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Array not being recognized within Windows SBS 2003
This server was originally setup with RAID 1 mirrored drives (OS c drive), and a RAID 5 array with 3 drives (data).
The c: drive mirrored Array A00-00 failed. Data drive array shows "optimal" and appears fine from the controller management.
I have now installed 2 new drives, created a new RAID 1 Array A00-00 mirroring the 2 drives and installed the Operating System to this new partition. After booting to my newly installed partition and operating system I expected to see my RAID 5 Array and data. But I am not seeing them.
The OS shows the PERC driver is installed (default). The mirror array is fine. Just no data array. I have a PERC Windows RAID driver that may or may not be a solution, but want to be certain it won't adversely affect the data array.
Dell 2800 Poweredge server with PERC RAID controller. Windows server 2003 SBS.
Note: This is not critical. Data is backed up. This server is old, the software is old. It's being retired and the data is being moved to a new setup. The data on the partitions is backed up with very small exception so worst case, it is not critical. I would like to recover these partitions simply because it would be better to work with last used data than a backup that might miss a few changed documents.
DELL-Geoff P
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September 2nd, 2013 05:00
Since this is a PE2800, I am going to assume that you have a Perc 4 RAID controller installed. Enter the Ctrl -M bios, and "retag" your RAID 5 array, basically recreating it. Do not initialize it, or it will delete your data! Restart the server, then check for your data array. When you replaced your RAID 1, it may have lost the config for the data array.
Regards,
theflash1932
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September 2nd, 2013 07:00
egalois
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September 2nd, 2013 11:00
The RAID 5 Array still shows in the CTRL-M utility and shows "optimal".
It does not show in Disk Management.
egalois
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September 2nd, 2013 16:00
Hi Geoff, If you look to this thread you will see where "theflash1932" recommends against "retag" if I can see the array in the Ctrl-M bios. Can you help me understand which is correct?
theflash1932
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September 2nd, 2013 21:00
Let me help:
A retag is a recovery option used when multiple drives have lost their configuration. It is done by configuring RAID, without initializing the array ... this simply tags each drive in the array with its position in the array so the controller can attempt to ready array data from all relevant drives. It can ONLY be performed on drives showing as Ready, NOT Online (you can't "retag" drives in an array that are all already "tagged"; to tag a tagged drive, you would have to first delete the array = risky).
If the array is already optimal/online, then there is nothing more should be needed outside of the OS.
Open Disk Management, Actions, Rescan Disks.
I'm not saying that deleting the array and recreating it (retag) won't fix the link between the controller and the OS, but it should NOT be the first thing you try.
theflash1932
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September 2nd, 2013 22:00
No offense taken. What you describe as having happened is not typical. Having done this many times, as long as the array is online, it should just show up in the OS.
You can do this all from the OS:
OMSA (OpenManage Server Administrator) can be installed in the OS and will give you direct access to the RAID controller and its drives:
http://ftp.dell.com/FOLDER33998M/1/OM-SrvAdmin-Dell-Web-WIN-6.5.0-2247_A01.10.exe
Download and run to extract, then run C:\Openmanage\windows\setup.exe. Choose Custom and make sure Storage Management is installed. Add yourservernameoripaddress:1311 to IE's Intranet Zone. Open OMSA, Storage, PERC, Virtual Disks ... what is the status/state of your RAID 5?
If the RAID 5 is offline, then you will need to fix it, but "how" you fix it depends on what is wrong with it.
Let us know.
egalois
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September 2nd, 2013 22:00
Thank you theflash, I hope I didn't offend you by referring to your post with Geoff. I'm just trying to understand better. I opened Disk Management, Actions, Rescan Disks. The result was the same. Just my "C" drive and the cd-rom.
I have no way of booting to the ctrl-m utility at the moment. So I can't verify that the RAID 5 array is still "Optimal" and "Online" or I would also do this. But it was very clearly when I was recreating the mirrored array. Tomorrow at around 9am EST I will be able to confirm. Is there anything I can do from the OS to further troubleshoot?
egalois
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September 4th, 2013 07:00
The RAID 5 Array is showing and is "Ready" under channel 1 when viewing under "configuration". But when under "Check configuration" and the sub menu "logical drives" it shows only the mirrored drives RAID 1
theflash1932
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September 4th, 2013 08:00
Boot to CTRL-M, choose Configure, View/Add ... does it prompt you to choose between Disk and NVRAM views? If so, select Disk View and save on exit. If not, what does it show for the status of ALL the drives?
"RAID 5 Array is showing and is "Ready" ... under "configuration""
The "array" is showing as Ready or the drives are showing as Ready?
egalois
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September 4th, 2013 09:00
Under view\add it shows "Raid Ch-0, ID-0-Online, ID-1-Online(1st column). Raid Ch-1, ID-0-Ready, ID-1 Ready, ID -2 Ready(2nd Column).
theflash1932
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September 4th, 2013 10:00
So your array is NOT online, which is why it is not showing up in Windows. "Ready" drives are not configured - they are sitting there "ready" to be configured, so somewhere along the way, you lost or deleted your RAID 5.
So, NOW your only option is a retag:
Boot to CTRL-M, Objects, Adapter, and disable Fast Init (IMPORTANT!).
Configure, View/Add, Space Bar to select each "ready" drive, Enter to stop selection process, F10 to continue, Space Bar to select "span", F10 to continue, Accept the defaults (UNLESS you know for SURE they were different - if they were different, this will not work), then save on exit. This will tag the drives with RAID headers so the controller can put them together to be read from/written to as a logical drive - not initializing the array just tells the controller to not erase the contents in preparation for use and just use them as-is ... so you can see if the array AND data is recognized in Windows now.