Adaptec RAID won't rebuild

[jonathanhaddock]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm not sure exactly what Adaptec RAID card is in this particular server but do know it's a SCSI UW320 RAID running Adaptec RAID Setup utility v1.12.

 

Unfortunately, due to recent underinvestment in IT, much to my disgust, the AC failed in our server room the other day (only lost 2 harddisks, was dead chuffed). I'm trying to rebuild the RAID 5 using the Adaptec utility but it just won't rebuild. Menu option is there and everything so I'm stumped - the array just continues to say "Degraded" rather than "Rebuilding". Only 1 disk on the RAID 5 was lost.

 

Any ideas? I've downloaded the manual ( http://www.itauteconline.com.br/iol_arquivos/corpo3_arquivos/drivers_arquivos/raid/adaptec/manual/stoman.pdf ) but am stumped. The replacement disk is definitlely big enough and I just formatted it with the RAID utility.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Jonathan

 

PS: Yes, I have a backup but if I can avoid having to rebuild the server I could do with saving the time....

Edited May 13, 2009 by jonathanhaddock
additional notes, clarification

[plexer]

You lost 2 disks in the same array? what type of array was it?

 

Ben

[3s-gtech]

A RAID5 array can only support the loss of one disk - if the two that went were in one array you will have data loss. Your post seems to imply they're in two different arrays though - in which case I've not seen that behaviour. Possible faulty new disk? Fault in another disk in that array?

[Butuz]

Yep - if you lost two hard disks in the same Raid 5 array - say bye bye data.

 

Butuz

[jonathanhaddock]

Sorry, I was unclear. The 2 disks were lost on different servers. The server in question with the RAID 5 has only lost 1 disk.

 

I have all the menu options to rebuild it just doesn't seem to actually get on with it

 

Any other ideas folk?

[Michael]

RAID 5 does definitely allow you to lose one disk only. RAID 6 would allow you to lose two at any one time.

 

Presumably the RAID utility can see the drive as you've formatted it? Are you required to make it a member of the array first?

[jonathanhaddock]

Hmm, seem to have cracked it - setting a drive as a "hot spare" has got me round the problem and the RAID is rebuilding. Don't think much to the server hardware though as it keeps rebooting.

 

Looks like I may have been given the go ahead to redo the servers, much needed as my predecessors didn't exactly keep things in good nic....

 

Thanks for everyone's help!

[Michael]

Don't think much to the server hardware though as it keeps rebooting.

 

That is a bit of a problem. It could be the hardware is on its way out. I think the next job is to make sure you have a working backup!

[jonathanhaddock]

@Michael

That would be the plan, yes. Migrate everything off that server, oooh - now as it just came back up!

 

Jonathan