Q162624: How to Create Multiple Stripe Sets On the Same Disk Array.

Article: Q162624
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.51,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsetup
Last Modified: 10-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51, 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you try to create multiple stripe sets, stripe sets with parity, mirror
sets, or try to extend or create a Volume Set you may encounter the following
error.

  The disk containing one of the free spaces you have chosen is not able to
  accept any more partitions.

CAUSE
=====

The partition table only has support for up to four partitions per individual
hard disk drive. When you create a Stripe Set, or a Stripe Set with parity, by
default, Windows NT regards it as a primary partition. Thus, after the fourth
primary partition is created, you have reached the maximum number of primary
partitions on that hard disk.

Please note that Windows NT Workstation does not support Stripe Sets with Parity.

RESOLUTION
==========

To work around this limit, you must configure each disk to have an extended
partition. There is no partition or logical drive limitation in an extended
partition so you will be able to create as many partitions or stripe sets as
desired. This can be done with Disk Administrator.

1. Start Disk Administrator and highlight the disk you are going to use and
  check the status in the bottom left hand corner of Disk Administrator. If the
  status box shows free space, go to the Partition menu and click Create
  Extended.

2. A dialog box asking what size to make the extended partition appears, the
  size you choose should be large enough to hold all the stripe sets (or Fault
  Tolerant sets) that you plan to create on this hard disk. Which will usually
  be the entire disk.

3. After you have entered the size of the extended partition click OK.

  NOTE: See how the slanted bars now slant from top right to bottom left.

4. Select the partition again, and look in the status box in the bottom
  left-hand corner to confirm you now have a empty extended partition.

5. Confirm this and go back to the Partition menu and click Commit Changes Now.

6. Two dialog boxes now appear, one asking you to confirm these changes and
  another suggesting that you run the Emergency Repair Disk utility (Rdisk).
  Click OK to confirm the changes now and be sure to run the Rdisk utility (and
  chose update repair info) when you have completely set up your stripe set.

7. Complete this procedure for all the drives you plan to create multiple stripe
  sets on.

NOTE: If you already have existing stripe sets installed on the hard disk drive
but still have free unused space on the hard disk drive, this procedure will
still work. But if you have a hard disk drive with 3 primary partitions and one
extended partition, and the disk still has free space, you will not be able to
create any more partitions on the hard disk drive. You will need to back up your
data from partitions contained on the extended partition, delete the drives and
extended partition, and re-create the extended partition to include the
additional contiguous free space.

Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbsetup 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS351search
Version           : :3.51,4.0

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