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From: Steve Cousins on 29 Sep 2009 14:47
Paul wrote:
> Are you *sure* a RAID driver is running ?

Hi Paul,

Yes.

> I'd start by checking Device Manager, and seeing what driver
> files are listed for the controller. Then, go find the floppy
> you used to F6 install the drivers during the install (assuming
> you're booting from the RAID 1), and see what files are on that floppy.

The driver versions match.

> I tested my older Promise controller a couple weeks ago,
> and the metadata is up near the end of the disk. The software
> leaves some space, so you can't create a partition on top of
> the 2KB thing. The metadata records what array the disk belongs
> to. In the case of a stripe, it records which disk is odd
> and which one is even (for the stripes). If you don't set up
> an array, the area remains zeroed.
>
> +------------+------------+--------------+----------------+
> | User space | ~5MB space | 2KB metadata | a few more KBs |
> +------------+------------+--------------+----------------+
>
> To get your symptoms, you'd need to
>
> 1) Erase the 2KB block to all zeros on one of the disks.
> That makes one disk into a "single".
> 2) The driver would need the capability of supporting both "single"
> and RAID arrays at the same time. Then, if (1) happens, two
> identical volumes would end up in Windows (requiring the
> disk signature to be corrected). I think once you see the
> request to correct the signature, the array is already broken.
> (The metadata should record that fact, and force a rebuild on you.)
> I'm surprised the machine didn't flash a warning in the BIOS.

It did after I rebooted it a second time. Trouble is, there doesn't
appear a way to bring that second drive into the Mirror with the RAID
BIOS. Do I need to delete the Mirror and then create a new one with the
two drives? I'm pretty sure this will just




> On my machine, the warning stays on the screen for like, 3 seconds,
> and then the stupid computer continues booting. Which is not
> the way I'd design it, if I had a choice. I'd want the stupid
> machine to stop, if the array is damaged. I didn't even have
> time to read the paragraph of text they put on the screen.

Yes. I have noticed this too. Not very helpful.


> Testing RAID hardware is all part of using it. I got a few
> surprises, while using the interface. I tried a number of
> test cases, just to see what would happen (i.e. screwing
> with the metadata). That is part of the expense of using it.
> You need to know what to expect, and what symptoms will occur,
> if a disk dies on you. A 3 second error message in the BIOS,
> is not much to go on. It is a good thing I was staring
> intently at the screen at the time.

Well, yes. That is pretty much what I'm doing. These tools don't seem to
be ready for prime-time so I think I'm going to have to get a real RAID
card or do something different, like scheduled rsyncs.

Thanks for your help.

Steve
From: Paul on 29 Sep 2009 15:54
Steve Cousins wrote:

>
> It did after I rebooted it a second time. Trouble is, there doesn't
> appear a way to bring that second drive into the Mirror with the RAID
> BIOS. Do I need to delete the Mirror and then create a new one with the
> two drives? I'm pretty sure this will just
>

From my motherboard manual

"Follow these steps to rebuild and restore data in the array:

1. On boot-up, an error message notifies of a system failure.
2. Press Ctrl-F to enter the FastBuild Main Menu.
3. Select <3> for View Array to verify the ID of the defunct hard drive.
4. Power off the system and replace the hard disk with an identical model.
5. Reboot and enter the FastBuild Main Menu again.
6. Select <5> for Rebuild Array. The malfunctioning array is highlighted.
Press Enter to select."

In your case, step 6 should be all that is needed, as long as the
interface knows the one good drive is half of a "malfunctioning" array.
If you did a "delete" and "create", there is a possibility of
"mirroring the wrong way", and copying the empty disk over top
of the full disk. It would be fine, as long as you knew you'd be
prompted concerning which disk is the primary, and you could easily
identify it. The "rebuild" at least, knows the remaining good
disk is now the primary.

HTH,
Paul
From: Paul on 29 Sep 2009 15:57
Steve Cousins wrote:

>
> It did after I rebooted it a second time. Trouble is, there doesn't
> appear a way to bring that second drive into the Mirror with the RAID
> BIOS. Do I need to delete the Mirror and then create a new one with the
> two drives? I'm pretty sure this will just
>

(Repost. I have to change servers, so people on the MS web site can see
these posts. Sigh.)

From my motherboard manual

"Follow these steps to rebuild and restore data in the array:

1. On boot-up, an error message notifies of a system failure.
2. Press Ctrl-F to enter the FastBuild Main Menu.
3. Select <3> for View Array to verify the ID of the defunct hard drive.
4. Power off the system and replace the hard disk with an identical model.
5. Reboot and enter the FastBuild Main Menu again.
6. Select <5> for Rebuild Array. The malfunctioning array is highlighted.
Press Enter to select."

In your case, step 6 should be all that is needed, as long as the
interface knows the one good drive is half of a "malfunctioning" array.
If you did a "delete" and "create", there is a possibility of
"mirroring the wrong way", and copying the empty disk over top
of the full disk. It would be fine, as long as you knew you'd be
prompted concerning which disk is the primary, and you could easily
identify it. The "rebuild" at least, knows the remaining good
disk is now the primary.

HTH,
Paul
From: Steve Cousins on 30 Sep 2009 12:17
Paul wrote:
>
> From my motherboard manual
>
> "Follow these steps to rebuild and restore data in the array:
>
> 1. On boot-up, an error message notifies of a system failure.

Hi Paul,

Step one, so far so good.

> 2. Press Ctrl-F to enter the FastBuild Main Menu.

Still good.

> 3. Select <3> for View Array to verify the ID of the defunct hard
> drive.

Option 3 for me is to delete logical drives. This menu has only 4
options: 1 = View, 2 = Create, 3 = Delete, 4 = Exit. Looking closer at
the manual (what an idea?!) I see that they say to go into RAIDXpert to
rebuild. The trouble is that the Rebuild option is never active as an
option.

I've given up on this as an option. Neither Gigabyte nor AMD have even
indicated that they have seen my request for information. I haven't
found any information online. You are the only one who has come even
close to knowing anything about this type of thing (thanks very much by
the way!) so it looks like not a very widely used setup. I'll stick with
straight SATA and do scheduled backups like I have always done before
for these workstations.

Thanks again for your help.

Steve



> 4. Power off the system and replace the hard disk with an identical
> model.
> 5. Reboot and enter the FastBuild Main Menu again.
> 6. Select <5> for Rebuild Array. The malfunctioning array is
> highlighted.
> Press Enter to select."
>
> In your case, step 6 should be all that is needed, as long as the
> interface knows the one good drive is half of a "malfunctioning" array.
> If you did a "delete" and "create", there is a possibility of
> "mirroring the wrong way", and copying the empty disk over top
> of the full disk. It would be fine, as long as you knew you'd be
> prompted concerning which disk is the primary, and you could easily
> identify it. The "rebuild" at least, knows the remaining good
> disk is now the primary.
>
> HTH,
> Paul
From: Paul on 30 Sep 2009 16:00
Steve Cousins wrote:
<<snip>>
>
> I've given up on this as an option. Neither Gigabyte nor AMD have even
> indicated that they have seen my request for information. I haven't
> found any information online. You are the only one who has come even
> close to knowing anything about this type of thing (thanks very much by
> the way!) so it looks like not a very widely used setup. I'll stick with
> straight SATA and do scheduled backups like I have always done before
> for these workstations.
>
> Thanks again for your help.
>
> Steve

The second post here has an answer. It involves "hammering" the single
drive first, so you can get the "rebuild" option to become available
again for the "I'm still a RAID" drive.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic247567.html

Paul
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