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barfoon
Asked: 2009-09-18 15:35:32 +0800 CST

Creating a file server - How can I use a large VHD file in Hyper-V? (700GB)

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After a few discussions (here, here, and here), I am still unable to create a simple VM that will be used as a fileserver hosted on my Hyper-V box. I have created a fixed 700GB SCSI drive (.vhd file), as I have learned an IDE drive of this size is not possible. Not to sound too cynical, but its blown me away at how much trouble its been to create a large amount of space and start using it.

What is the best way to create a fileserver with a drive of this size hosted on Hyper-V Server 2008, and how can I get it going???

Inclusion of OS, driver, integration tools etc, anything you feel is required would be greatly appreciated.

Extra information

  • I am using the stand-alone version of Hyper-V server, and not Windows Server 2008.
  • I have tried loading the Linux Integration Tools (linked in the comments of the last link above) onto a SUSE 11 VM and the installation fails, the machine cannot see the vhd at all.

Thanks very much,

linux

3 Answers

  1. I would assume that this is issue with drivers.

    However, IDE has same size limit as SCSI on Hyper-V. Usually IDE disks are a LOT easier to use in Linux and that solves problems with visibility in most cases. In your case that is a problem since you use first Hyper-V Server 2008 release.

    If you can, I would recommend moving to Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 which will allow you to have big disk on IDE interface and thus avoid any driver issues with Linux and SCSI.

    P.S. You can just disconnect already existing VHD and re-attach it as IDE since format is not dependent on interface.

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  2. You might also consider creating several smaller virtual disks (which might even be on different drives), and then use LVM inside Linux.

    This would also allow you to add to the size later easily :)

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  3. I'm not sure what you're having a problem with, we have a 700+ gb vhd running BackupPC on CentOS - was on Virtual Server 2005, then Hyper-V, then migrated to another platform (no technical problem with either Microsoft solution though).

    I don't remember doing anything particularly complex to make it work. We created a boot disk that was smaller, perhaps 32gb - installed Linux there, additions, etc. then after everything worked added an additional disk.

    Do you have any particular errors you can post?

    LVM would be handy in the future as warren said but I don't think that is related to your HyperV issue any.

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