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Trying to assign a dedicated hot spare array disk to RAID 5 virtual disk on legacy system - new disk not available for assignment
We welcome your help.
We have a legacy system running on a Dell Poweredge 4400 with Perc 3/Di with a RAID 5 virtual disk (Windows Server 2003) . An Array Disk was recently downgraded and automatically replaced by a dedicated hot spare. We powered down and removed the degraded array disk and replaced with a new disk the same size as the others in the array. Ssytem rebooted without problem. Using Dell Open Manager Array Manager (3.7), we were able to initialize the new array disk, run a full diagnostic on the new disk and it is now listed as "Ready" in Dell Array Manager. When I try to configure "add dedicated hot spare", the new array disk does not show up as available in the hot spare wizard. When I right click on the new disk, it gives the option of "assign as global spare" but when I select the option, I get an error message saying disk is too small. (The server has never had a global spare before) The new disk is also does not appear to be included as an active part of the virtual disk. The new status is "ready," but the controller is not doing anything with the new disk.
My question is how to I get the controller to make the new array disk available for assignment as a hot spare. The question of format has come up, but because the disk was initialized by the controller and shows the new disk as a "Ready" status in the array, the new disk should not need formatting. Is this correct?
We rebooted the server and the server came up fine and loaded Windows Server, and Dell Open Manager shows no problems with the storage and there is no warning of any disk being degraded. So what is our next step for setting up the new disk as a hot spare? Is is a format of the new disk required? How can we tell?.
The server is running Dell OpenManage Array Manager 3.7
Thank you for your help.
Hammer
theflash1932
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April 11th, 2013 09:00
What is the size of your other disks? What is the size of your replacement disk? What are the makes/models of all the disks. It is normal for every make and model to vary in size slightly, so if your replacement is even a few MB's smaller than the one it is replacing, then it will be unsuitable as a hot-spare.
No, formatting is possible, but not necessary.
theflash1932
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April 11th, 2013 11:00
You can try a format at this point, but I'm not sure it is going to work. Is it possible, considering where you got it or where it has been, that the disk has been altered (a disk-capable hex editor could alter settings to change the reported size). If it is the same make and model, and is the same revision and firmware, then I could only assume it has been altered or is faulty in some way. Although it is a "quantum atlas", it may have been created for another OEM whose firmware varies slightly in how the disk identifies itself.
If the disk is not at least as large as the smallest disk in the array, then it cannot be used in the array. The 16.95 may have value if used by itself, but not in the array.
Hammer02
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April 11th, 2013 10:00
Hello Flash ... thank you for the response.
All the drives are Quantum Atlas 18.3 GB drives. The drives all have the same REV code.
However, the Array Manager shows the capacity of the array disks as 17.1 GB. The Array Manager shows the replacement drive we are trying to add as a hot spare with a capacity at 16.95. How could this be? The replacement drive is not brand new, could it have pre-existing partions that would affect capacity.
What would be our next step? Try to initialize again? Format? Try another replacement drive?
Will this 16.95 GB drive have any value to the array/virtual disk?
Thank you.
theflash1932
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April 11th, 2013 11:00
Boot to CTRL-A and SCSI Disk Utilities, Format. Just be sure to select the correct disk :) This is a full format but not a "low-level" format ... it is similar to what Windows would do to it if it were able to access the disk directly. It will take a while.
Hammer02
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April 11th, 2013 11:00
Flash,
Thank you. Before we try another replacement disk, what is the best way to format the 16.95 replacement disk without risk to the virtual disk and the other disks in the array?
Thank you