How do I increase storage on the server?

  • Article

Updated: March 30, 2011

Applies To: Windows Home Server 2011

To increase the storage on the server, you can add an additional internal hard disk to the server. To add the additional internal hard disk, you must first shut down the server, next add the internal hard disk, and then power it back on to restart the server. Next, depending on whether the hard disk to be added is formatted, or unformatted, do one of the following:

  • If you had an internal hard disk that is unformatted, it generates the alert- “One or more unformatted hard disks are connected to the server”. Launch the Alert Viewer from the Dashboard, select the alert, and follow the instructions to format the hard disk and use it to store server folders.

  • If the internal hard disk is formatted with NTFS, the server assigns it a drive letter, and the hard disk appears in the Hard Drives tab. You can now either create, or move server folders to the new hard drive. If the formatted hard disk also includes preexisting files, then you can remove any unwanted files using the Drive Clean up utility.

To format the hard disk

  1. Open the Dashboard.

  2. In the navigation pane, click the alert icon to launch the Alert Viewer.

  3. In the Alert Viewer, select this alert, and in Tasks, click Format the hard disk.

  4. Follow the instructions to finish the wizard.

To clean up the hard drive

  1. Open the Dashboard.

  2. In the navigation pane, click Server Folders and Hard Drives, and then click Hard Drives.

  3. In the Hard drives section, select the drive letter assigned to the newly added hard drive, and in Tasks, click View the hard properties.

  4. In <Driveletter> Properties, in the General tab, click Drive cleanup.