Question

Dell PERC 5/i: Single HDD to RAID5

Asked by: dmitry_moro

Hi!

I have a Dell PE2950 with PERC 5/i RAID controller and a single HDD running Windows 2003. I have two HDDs laying around, same as in the server and I need to convert this server to RAID5 (i.e. I want to have three-disk RAID5 array).

As far as I understand, there should be no problem on the OS side, since Windows sees the disk as a PERC disk, so after creating a RAID, nothing will change in the OS point of view.

However, I don't know, how (if possible) to convert that single disk to RAID5 array. Please help me :)

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Asked On
2009-01-07 at 05:15:34ID24031234
Tags

PERC RAID convert single HDD

Topics

Computer Servers

,

Storage Technology

,

Hard Drives & Storage

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Answers

 

by: rdhoore108Posted on 2009-01-07 at 06:24:51ID: 23314784

Hi Dmitry,

When you say the discs are the same, you mean they are the same size, right?

As far as I know, you cannot convert your existing RAID to a RAID 5 on the fly, without first backing up your data, then removing the existing RAID (I assume it is a single disc RAID 0 ?), making your new RAID 5, and restoring your data.

You can use Symantec Ghost as back software, although there are also other brands of similar software.

 

by: dmitry_moroPosted on 2009-01-07 at 06:30:13ID: 23314851

The disks are the same model.

Yup, recreating an array is my last solution, i was just hoping for a less downtime one :).

 

by: devinnoelPosted on 2009-01-08 at 11:37:15ID: 23329143

Expanding a RAID 5, 6, or 0 is usually possible, as is going from no RAID to a mirror. However going from RAID 0 or no RAID to RAID 5 isn't possible on any array controller I'm aware of.

 

by: dmitry_moroPosted on 2009-01-10 at 03:08:51ID: 23343148

After updating the PERC firmware and driver to the latest one I've run Dell's OpenManage System Administrator and it turned out that single disk configuration is presented as RAID 0.

So I've installed the new disks and then run RAID Reconfiguration wizard, converting existing "single disk RAID 0" "to triple disk RAID 5". The process took about 3 hours for my 136 Gb disks and now I'm running RAID 5. No need to reinstall OS etc.

I've attached OpenManage screenshots with RAID reconfiguration wizard steps.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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