Failed SAS drive...what are options...
We got several T3500's with single SAS drives...
One of the SAS drives has failed...
We would like to see if we can get the data off the drive...
When I attached it to another T3500 with a working SAS drive...the SAS controller does not seem to recognize that another SAS drive is attached...
I understand you cannot "slave" (not a good word to describt) SAS drives like SATA drives or the old IDE drives...
BUT...is there some way we can attach this SAS drive to something and see if we can access data...
ALSO...since I have to replace the drive...I understand that you can use a SATA drive with a SAS controller...
Would I be better off replacing this SAS drive with a SATA drive...???
Help please...
BTW...running XP32 if this is important...
One of the SAS drives has failed...
We would like to see if we can get the data off the drive...
When I attached it to another T3500 with a working SAS drive...the SAS controller does not seem to recognize that another SAS drive is attached...
I understand you cannot "slave" (not a good word to describt) SAS drives like SATA drives or the old IDE drives...
BUT...is there some way we can attach this SAS drive to something and see if we can access data...
ALSO...since I have to replace the drive...I understand that you can use a SATA drive with a SAS controller...
Would I be better off replacing this SAS drive with a SATA drive...???
Help please...
BTW...running XP32 if this is important...
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If you are using the onboard sas controller enter the bios and enable the port as it will be turnef off by default.
ASKER
jamietoner...
Was in the controller bios, did not see anything to enable a port...I'll look again...
Was in the controller bios, did not see anything to enable a port...I'll look again...
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uuummmm...ok maybe I misunderstand...
BUT...I thought you could attach SATA to a SAS controller...but you could NOT attach a SAS to a SATA controller...
Which would mean the controller in the T3500 has to be a SAS controller...
Subsequent T3500's we have purchased have been with SATA drives...driven from the MB and not a separate controller...they are a bit slower...but not as much as I would have thought...
We have 8 T3500's with SAS drives and 4 with SATA drives...
gonna try again tomorrow...but the users says he can live with the data loss...it's important, but he can live without it...so I guess,. we are ok...
BUT...I thought you could attach SATA to a SAS controller...but you could NOT attach a SAS to a SATA controller...
Which would mean the controller in the T3500 has to be a SAS controller...
Subsequent T3500's we have purchased have been with SATA drives...driven from the MB and not a separate controller...they are a bit slower...but not as much as I would have thought...
We have 8 T3500's with SAS drives and 4 with SATA drives...
gonna try again tomorrow...but the users says he can live with the data loss...it's important, but he can live without it...so I guess,. we are ok...
"I thought you could attach SATA to a SAS controller...but you could NOT attach a SAS to a SATA controller" Yes sata drives work on sas controllers. I never said they didn't . The system supports sata drives and needs a pci-e sas controller for sas drives as the sata ports on the motherboard dont support sas.
You have an expander, which is a board that effectively multiplexes SAS and/or SATA disks. Sometimes bridge cards are required (some electronics); sometimes there are constraints about speed, and single/dual porting. Example SAS disks have 2 I/O paths, SATA has one. Speeds of any can be 1.5, 3.0 or 6Gbps. Lots of variables to consider. But moot as I mentioned before .. if the controller doesn't see the disk then nothing you can do w/o a bunny suit and some really expensive equipment.
ASKER
Ok.gi]uys...thanx for the help...
1. I could not find any option to turn on a SAS port in the controller...
BUT then, I'm not very experienced with SAS drives...so the option could have been there and I didn;t realize it...
2. Dell had us run tests on the HD, and as soon as we reported that BIOS did not recognize the drive...the warrantied it out and send a new drive...
3. We discussed with the user about data recovery, he felt it was not worth the
anticipated cost...
4. We set up the new SAS drive from Dell and started reinstalling XP on Friday...
So...in effect we did not/could not get any of the data off as per my original question...
But we got the drive replaced and an ging forward with rebuild...
And we learned a LOT...
Many thanx for the help...
1. I could not find any option to turn on a SAS port in the controller...
BUT then, I'm not very experienced with SAS drives...so the option could have been there and I didn;t realize it...
2. Dell had us run tests on the HD, and as soon as we reported that BIOS did not recognize the drive...the warrantied it out and send a new drive...
3. We discussed with the user about data recovery, he felt it was not worth the
anticipated cost...
4. We set up the new SAS drive from Dell and started reinstalling XP on Friday...
So...in effect we did not/could not get any of the data off as per my original question...
But we got the drive replaced and an ging forward with rebuild...
And we learned a LOT...
Many thanx for the help...
2) I don't know why you couldn't slave a SAS drive like you can any other, though what you get may depend on hardware and OS.
If you cannot slave the drive somehow, your only option will be to send it off for recovery.