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R710 with UEFI C drive is 8TB attached storage 24tb looses c config
I have an R710 with 6 - 2tb drives - 5 in RAID 5 one as hot spare, netting 8TBs as the C drive. It is using the standard Perc6i controller. We have an additional H800 controller attached to an MD1200 with 12 2TB drives - configured as RAID 5 + hot spare. The server is running Windows 2008 R2 with SP1. Everything works fine for several days - I then reboot for updates, and, the machine comes back booting into the W2K8 recovery screen. I can see all of the data on C and the attached storage. Work with MS to try and fix it - no luck. So, we reinstall everything - updating all firmware, etc. A week or two goes by, I reboot - the attached storage doesn't appear as a drive .. odd... so, I try to reboot again, checking to see the volumes appear in the RAID controlers - all good. Starts the boot process, and, bam, back into the W2K8 recovery screen. Again, all of the data is available on the drives, I just can't get it to boot.
Any suggestions? How can I do a root cause? I don't want to have to go through this again - one day down for 16 hours, second time stressing for 4 hours (learned my lesson and VM'ed the primary server on the box the second time around).
Any suggestions? How can I do a root cause? I don't want to have to go through this again - one day down for 16 hours, second time stressing for 4 hours (learned my lesson and VM'ed the primary server on the box the second time around).
MarcusW01
116 Posts
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August 2nd, 2011 06:00
did you also check the drives with a diag tool like 32 bit diag, drive self test (can be fonud on dell support web site) for possible hardware failures ? Did you also check for firmware updates oof used drives ? I recommend to call the technical support and ask for a hardware check of controller as well as drives (includign MD 1200 and H800), please also note the used firmware ans driver version, verify it with the latest firmware and driver set on dell web site, pleas also take a look on the release notes. The Perc 6 controller appeared on the market before the 2 tb drives and windows 2008 R2 with uefi boot appeared.
I would go on as follows in case you wont call the technical support :
- check the hardware with a diagnostic tool like 32 bit diag (please also refer to dell support website for other tools)
- then check for firmware of used controller (Perc/H800) and driver as well, update it, if necessary
- finally check for firmware updates of used harddrives and update if necessary
- optional due to usage of UEFI BIOS, check for server bios as well as bmc firmware and update , if necessary
- when all steps performed, do a clean windows installation if possible
please note that you can download an update DVD from DELL Web site (I recommend to use the download manager of Dell web site due to size of DVD) and use it to update the server completely
I highly recomend to get in touch with the tech support to make sure everything runs fine (hardware)
hopefully this will help you out to solve your issue
Best regards
Marcus
slasley
3 Posts
0
August 2nd, 2011 07:00
I ran a full diagnostic test - no issues found.
I used the system services (or whatever it is called) and updated all drivers and firmware that it detected
Not sure if system services checks drive firmware?
The firmware update was done after the first crash - so, I've done a clean install already.
A bit more info.... I booted into the windows repair console and copied a backed up registry over the existing files. The server booted! But, the external storage wasn't detected. The H800 was in device manager, but, the large drive volume didn't appear. I rebooted, and, back to the original issue - system recovery screen.
I'll contact support later today.
Thanks,
MarcusW01
116 Posts
0
August 2nd, 2011 09:00
okay, just for teesting purposes, did you install windows without registry backup ? Did you also install the server with the delivered install CD/DVD of DELL ? with that DVD you can add in the pre setup all necessary drivers as well ?
Soory, but I can't give you a clean advisement how to fix that, but it looks like that the boot entries of the windows installation might lead into a wrong logical drive, anyway, this is a guess of me, when you are finished with the windows installation, then restore the backup of your registry, did you try to reboot from the windows DVD and try a repair option ? Another possible approach is ot rmeove the H800 PERC, install windows, then restore the backup of registry, finsh a clean boot, if the error does not appear (windows recovery screen), server Os works, then shutdown the server, re plug in the H800 controller, start your OS and after log in re assign the appropriate driver for windows 2008 ?
another question : when you re install the windows operating system and restore the registry, whne you reboot and you press F8 have you got the option "last known good configuration" (with installed H800) ? If so, can you try to use that option ? Another apporach might be to boot from the windows DVd and try to fix a possible boot issue ?
sorry, Ì only try to help you out, I`m sure you already tried some stuff I wrote.
last questions : did you buy the windows operating system from DELL ? If so, I recommend to call the support and open up a trouble ticket, I`m sure the guys will check the hardware first, then, if hardware is okay, and the issue still exsits, they will open with you a ticket in the software department. Give it try, if nothin of my last answer is helpful..... might be the way to solve the issue.
Marcus
slasley
3 Posts
0
August 2nd, 2011 10:00