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Dell PowerEdge 4600, PERC 3/Di, RAID 1 disappeared!!
I just took over this old server.
This server has 3 RAID1 arrays (Virtual Disks)
- 2x 16GB, OS
- 2x 73GB, DATA1
- 1x 147GB, DATA2
The last RAID1 has one hard drive pulled out and missing, so it is "degraded".
I installed a new 147GB hdd (pulled from another Dell server PE2600) in the missing slot, but Dell Open Manage Server Administrator (OMSA) did not recognize it - it was not showing up anywhere in OMSA, and it was not showing up in Windows Disk Management either. So far the server was still fine.
I went to PERC bios (CTRL+A), and "Initialized" the new hard drive. Yes, it was the new hard drive, NOT the old 147GB hdd. I have verified this a few times before the initialization.
However, after doing this, the last RAID1 (DATA2) disappearded from OMSA. Instead, the two 147GB hdd showed up as "READY" instead of "ONLINE" in "physical hard drives"
Both 147GB hdd did not show up in Windows Disk Management. So I lost partition "DATA2"!!
Questions
1. Why initializing the new hdd wiped out the virtual disk RAID1?
I even have not joined it to the RAID yet!
2. How can i get the old 147GB back and access the data on it again?
Here is something I may want to try next
- in OMSA, Run "create a new Virtual Disk" wizard to have both 147GB mirrored to form RAID1.
Question:
3. Will this destroy the data on the old 147GB hdd?
Thanks
Jack
This server has 3 RAID1 arrays (Virtual Disks)
- 2x 16GB, OS
- 2x 73GB, DATA1
- 1x 147GB, DATA2
The last RAID1 has one hard drive pulled out and missing, so it is "degraded".
I installed a new 147GB hdd (pulled from another Dell server PE2600) in the missing slot, but Dell Open Manage Server Administrator (OMSA) did not recognize it - it was not showing up anywhere in OMSA, and it was not showing up in Windows Disk Management either. So far the server was still fine.
I went to PERC bios (CTRL+A), and "Initialized" the new hard drive. Yes, it was the new hard drive, NOT the old 147GB hdd. I have verified this a few times before the initialization.
However, after doing this, the last RAID1 (DATA2) disappearded from OMSA. Instead, the two 147GB hdd showed up as "READY" instead of "ONLINE" in "physical hard drives"
Both 147GB hdd did not show up in Windows Disk Management. So I lost partition "DATA2"!!
Questions
1. Why initializing the new hdd wiped out the virtual disk RAID1?
I even have not joined it to the RAID yet!
2. How can i get the old 147GB back and access the data on it again?
Here is something I may want to try next
- in OMSA, Run "create a new Virtual Disk" wizard to have both 147GB mirrored to form RAID1.
Question:
3. Will this destroy the data on the old 147GB hdd?
Thanks
Jack
ASKER
Thanks Noxcho.
I ordered a SCSI controller card which just arrived the other day. I installed it to a working PC running XP. I connected the 147GB SCSI hard drive to this card.
I booted up the PC, the SCSI card detected the hard drive. In Disk Management of XP, this hard drive showed up and it has an unallocated partion. Disk Management prompted to "initialize" this hard drive to make it usable, I did not do it.
I have installed "drive-backup server 10", followed your steps (BTW, your instructions are very clear). I right clicked the "unallocated partition", chose "Recover lost partition". I tried all 3 options one by one to do the recovery, but none of them was able to find any lost parition.
I guess I totally lost the data:-( Right?
Thanks
Jack
I ordered a SCSI controller card which just arrived the other day. I installed it to a working PC running XP. I connected the 147GB SCSI hard drive to this card.
I booted up the PC, the SCSI card detected the hard drive. In Disk Management of XP, this hard drive showed up and it has an unallocated partion. Disk Management prompted to "initialize" this hard drive to make it usable, I did not do it.
I have installed "drive-backup server 10", followed your steps (BTW, your instructions are very clear). I right clicked the "unallocated partition", chose "Recover lost partition". I tried all 3 options one by one to do the recovery, but none of them was able to find any lost parition.
I guess I totally lost the data:-( Right?
Thanks
Jack
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Get a trial copy of Drive Backup 10 Server www.drive-backup.com - install it on machine where you can slave this second HDD to and right click on free unallocated space - use Recover Lost Partition.