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Kevin CaldwellFlag for United States of America

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How can I replace Intel S1200bt motherboard, and copy and reinstall all Raid 5 data to new S1200bt motherboard?

Client has a Server 2012 OS on a Intel S1200BT motherboard with onboard Raid 5, (3) 1TB sata drives. Server is acting as workgroup server only, no AD, no Exchange. Been having numerous issues with Raid over a years time saying a drive has failed. Drive is replaced on that port number and it takes 4 days to rebuild the raid. I have tested the drive, and it is perfectly fine. I have changed 4 drives so far, and on all ports 0, 1, and 2. All the drives have been tested good, so it has to be an issue with the raid system on the board.

I got the OEM builder to get me another Intel S1200BT. I need to replace the existing board, but first image the existing system to external drive, replace the board, and image back to new motherboard. I am trying not to loose anything.

I need to know an efficient way of doing all this, over a Saturday, so everything will be back up and running as it was before. After the motherboard is swapped, I will make another raid 5, same as it is now, with the same drives. The motherboards are identical, same models. I will move the processor and ram over to new unit.

Any help is appreciated.
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McKnife,

You are saying, first of course, do a backup. But the data for the raid is on the drives, and once I swap the motherboard for the other same motherboard model the raid will be there? WI I have to create the raid 5 first in the controller, or will it just pick it up with the drives attached ?

It Saige,  You are saying I have to install the OS again, and then do a restore from a backup? But the raid may see the drives anyways?
I swapped numerous RAID arrays to new controllers (same model as before or successor models) on different boards (some the were identical, some not, does not matter), never the slightest problem. So yes, all should be well, you would not have to create a new array but the old one will be found by the new controller.
But please mind IT Saige's advice and see that the new controller has the same firmware/bios as the old one, that can be important, sometimes even critical.
Reiterating what McKnife has stated and adding that you would only need to reinstall the operating system *if* the array cannot be reinitialized.

-saige-
Update:

Removed all cabling, ram, processor from old MB, replaced with new MB and installed/hooked up everything. I changed the boot order in the bios to the volume 0, and rebooted. It picked up the raid and booted into windows.. The raid is rebuilding now, I made the drive it said was failed to normal first on the old MB. Like I said, I have changed 4 previous drives and all tested good, even though raid said otherwise. This MB has a higher bios, and firmware, but is working fine.

I read on a review that with a raid 1 and 2 500 WD "blue" drives, rebuild took 2 hours,, so I don't know how long it is for a raid 5 with 3 sata drives. It used to take 4 days !!!  Just ridiculous time.. I am guessing 4-5 hours? Remember I have (3) 1 TB drives, but surely, not 4 days to rebuild..
We cannot call something normal/abnormal. Only the manufacturer can do that, he would have a list of drives he tested his controller with and he found to be working good/rebuilding in a timely fashion.
4 days is surely not what the manufacturer had in mind. Out of experience, I would think it may of course not take more than a day, but maybe even 12 hours are already abnormal.
Agreed.  But bear in mind that many facture (drive type, drive speed, connection type, drive size, raid size, raid utilization, raid type, etc. etc.) determine the overall amount of time.

-saige-
I just checked the rebuild, it's at 42% after 8.5 hrs.. Looks like it's rebuilding much quicker than ever before, could be a good sign.

Once done, I will split the points between you both, ok?
Your decision, why not.
Good to see that the effort was not in vain :)
You both were right on point, it saige was little more detailed, but you were right on it to as the raid hooked right up. Thankfully I did not need to bother with firmware/bios updates. The change in boards did not matter with the updates, as the new board took the drives right away. I have been where raid 5 goes horribly wrong.. I'm glad the way it turned out.. The raid is at 83%, much faster then before, I expect it done today.
The only 2 who responded to this question were right on the money with their answers, they were excellent.