have two options to back up data from RAID disks. One is to manually copy and save the data from the RAID disk to an external storage device.

Another option is to use a reliable RAID backup software for assistance. Tools like Todo Backup Enterprise can easily help you back up Windows Server RAID disk data with just a few simple clicks.

How do I clone a RAID disk?

To clone RAID to another hard drive safely, choosing a reliable disk cloning software would be a good option. Todo Backup is such a RAID clone software that supports file-level disk cloning and provides both Windows version and WinPE bootable CD for RAID arrays.

You may refer to this step-by-step guide: How to Safely Clone a RAID Disk.