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How to Extend Disk Space to Linux Without Rebooting Step by Step
As applications grow, disk space can become insufficient, necessitating the need to expand virtual disks. Is there any way to expand virtual disk space without restarting the VM?
By Crystal / Updated on October 21, 2024
Why You Need to Expand Disk Without Rebooting
Extending a disk is often necessary due to increased data storage needs. You may encounter warnings about low disk space or experience performance issues. By extending the disk, you can:
- Accommodate new applications or services.
- Improve system performance.
- Prevent data loss from insufficient disk space.
💥Tips: You should always back up this virtual machine before proceeding.
How to Extend Disk Size to Linux Without Rebooting on VMware
As your applications and data grow, you may find that your virtual machine (VM) is running out of disk space. Fortunately, you can extend the disk size without rebooting it. This section will walk you through the step-by-step process to achieve this.
Step 1: Increase the Disk Size in VMware
1. Start your VMware application and locate the VM you wish to modify.
2. Right-click on the VM and select "Settings".
3. In the hardware settings, choose the virtual hard disk you want to resize. Select Expand and enter the desired size. Ensure this is greater than the current disk allocation.
4. Click "Expand" to save and exit the settings.
Step 2: Rescan the SCSI Bus
After increasing the disk size in VMware, the next step is to rescan the SCSI bus, allowing the operating system to recognize the changes.
1. Access the terminal in your Linux VM and run the following command to rescan the SCSI bus:
echo 1 > /sys/class/scsi_device/DEVICE_ID/device/rescan
2. Replace DEVICE_ID with the identifier of your disk (e.g., 0:0:0:0). You can find this using:
ls /dev/sd*
Step 3: Extend the Partition
Now that the SCSI bus is rescanned, you need to extend the partition that corresponds to the resized disk.
1. Use the command to list partitions:
lsblk
Identify the partition you want to extend (e.g., /dev/sda1).
2. Use parted or fdisk: For this example, we’ll use parted:
sudo parted /dev/sda
3. Inside parted, run:
resizepart PARTITION_NUMBER END
Step 4: Resize the Filesystem
After extending the partition, you need to resize the filesystem to take advantage of the new space.
1. For ext4 Filesystem, use the following command:
sudo resize2fs /dev/sda1
2. For XFS Filesystem:
sudo xfs_growfs /dev/sda1
However, it’s essential to ensure that your data is protected during this process.
✍Tips: If you have not enough disk space in Hyper-V virtual machine, you can expand Hyper-V disk by using Hyper-V Manager and PowerShell.
Free but Powerful VMware Backup Software
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🎊Multi-Platform Support: In addition to VMware, AOMEI Cyber Backup supports other virtual environments, providing a versatile backup solution for diverse infrastructures. |
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Stepwise Guide to Backup VMware VMs for Free
Step 1. Bind VMware Host: Enter the IP address, username, and password for your ESXi host. Click Confirm.
Step 2. Create VMware Backup: Select VMware ESXi Backup and enter a special name for this task, then configure the VMware ESXi backup as the following:
✔Specify where you want to store the backup files (local storage, network drive, etc.).
✔Enable Archive option to store VMware backups to Amazon S3.
✔If desired, set up a backup schedule to automate backups. For example, choose between full, incremental, or differential backup based on your needs and specify a time to run it as daily, weekly or monthly.
3. Click Start Backup to initiate the backup process. AOMEI Cyber Backup will begin backing up your selected VM.
Conclusion
Extending the disk size of a Linux VM in VMware without rebooting is a simple yet effective way to ensure your applications continue to run smoothly without interruption. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily manage your VM’s storage needs.
