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From: Gaspar on 5 Feb 2010 08:03
I think I discovered a BIG problem with Windows 2003 x64 R2 SP2.
Suppose I set a setup a server and connecting it to a SAN disk and then
format this disk. When I setup a secondary server to the same disk the disk
is seen as unformatted and Windows has to initialize it again, so I lost all
data in it.

This is my configuration:
- Two HP ML 370 servers with Emulex HBA (2 x FC) connected to a HP MSA
StorageWorks SAN.
- HBAs and HP have latest firmwares
- There is only one RAID-1 5 Gb volume (for testing purposes)

This are the steps to reproduce the problem:
1) Disconnect server from SANs (unplug FC cords from HBAs)
2) Install Windows 2003 in Server A, and setup up all drivers
3) Shut down server A and plug FC cords.
4) Start server. Go to disk management. Windows shows the "Initialize Disk"
Wizard.
5) Format the drive. Assign drive letter. Copy some test files.
6) Shut down server A.
7) Install Windows 2003 in Server B, and setup up all drivers
8) Shut down server B and plug FC cords.
9) Start server. Go to disk management. Windows AGAIN shows the "Initialize
Disk" Wizard (I click cancel).
10) The already initialized disk by Server A is now shown as "Unformatted"
in Server B. All data is lost (I test shutting down and starting Server A).

However, after Server B initializes disk (i.e. the second disk
initialization), and then I shut it down, Server A can see all files. So,
this problem is related to the first time Windows sees the disk.

Final conclusions:
- I can confirm that this is not related to hardware, because I tried
different configurations / HBAs / changing LUNs, etc. and the problem still
happens
- I can reproduce the problem over and over. I also tried with virtual
machines (using VSphere + ESXi) using snapshots so as to rollback and test
again and again.

Have you ever seen something like? What do you suggest?
Thanks a lot for your time!
Gaspar.


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