PowerEdge 2900 not booting after power failure

Hello.

Ensure that you have validated backup of your data. What you can do is to enter into the controller BIOS using Ctrl +R and select option to import foreign configurations as suggested. By importing the foreign configuration, we will be restoring the RAID array.

Let me know how it goes.

Thanks Robert,

I did Have symatec Backup Exec running and the backup data on the external shows yesterdays date; though I have not discovered how to restore the files as Backup Exec went away with the sever. This server has been recently inherited by me.

Ctl R gets me to the Integrated BIOS Utility 1.22.02-0612

VD Management |  No Configuration Present!

PD Management | 476416 SATA State "Foreign"

Foreign View|  Disk Group 0  (Foreign), Virtual Disk 266,)/Physical Disks/00:02 Online: 47616MB(Foreign)

I used F2, Foreign Controller, Import, Yes I'm sure,  then rebooted

Now I get F/W Initializing devices 0% to 100% , and then same exact message returns

Thoughts, thanks for your help,

i

Hi, I worked on this more today and would like to provide more info. In the BIOS config utility, there is only one physical disk showing. In the Foreign Config view under physical discs, is shows two lines as missing, and a third disk "online: size (foreign)". Indeed, this corresponds to LED on the disk trays themselves, one is green and the other two are blinking orange.I swapped all these drives to different bays just to ensure nothing was amiss there; no change.

So is this just a case of two bad disks; if I were to add two disks to the array would it be able to repair itself? Is there any hope in making a software repair of the disks and see if they come back? Does that single disk have any usable data on it, or does it need the other 2 disks back to be available?

Lots of questions, any answers are appreciated.

thx,

i

What controller and RAID level are you using? I suppose it is RAID level 5. Provide screenshots showing the status of the Virtual Disk and individual Physical Disk for clarity.

Not sure on the controller; It is indeed RAID 5. These are what I have from when I was onsite. Thanks for your time.

When you pressed the F key to import foreign configuration, did you actually get a confirmatory message that the foreign configuration has been imported? If not try again. Otherwise, without backup data; there is a likelihood of data loss