IBM 4MX Raid controller failed. Advice please. 1

[BigRich555]

Hi,

I have a IBM xSeries 350 server, with a single 4Mx raid controller. The controller has failed (complete failure) so I have purchase a relacement 4Mx card. The hard drives that attached to the old card where configured as Raid 1.

Here's what I'm planning to do:

1. Configure (as raid 1) the new card using the ServerRaid mini config utility.

2. Power off the machine and attach the drives to the card.

3. Power on the machine and allow it to boot into the OS.

This seems to easy! What have I missed?

Thanks in advance.


Rich

 

[LarryTheCucumber]

First the original card may be OK.

Does it have the battery still attached?

If it does disconnect the battery, and try the old card.


Otherwise, install new 4Mx, without drives. Set card to original in the mini config.

Shutdown, connect drives, boot to the mini config and read config off drives. reboot. Should boot to the OS.

 

[BigRich555]

Thanks for the advice Larry. The server is now booting into the OS - success!

With regard to the battery on the old card - disconnecting it did allow me to access the Mini config application (where as with the battery connected the Mini config prompt is not displayed during POST). Having read the manual for the card I would expect to be able to access the Mini config app even if the battery had failed?

Thanks again.

Rich

 

[scsiraid]

Is the card in a hotswap PCI slot? The battery can fail in a way that will cause the hotswap slot to power off due to overcurrent and prevent the card from being seen.

 

[BigRich555]

Spot on - The card doesn't go "Green" when the battery attached. The status lights flash (red) once and that's it. The card is a hot-plug slot.