Switching SCSI Controllers (upgrade to SmartArray) 1

[Redfox1]

Hello,

We are in the process of expanding a Proliant ML370 G3 server running W2K SP4, from using 2 SCSI drives attached to the onboard SCSI controllers to a SmartArray 5302 PCI controller with 5 x 72GB drives in a RAID 5 configuration.

Our goal is to preserve the "OS" (System State) & all files related to it. From what I've been told by HP Support, I cannot leave the 9.1GB LVD drive in the same chassis as the SmartArray controller without reformatting it, which is something I cannot do (it's a AD controller.) Also, both SCSI drives contain applications that provide a couple of background services... which could be turned off for this migration.

I just need another set of eyes to look these steps over...

Currently
9.1GB LVD in slot 0 of a 6 bay drive chassis->SCSI Controller 1
C: drive (OS partition) (NO RAID)

D: is a CDROM drive

18.2GB SE (68HD ping) in bay under CDROM drive ->SCSI Controller 2
E: drive (Software & shares) (NO RAID)

Changed to:
5 x 72GB LVD in the 6 bay drive chassis->SmartArray 5302
RAID 5 array.
C: E: F: all on RAID 5 volumes
D: CDROM

Would someone care to comment on the following steps on how to achieve this migration.

1. Install the latest ROMPaq/SofPaq from HP. This will need to be installed later as well. Reboot is required… I think 7.20 is the latest.

2. Backup <SERVER> using ntbackup to the E:\ drive (18.2GB SCSI drive.) to a single file - include system state. (There is about 11GB of space on that drive to do this.)

3. Power down the server

4. Remove the 9.1GB LVD drive (C: ) from slot 0

5. Disconnect the 18.2GB drive for now as well.

6. Install the 5 x 72.8GB LVD U320 drives

7. Install the SmartArray 5I controller. Connect it to the drive chassis using an existing SCS cable already used to connect the drive cabinet to the Motherboard’s SCSI controller.

8. Start up the server.

9. Start the setup usint SmartStart CD… Perform a clean install (Erase all options.)

10. Configure RAID Array as one continous volume.

11. Create a 9.1 GB C: drive on that RAID array.

12. DO NOT create any another partition during or even after the installation is completed! (CDROM should be D: at this point.)

13. Use the same Windows Product Key, hostname & IP address as before on the original <SERVER> server.

14. After the first install shutdown the server, make sure the server can ping the gateway or at least plugged into a hub…

15. Install the same version of the ROMPaq’s on this newly installed server as what was on the original server before the RAID/drive change.

16. Power down the server.

17. Connect the 18.2GB Drive.

18. Change the drive letter on the 18.2GB drive to F:.

19. Create a DYNAMIC NTFS drive E: (20GB) partition out of the remaining drives.

20. Copy all data from 18.2GB drive. Except the nbackup file of the 9.1GB drive.

21. Run ntbackup and restore files to C: from the nbackup file located on the 18.2GB Drive.

22. Re-install the SmartArray 5302 drivers from the RomPAQ BEFORE rebooting!!!

23. Reboot server after restore

24. Create a DYNAMIC F: partition out of the leftover space on the array.

 

[wnbowman]

Redfox1,

HP is correct in that if you connect your regular SCSI formatted disk to an array controller, your data is history, as the array controller will reformat the disk with new stripe settings.

Overall, it looks like a pretty good plan. However, I would not create the new arrays as dynamic disks, leave at basic disks when using hardware array controllers. Also,
when copying data from old 18G disk to new E: partition, I would rather use robocopy vs. regular copy. There are a greater number of options, which also includes being able to copy the security permissions and ACLs to the new drive.

I think I would skip step 15, because you have included these files as part of your backup. Make sure that when you restore, that you choose to overwrite all existing files with files from the backup. Make an extra copy of boot.ini. Check your boot.ini file before and after restoring the backup file. You will want to keep the version created when you did the OS reload.

If you have a spare machine sitting around, I would do a test run on the process, even if you cannot come up with the exact hardware match. If no machine is available, download and install the eval versions of either VMware Workstation or MS Virtual PC. You can create the necessary environments for creating your test plan.

If you install the controller prior to installing the support pack in step one, when you perform your backup, all of the necessary drivers are in the registry and system folders.

Last, and definitely not least, make sure that the 5302 is set in the BIOS to be first in the boot controller order.

Good luck with the migration!!

 

[Redfox1]

Thanks wnbowman,

It turns out that I have missed some of the steps. I ended up working 'til 12:30am on a Friday/Saturday but I got it to work. All it well with the server, the only item not restored was the Recovery Console... files are there but the boot.ini doesn't show it. I did back it up though...

I used ntbackup to backup ALL the files on E: to a single bkf file (including perms.) and then to restore them. That was not a problem.

The restore of the C: drive however, had a couple of issues. I wasn't aware that a DC can only be restored if the OS is brought up with the F8 + Directory Restore Mode option...

Aside from that, I selected the C:\*.* (including the C:\winnt) folders to be restored by ntbackup (aside from the system state.) BAD Idea; twice during that 'restore' process, ntbackup crashed since the restore was trying to replace ntbackup.exe as well...

I ended up copying ntbackup.exe to E: and running it from there to restore all files C:\*.* except the C:\Winnt\*.* files & folders; The rest I left up to the system state...

I guess my only concern is this: if I didn't restore all files to C:\*.* initialy (minus C:\Winnt\*.*) then programs installed in C:\Program Files\*.* (like IE 6.01 SP1) would remain from this temporary OS install and not from the original? am I correct? How come none of the MS KBs discuss that?

Redfox