WebAdviser
asked on
Post-BIOS Upgrade - RAID array concerns
Hi
I have just upgraded an IBM eServer BIOS - x206 series RAID 1 (two SATA disks). The server is running ServeRaid 7.
On rebooting Windows 2003 Server I thought all was well but now I am remotely accessing the server I can see that the RAID array isn't enabled in the new BIOS - the default for the BIOS appears to have the RAID controller disabled. Unfortunately, the client wanted me in and out of his office very quickly so I missed the RAID issue :(
I can't get back to the client's premises until Monday now but if I simply reboot, go into the BIOS at startup and re-enable the RAID controller will my old RAID array still be intact? If not, how can I rebuild it without destroying the data and rebuilding the machine from the backup image I have on Symantec V2i Server Protector? The server is running IBM Director v4.2 - is there any way the BIOS can be changed remotely?
I might be worrying un-necessarily here but I don't want to make a BIOD upgrade into a major crisis!
thanks
Rob
I have just upgraded an IBM eServer BIOS - x206 series RAID 1 (two SATA disks). The server is running ServeRaid 7.
On rebooting Windows 2003 Server I thought all was well but now I am remotely accessing the server I can see that the RAID array isn't enabled in the new BIOS - the default for the BIOS appears to have the RAID controller disabled. Unfortunately, the client wanted me in and out of his office very quickly so I missed the RAID issue :(
I can't get back to the client's premises until Monday now but if I simply reboot, go into the BIOS at startup and re-enable the RAID controller will my old RAID array still be intact? If not, how can I rebuild it without destroying the data and rebuilding the machine from the backup image I have on Symantec V2i Server Protector? The server is running IBM Director v4.2 - is there any way the BIOS can be changed remotely?
I might be worrying un-necessarily here but I don't want to make a BIOD upgrade into a major crisis!
thanks
Rob
ASKER
Thanks Tim.
I've been to the client this morning. I re-enabled the RAID controller in BIOS but then the server wouldn't boot into Windows - it got stuck on Computer Settings. So, I rebooted again and went into RAID setup where the array was shown as "optimal", however, I doubted this was right so I set about re-verifying the whole array. This took about an hour but once finished all was working again fine. I received a call from IBM support this morning who told me that the BIOS update wasn't to fix the problem we'd mentioned specifically but rather to bring the BIOS up to the most recent version. Suffice it to say that I gave them a piece of my mind!
Rob
I've been to the client this morning. I re-enabled the RAID controller in BIOS but then the server wouldn't boot into Windows - it got stuck on Computer Settings. So, I rebooted again and went into RAID setup where the array was shown as "optimal", however, I doubted this was right so I set about re-verifying the whole array. This took about an hour but once finished all was working again fine. I received a call from IBM support this morning who told me that the BIOS update wasn't to fix the problem we'd mentioned specifically but rather to bring the BIOS up to the most recent version. Suffice it to say that I gave them a piece of my mind!
Rob
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
If the RAID controller is disabled, just re-enable it - you're not reformatting or reinitialising your RAID array by doing this.
The Remote Deployment Manager component of IBM Director will let you do BIOS upgrades remotely.
Run this issue past the IBM support pages - and read the BIOS release notes - maybe there's something in there about this ??