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Unable to delete foreign HDD configuration, PERC 6i with used SAS disks. Existing data is not important. Scratch reload to redeploy server.
Dell Poweredge 2950 III with service tag <Admin note: Service tag removed as per TOU> received drives swapped from a near identical poweredge disposed. In the PERC 6i config utility the Controller 0, Disk Groups show as foreign. Following prior posts the procedure to import configuration, then delete was not effective. The prior configuration still appears in the menu.
I desire to simply clear away all the VD configurations from the drives and controller. After these are cleared then next step will be to setup a configuration I desire. My new configuration is not relevant to this post. The purpose and only question is how to clear existing configurations from swapped drives.
VD0 to clear off is 2 SAS PD/HDDs set as single virtual disk. Raid level 0, status is offline, SMART status =no error, VD count =1, PD count =2, operation = none
VD1 is similar to VD0
other drive bays are currently empty.
For initial troubleshooting I have removed all HDD except a single disk in the server. This single disk also shows as foreign.
In PERC 6i config utility:
VD MGMT shows CONTROLLER0 --no configuration present. F2 choices are Config | Foreign Config as available. (Create New VD and Manage Preserved Cache are greyed out) Right pane of screen indicates "Foreign Config Present, Controller Prop.: DG count =0, VD count =0, PD count =1"
PD MGMT shows only the single 139K-Mb SAS formatted, state =Foreign, SMART status =no error, Operation =none
FOREIGN VIEW shows DG0 = foreign, Virtual disk 255 with DG count = 1. VD count =1, PD count =1
I have installed 3 of the disks individually in rotation as the sole HDD with similar results.
WITH 2 SAS HDD installed only difference is VD Mgmt indicates DG count =0, VD count =0, PD count =2. Foreign View indicates VD255 prop.: Raid =0, Raid Status = foreign, Size =na, Operation =none. | Disk Group Prop.: VD Count =1, PD Count =2, Ded HS =0 (since none exists).
DaveCannon
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February 14th, 2014 12:00
Thank you Chris. Problem is solved. Should I flash the firmware as precaution? Still puzzled why initial procedure in VD Mgmt tab did not work.
All drives reset to Ready state in PD tab.
-Dave
DELL-Chris H
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February 14th, 2014 05:00
Dave Cannon,
It sounds like the issue is that you have bad cache data on the controller. Would you go to the controller BIOS (CTRL-R) and then highlight CONTROLLER 0. Press F2 and then select Manage Preserved Cache. From there select DISCARD. Then go back to the Foreign configuration tab and see if there is a configuration showing. Then try to do the import again.
Let me know if this resolves the issue. As I have additional steps we can preform if not.
DaveCannon
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February 14th, 2014 07:00
Thanks Chris for your prompt reply.
Booting with gives a prompt Foreign configurations(s) found on adapter. Either "C" load config utility or "F" to import config.
Selecting "C" then selecting CONTROLLER 0, pressing F2 only provides Clear Config | Foreign Config. (menu selections of Create New VD | Manage Preserved Cache are greyed out). Unable to select "Manage Preserved Cache"
Selecting "F" then selecting CONTROLLER 0, pressing F2 only provides Clear Config | Foreign Config. (menu selections of Create New VD | Manage Preserved Cache are greyed out). Unable to select "Manage Preserved Cache"
No progress.
DELL-Chris H
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February 14th, 2014 08:00
I just noticed you were saying you were doing this with an individual disk.. What was the original raid configuration? Were they both Raid 0 or 1s? If so if you add all drives in the server will it allow you to retag the drives or clear the foreign or cache data with both installed?
Also, when you go to the raid controller and try to wipe it out, are you highlighting the Disk Group or Controller 0 when you are hitting F2, select Controller 0 and then see if you can select CLEAR CONFIGURATION as well.
DaveCannon
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February 14th, 2014 08:00
In response to your question concerning prior configurations the details are in the first post. To recap in summary:
2 seagate HDD/PDs appear to be RAID 0 spanning VD,
another 2 Fujitsu HDD/PDs were also RAID 0 spanning VD near as I can tell.
a 3rd Fujitsu PD shows it was part of multiple PDs setup as VD.
- - -
Question two concerning adding all PD back into system: As mentioned in my first post neither "Foreign Import" nor "Clear Configuration" change the situation of "Foreign Config Present" whether 1 physical disk 2, 3, 4 or all 5 in each combination of installed-in-bay or progressively in-between 1 PD of each, using matched 2 pair (tried both VD sets), again with matched 4 pair, 5 and vice versa..
- - -
Regarding to your question three: No progress if F2 "Clear Configuration" is selected. Prior "foreign" configuration is displayed in right pane.
I mentioned in details of the original post this will not allow other options you initially suggested. But I tried again for 11th time to humor your attempt.
-DC
DaveCannon
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February 14th, 2014 09:00
Ran procedure 4 times with four drives installed as requested. Bays 0,1, 5, 6 all show solid green led
Performed> * Reboot the machine and hit Ctrl-R during POST to enter the PERC BIOS
Performed> * Press "C" to enter without importing Foreign Configs
- Message flashed 1 VD detected during loading configuration utility.
Performed> * Highlight "Controller 0" and hit F2 (only two options Clear config & Foreign Config)
Performed> * Selection of "Clear Config" and hit Enter.
- Selected Yes "You have chosen to clear the configuration All data on all VD will be lost.."
