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Vista - How can I reclaim this space ?

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Old 08-20-2008   #1 (permalink)
ThePro


 
 

How can I reclaim this space ?

Hi,

I had a problem with some database running in a W2K3 virtual machine under
W2K8 Hyper-V. The database kept growing until it was 15 GB when it should
have been around 1 GB.

I had to expand the dynamic VHD to 18 GB to store the database. Now the
database bug is solved and it is back to 500 MB.

At the moment in the VM on Disk 0 (Dynamic) I have 3 GB "Unallocated" plus
around 9 GB free space on C: (NTFS). How can I reclaim this space ? The
"Compact" option of Hyper-V "Edit Disk" runs for 3-4 minutes but does
nothing.

Thanks for any suggestions.

ThePro


My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 08-20-2008   #2 (permalink)
Steve Jain


 
 

Re: How can I reclaim this space ?

On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:05:07 -0400, "ThePro"
<mcthepro@xxxxxx> wrote:
Quote:

>Hi,
>
>I had a problem with some database running in a W2K3 virtual machine under
>W2K8 Hyper-V. The database kept growing until it was 15 GB when it should
>have been around 1 GB.
>
>I had to expand the dynamic VHD to 18 GB to store the database. Now the
>database bug is solved and it is back to 500 MB.
>
>At the moment in the VM on Disk 0 (Dynamic) I have 3 GB "Unallocated" plus
>around 9 GB free space on C: (NTFS). How can I reclaim this space ? The
>"Compact" option of Hyper-V "Edit Disk" runs for 3-4 minutes but does
>nothing.
>
>Thanks for any suggestions.
>
>ThePro
Did you defrag the VHD in the VM first?

--
Cheers,
Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
http://vpc.essjae.com/
I do not work for Microsoft.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 08-20-2008   #3 (permalink)
ThePro


 
 

Re: How can I reclaim this space ?

"Steve Jain" <noreply.-@-.essjae.com> wrote:
Quote:

> On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:05:07 -0400, "ThePro"
> <mcthepro@xxxxxx> wrote:
>
Quote:

>>Hi,
>>
>>I had a problem with some database running in a W2K3 virtual machine under
>>W2K8 Hyper-V. The database kept growing until it was 15 GB when it should
>>have been around 1 GB.
>>
>>I had to expand the dynamic VHD to 18 GB to store the database. Now the
>>database bug is solved and it is back to 500 MB.
>>
>>At the moment in the VM on Disk 0 (Dynamic) I have 3 GB "Unallocated" plus
>>around 9 GB free space on C: (NTFS). How can I reclaim this space ? The
>>"Compact" option of Hyper-V "Edit Disk" runs for 3-4 minutes but does
>>nothing.
>>
>>Thanks for any suggestions.
>>
>>ThePro
>
> Did you defrag the VHD in the VM first?
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
> http://vpc.essjae.com/
> I do not work for Microsoft.
Defraged, re-run "Compact" and nothing changed. BTW fragmentation does not
explain why it does not reclaim the unallocated (not partitioned) space.

ThePro

My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 08-20-2008   #4 (permalink)
Steve Jain


 
 

Re: How can I reclaim this space ?

On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:48:22 -0400, "ThePro"
<mcthepro@xxxxxx> wrote:
Quote:

>"Steve Jain" <noreply.-@-.essjae.com> wrote:
Quote:

>> On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:05:07 -0400, "ThePro"
>> <mcthepro@xxxxxx> wrote:
>>
Quote:

>>>Hi,
>>>
>>>I had a problem with some database running in a W2K3 virtual machine under
>>>W2K8 Hyper-V. The database kept growing until it was 15 GB when it should
>>>have been around 1 GB.
>>>
>>>I had to expand the dynamic VHD to 18 GB to store the database. Now the
>>>database bug is solved and it is back to 500 MB.
>>>
>>>At the moment in the VM on Disk 0 (Dynamic) I have 3 GB "Unallocated" plus
>>>around 9 GB free space on C: (NTFS). How can I reclaim this space ? The
>>>"Compact" option of Hyper-V "Edit Disk" runs for 3-4 minutes but does
>>>nothing.
>>>
>>>Thanks for any suggestions.
>>>
>>>ThePro
>>
>> Did you defrag the VHD in the VM first?
>>
>> --
>> Cheers,
>> Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
>> http://vpc.essjae.com/
>> I do not work for Microsoft.
>
>Defraged, re-run "Compact" and nothing changed. BTW fragmentation does not
>explain why it does not reclaim the unallocated (not partitioned) space.
>
>ThePro
Sure, if there is a file at the end of the VHD, and the middle is
empty, the VHD won't compact. Compacting doesn't compact the space
between files, it will compact from the last file to the end of the
VHD. That's the way it's been for VPC and Virtual Server, so I assume
that it wouldn't be any different for Hyper-V.

--
Cheers,
Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
http://vpc.essjae.com/
I do not work for Microsoft.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 09-19-2008   #5 (permalink)
Ryan Sokolowski [MVP]


 
 

Re: How can I reclaim this space ?

To clarify, you need to run defrag within the OS in the running VM. Steve
said it right here, it's just a sometimes confusing concept.

Hope this helps,
--Ryan

--
Ryan Sokolowski
MVP - Clustering
MCT, MCITP x3, MCTS x8, MCSE x2, CCNA, CCDA, BCFP

"Steve Jain" <noreply.-@-.essjae.com> wrote in message
news:2psoa4ds2rv5bflucu5ihf4sqe1h32p897@xxxxxx
Quote:

> On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:48:22 -0400, "ThePro"
> <mcthepro@xxxxxx> wrote:
>
Quote:

>>"Steve Jain" <noreply.-@-.essjae.com> wrote:
Quote:

>>> On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:05:07 -0400, "ThePro"
>>> <mcthepro@xxxxxx> wrote:
>>>
>>>>Hi,
>>>>
>>>>I had a problem with some database running in a W2K3 virtual machine
>>>>under
>>>>W2K8 Hyper-V. The database kept growing until it was 15 GB when it
>>>>should
>>>>have been around 1 GB.
>>>>
>>>>I had to expand the dynamic VHD to 18 GB to store the database. Now the
>>>>database bug is solved and it is back to 500 MB.
>>>>
>>>>At the moment in the VM on Disk 0 (Dynamic) I have 3 GB "Unallocated"
>>>>plus
>>>>around 9 GB free space on C: (NTFS). How can I reclaim this space ? The
>>>>"Compact" option of Hyper-V "Edit Disk" runs for 3-4 minutes but does
>>>>nothing.
>>>>
>>>>Thanks for any suggestions.
>>>>
>>>>ThePro
>>>
>>> Did you defrag the VHD in the VM first?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Cheers,
>>> Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
>>> http://vpc.essjae.com/
>>> I do not work for Microsoft.
>>
>>Defraged, re-run "Compact" and nothing changed. BTW fragmentation does not
>>explain why it does not reclaim the unallocated (not partitioned) space.
>>
>>ThePro
>
> Sure, if there is a file at the end of the VHD, and the middle is
> empty, the VHD won't compact. Compacting doesn't compact the space
> between files, it will compact from the last file to the end of the
> VHD. That's the way it's been for VPC and Virtual Server, so I assume
> that it wouldn't be any different for Hyper-V.
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
> http://vpc.essjae.com/
> I do not work for Microsoft.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
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