Changing RAID card on ML350 G5

[HMCTech]

We have a couple of G5's that we need to upgade the RAID card from an e200 to a P410. Currently the servers have four drives, two RAID 0's. If we put a new card in will we have to rebuild the array and reload the OS and data or would it be okay?

[SYNACK]

You should be fine, the epic thing about smartarray controllers is they have drive portability so you should just be able to disconnect the cable from the onboard and connect it to the new one.

 

The idea though is to put the raid cards in first and before switching over the cable boot into the OS and install the drivers for the new card. Then shutdown, swap the cable and you should be away as windows already has the correct raid driver as an active controller so it can boot from it without a hassle.

 

Usual disclaimers apply about backing up etc but I have done this with a couple of older series of smartarray cards without a hassle.

[ChrisMiles]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say I am fairly sure that you will have to rebuild the arrays. Personally I would rebuild them anyway, and besides, even if the raid doesnt fall over it's unlikely windows would even boot due to having no drivers installed for the controller card.

 

Edit: I didn't think about doing what ^that^ guy said, if you install the drivers 1st it could work

[HMCTech]

I am not changing from onboard to a dedicated CARD, just upgrading the actual card to a newer model.

[SYNACK]

I am not changing from onboard to a dedicated CARD, just upgrading the actual card to a newer model.

 

As long as you have two slots you can put them in side by side initially to do the drivers and you should still be all good.