Performed> * Highlight "Controller 0" again and hit F2
Performed> * This time select "Foreign Config" and then "Clear" - hit Yes when prompted
NO SHOW DID NOT OCCUR> * Now with "No Configuration Present" highlighted - Hit F2
My Results: Left side pane displays
[-] controller 0
---[-] disk group 0
. . |---[-] virtual disks
. . . . . |--- virtual disk 0
. . .|---[-] physical disks
. . . . . |---- 00:00: online 139392 MB
. . . . . |-- missing
. . .|---[-] space allocation
. . . . . |---- virtual disk 0
. . .|--hot spares
If highlight controller 0> disk group 0> virtual disks> virtual disk 0 the following appears in right side pane:
raid level =0
raid status =offline
size 272.250GB (pair two seagates)
operation =none
disk group 0 prop:
VD count=1
PD count=1
Space avail=0.000 MB
Free seg=0
Ded. HS=0
Display results repeated following rerun of procedure & reboots.
How many drives are showing up in the PD Mgmt section of the setup utility?
Drive ID : Vendor: Size : Type : State : DG
00:01 Fujitsu 139392 SAS online 00
00:02 Fujitsu 139392 SAS foreign
00:05 Seagate 139392 SAS foreign
00:06 Seagate 139392 SAS foreign
each Smart=no error
After F2 controller 0, clear config, clear foreign config VD mgmt right pane displays
Foreign config present controller prop
DG =1
VD=1
PD=4
Left pane still shows disk group tree ("My Results" in top paragraph above), even after each reboot
No Progess
DELL-Chris H
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February 14th, 2014 09:00
With the drives comment. When you place all the drives in the server at once and then select to Clear the Foreign. (Controller 0 - F2 - Foreign Config- Clear Foreign.) Do you still see the Foreign View tab displayed? If not then under PD Mgmt, what are the drives showing as?
DaveCannon
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February 14th, 2014 10:00
Yes Foreign View tab is still displayed.
Full details of each was posted minutes ago. It took a while to rerun the procedure an retype everything displayed on the screen. I just discovered the media upload button on this toolbar but screen caps wont fit in 64K.
DaveCannon
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February 14th, 2014 10:00
Notice last procedure step "With No Configuration Present! F2" I get different results
With 4 drives in the server that last step does not occur.
With 2 seagate in 00:05 and 00:06 drive bays it shows: Controller 0 -- No Configuration Present!
DG =0
VD=0
PD=2
Highlighting No Configuration Present! brings up menu with the following
- create new vd (greyed out)
- clear config (white, can select, have done multiple times and still end up here again)
- foreign config (white, selected clear in every pass
- manage preserved cache (greyed out)
Still No progress
DaveCannon
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February 14th, 2014 10:00
Ran procedure 4 times with all four drives installed as requested. Bays 0,1, 5, 6 all show solid green led
Performed> * Reboot the machine and hit Ctrl-R during POST to enter the PERC BIOS
Performed> * Press "C" to enter without importing Foreign Configs
- Message 1 VD detected during loading configuration utility.
Performed> * Highlight "Controller 0" and hit F2 (only two options Clear config & Foreign Config.
Performed> * Selection of "Clear Config" and hit Enter.
- Selected Yes "You have chosen to clear the configuration All data on all VD will be lost.."
Performed> * Highlight "Controller 0" again and hit F2
Performed> * This time select "Foreign Config" and then "Clear" - hit Yes when prompted
NO SHOW> * Now with "No Configuration Present" highlighted - Hit F2
My Results: Left side pane displays
[-] controller 0
---[-] disk group 0
. . |---[-] virtual disks
. . . . . |--- virtual disk 0
. . .|---[-] physical disks
. . . . . |---- 00:00: online 139392 MB
. . . . . |-- missing
. . .|---[-] space allocation
. . . . . |---- virtual disk 0
. . .|--hot spares
If highlight controller 0> disk group 0> virtual disks> virtual disk 0 the following appears in right side pane:
raid level =0
raid status =offline
size 272.250GB (two seagates shipped with server)
operation =none
disk group 0 prop:
VD count=1
PD count=1
Space avail=0.000 MB
Free seg=0
Ded. HS=0
Display results repeated following reboots.
How many drives are showing up in the Physical Disk section of the setup utility?
Drive ID : Vendor: Size : Type : State : DG
00:01 Fujitsu 139392 SAS online 00
00:02 Fujitsu 139392 SAS foreign
00:05 Seagate 139392 SAS foreign
00:06 Seagate 139392 SAS foreign
each Smart=no error
After F2 controller 0, clear config, clear foreign config VD mgmt right pane displays
Foreign config present controller prop
DG =1
VD=1
PD=4
Left pane still shows disk group tree (above), even after reboot
DELL-Chris H
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February 14th, 2014 12:00
DaveCannon,
My apologies. Have you gone to the FOREIGN VIEW page and then done the Clear Foreign from there, with all drives in?
There are 2 processes. One from VD MGMT, which we just did, and the other from Foreign View. If you haven't would you use CTRL-N to go to the tab and then F2 from there and select clear
If you go to this link it will show you both steps. (About half way down the guide)
http://support.dell.com/support/systemsinfo/document.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~file=/storage/raid/perc6/en/ug/html/chapterj.htm
Just confirming.
DaveCannon
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February 14th, 2014 12:00
Cool, I found this section which I believe is the one you intended.
Importing or Clearing Foreign Configurations Using the Foreign Configuration View Screen
If one or more physical disks are removed from a configuration, the configuration on those disks is considered a foreign configuration by the RAID controller.
You can use the Foreign Configuration View screen
I ran the procedure as stated. The Foreign View tab has disappeared. Now I will proceed to run this with the other disks. Standby... Or pray.