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PowerEdge R410 Recognizes New HDD Only when it's the Only HDD in the Server
Hello,
I have a PowerEdge R410 that has shown to have a bad drive. I got an aftermarket replacement HDD of the same capacity, and it's supposed to be compatible.
When I replace the failed drive with this one, the system does not recognize it. It is supposed to be compatible and it even has a Dell label. The SAS6IR Adapter does not even list it.
The disk is in Bay 2.
I did an experiment, powered off the server and pulled all the disks except this one. Booted the machine, and lo and behold, the adapter then lists the drive!
So, my question is, how can I get the system to recognize this drive to replace the failed drive and work with the other drives in the system?
I have updated all firmware on this server to the latest I can find for this server. Any ideas welcome, I have already tried everything I have found online. BTW, I do not have OMSA. If I were to install it, I would need instructions on how to use it with just local authentication (it only appears to work with LDAP/AD).
TIA!
Dell-Martin S
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November 10th, 2023 15:21
Hi,
It sounds like you've already gone through several troubleshooting steps. Since the drive is recognized when it's the only one in the server, but not when other drives are present, it could be an issue related to the RAID configuration or the compatibility of the new drive with the existing RAID setup.
Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve the issue:
Check RAID Configuration:
Boot into the RAID controller configuration utility during the server's startup process (usually accessed by pressing a key combination like Ctrl+R or Ctrl+M). Ensure that the RAID configuration is detecting all the drives correctly.
Re-seat the Drive:
Power off the server, re-seat the new drive in Bay 2, and then power the server back on. Sometimes a loose connection can cause recognition issues.
Verify Drive Compatibility:
Double-check the compatibility of the new drive with your RAID controller and server model. Ensure that the drive matches the specifications required by the RAID controller.
Update RAID Controller Firmware:
Check if there are any firmware updates available for your RAID controller. Updating the RAID controller firmware might improve compatibility with newer drives.
Check Drive Firmware:
Some hard drives have firmware that can be updated. Check the manufacturer's website for firmware updates for your specific hard drive model.
Clear Configuration:
As a last resort, you can try clearing the RAID configuration (make sure you have backups before doing this) and recreating it. This should be done with caution, as it will erase all data on the drives.
Regarding OMSA (OpenManage Server Administrator), it can be a useful tool for managing Dell servers, including RAID configurations. If you decide to install it, you can typically use local authentication. During the installation process, you should be prompted to create a local OMSA account.
broadaxe
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December 19th, 2023 15:12
As a follow up, in the end I had to remove/destroy the RAID volume, and then I was able to replace the drive and create the RAID volume again. The controller I have apparently does not support offlining the bad drive and replacing it as I expected. Oh well, this is just in my home lab. Having backups prior to destroying the volume would help restore it after the disk replacement.
Regards.