Split a Dell PERC 6/i RAID-1 mirror to temporarily to add additional storage

Question

I need to tidy some disk partitions in Windows Server 2012, but don't have enough storage space, and all drive bays are in use.

I'd like to split the mirror, use one of the disks as temporary storage while I perform disk maintenance, then put the disk back in the mirror.

Answer 1

I wasn't able to use one of the exiting physical disks as additional storage, but I was able to use a spare disk.

1. Shut down the server
2. Remove one disk from the mirror
3. Insert a spare disk (mine belonged to a RAID-1 mirror from an old server)
4. On restarting the server, choose the import the foreign disk:
5. I was then able to use OpenManage Server Administrator to re-work the new disk
6. After the work is done, I will shut down, put the old disk back and I expect it will rebuild (or I will for a rebuild).

Notes:

1. I tried several things to detach the original physical disk from the mirror, but gave up when I stumbled upon a spare disk.
2. I suspect that if I put the original physical disk in another server, and deleted the virtual disk from there (or wiped the disk), I may have been able to get the PERC to view the disk as unused.