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Dell Server running SBS 2003 + SATA Drive Issues
I currently have a client server that I'm working on to increase the storage capacity of. It's a Dell PowerEdge 1800 with one of those PERC 4e SCSI/SATA Cards. I purchased a 1 TB Drive, formatted it, and began copying files. This is where the problems came into play.
I then started getting Write Delay Errors, and then the server would freeze more or less until I would unmount the drive. I thought that was strange. So I tried again. Same thing after a few minutes. I then figured, maybe this SCSI/SATA Card isn't doing the trick. So I got a PCI Silicon Image 3512 1-Port SATA Card. Installed it, found the drive fine. SAME PROBLEM in SBS 2003. I thought ok, maybe it's the drive. Went out to the store to pickup a new 1 TB Drive. Same exact problems on both areas. Only now, the stupid server wouldn't even let me format it. It would almost dismount the drive automatically before I had an opportunity to format it. I have absolutely no idea what the issue is. I've tried turning off the Write Cache for the drive, but that didn't fix it.
I've run SMART checks on the drives and it says they're fine. (2 Different brand drives were tried by the way). The OS Supports 1 TB Drives no problems since I hooked up a USB 1TB Drive for doing backups. I would like to not have to resort to an external enclosure for this drive as well...but I'm starting to lose faith in this server. I took over the company IT operations from another company who wasn't doing their job, so I can only imagine what's actually wrong with this thing.
I don't know if this could cause an issue, but I ended up having to get a 4-PIN Molex Extender since the cables were to short, and then put it into a 4-PIN Molex to SATA Converter. This server has two redundant PSU (approx. 650 W Each) and only (1) Intel XEON CPU.
Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.
I then started getting Write Delay Errors, and then the server would freeze more or less until I would unmount the drive. I thought that was strange. So I tried again. Same thing after a few minutes. I then figured, maybe this SCSI/SATA Card isn't doing the trick. So I got a PCI Silicon Image 3512 1-Port SATA Card. Installed it, found the drive fine. SAME PROBLEM in SBS 2003. I thought ok, maybe it's the drive. Went out to the store to pickup a new 1 TB Drive. Same exact problems on both areas. Only now, the stupid server wouldn't even let me format it. It would almost dismount the drive automatically before I had an opportunity to format it. I have absolutely no idea what the issue is. I've tried turning off the Write Cache for the drive, but that didn't fix it.
I've run SMART checks on the drives and it says they're fine. (2 Different brand drives were tried by the way). The OS Supports 1 TB Drives no problems since I hooked up a USB 1TB Drive for doing backups. I would like to not have to resort to an external enclosure for this drive as well...but I'm starting to lose faith in this server. I took over the company IT operations from another company who wasn't doing their job, so I can only imagine what's actually wrong with this thing.
I don't know if this could cause an issue, but I ended up having to get a 4-PIN Molex Extender since the cables were to short, and then put it into a 4-PIN Molex to SATA Converter. This server has two redundant PSU (approx. 650 W Each) and only (1) Intel XEON CPU.
Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.
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