hardware mirroring problem

[sentmemail]

recently i plugged in a new windows 2000 HDD to replace one of the spoiled HDD, and noticed that the hardware mirroring does not work anymore...
Does anyone know how to reactive the mirroring for compaq servers?
thanks

 

[sentmemail]

any help???

 

[diamondlod]

Are you using software mirroring? Hardware mirroring with an array controller? What type of server? What OS?

 

[sentmemail]

Its a compaq poliant ML530,
hardware mirroring on Embedded Wide -Ultra SCSI Controller

 

[diamondlod]

Normally we install an array controller in our servers, in which case it should automatically start rebuilding the second drive. If that does not happen, normally you can go into the array config utility and add the drive there.

 

[sentmemail]

i tried to install the array config utility in win2k, but it does not allow me to do it...
any idea?

 

[manicmog]

You are using the onboard scsi controller, this does not support hardware raid. You are probably using software mirroring in Win 2000. You will need to do this through disk adminstrator off control panel. Array configuration util wont install without a supportted Compaq Array Controller installed.

manicmog

 

[diamondlod]

If it is the ML530 1st generation, then it has a regular Wide Ultra-2 SCSI adapter. If it is an ML530 G2, then it should have an Ultra-3, but neither one supports hardware RAID.

So if you rebuild the mirror through disk administrator as manicmog suggested, you should be fine.

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that if you boot from the software-based mirror and the primary drive fails, Win2k sometimes can have a problem booting to that secondary drive. The data will all be there, but you can have boot issues. So the best practice for software mirroring would be to boot to a stand-alone drive, and put all of your critical data on the mirror.

 

[sentmemail]

but i am not allowed the use software mirroring....

 

[sentmemail]

i have checked with my colleague that the server can do hardware raid, the problem is how do i use the smartstart CD to activate the mirroring and not to lose any data...
pls help..

 

[Bert1xxxxx]

Your colleague is right, the server will do hardware raid providing that a Compaq Smart Array Controller is fitted, this is what allows Compaq Servers to perform hardware RAID.

Without one, you will not get any hardware RAID. Have a look and see what it says on boot, it should detect one if it is installed.

 

[sentmemail]

what should i be seeing on boot if the hardware raid is enabled?

 

[Bert1xxxxx]

When it boots up you will see what controllers are installed in the machine, the Smart Array Controller will show up just after the memory check and just before the check for any SCSI devices.

 

[sentmemail]

you mean the screen will show:

smart array controller .....

???

 

[Sunny79]

Bert1 is right, during POST your server will say for example:

Smart Array controller /
1 Logical drive found <---This is what you look for.
If you see this little message
saying Logical drive found, then
you are using hardware mirror.

You can also boot off the Smart Start CD and run the Array configuration Utility. If you boot the smart start CD and see the option for the Array Configuration Utility (ACU) Then you have a raid controller. If you don't see the option for that, then you don't.

If you don't see the ACU then you most likely are using software mirroring (Microsoft).

Good Luck.

 

[sentmemail]

can you guide me how to configure hardware mirroring using win2k server?
i read from the MS website that it requires dynamic volumes, is it true?

 

[diamondlod]

The main key is to go to Compaq's array configuration utility. You can do that in Windows if you have an array controller installed and you install the array configuration utility from Compaq (which will install if you download the latest supportPaq from Compaq).

Once you launch the array config utility, it should pop up a GUI saying you have an unconfigured array. Just tell it you want RAID level 1 and let it do the rest.

 

[Bert1xxxxx]

It sounds like you are getting confused between software and hardware RAID. What you read on the Microsoft sounds like it was talking about software RAID, ie the OS is responsible for the RAID and therefore there is a slight overhead involved.

With the Compaq Smart Array Controller you configure the RAID before you install the OS, so hardware raid cannot be configured once you have built the OS.

Got any jobs going ;-)

 

[sentmemail]

i want to try out software raid using win2k server, can guide me how to do it?

 

[Sunny79]

sentmemail-- your'e talking about software raid. You cannot use any microsoft utility or OS to create a compaq hardware raid.
First you have to make sure you are using an array controller. If you cannot figure that out, go to this link

http://www.compaq.com/support/files/server/us/download/15398.html

which is the survey utility. Run the executable on your server which will generate a file called survey.txt. Get that file and look at the first few lines, which show you the devices on your server. The file is only a snap shot of your hardware and firmware so don't worry about confidential info being leaked out. If you need help reading the file, let me know when youre ready and I'll help you find out for free.

Second, if you do have a raid controlle on the server, then you will be using the Array configuration utility to configure your hardware raid.