AVS › AVS Forum › Video Components › Home Theater Computers › Rebuilding pc how to keep raid array
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Rebuilding pc how to keep raid array

post #1 of 9
11/22/11 at 5:45am
Thread Starter 
Ok I have a media server with a Highpoint RocketRaid 2680 with 8 drives in raid 5. The pc has been lagging and having windows errors lately and has always been slow so I now want to build a new server for it and replace the raid card with an updated version.

The new card will also be a Highpoint just the 2720 now instead of the 2680. What should I know before I do this to be able to keep the raid intact. I have pretty much a 99% backup of it but I don't want to have to transfer everything over again if I don't have to.

I have everything ordered for it and will be here tomorrow.

Is there any tips I should know or the order to add the raid to the new install.

Any help is appreciated , thanks Ryan
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 9
11/22/11 at 6:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryan20021982 View Post

Ok I have a media server with a Highpoint RocketRaid 2680 with 8 drives in raid 5. The pc has been lagging and having windows errors lately and has always been slow so I now want to build a new server for it and replace the raid card with an updated version.

The new card will also be a Highpoint just the 2720 now instead of the 2680. What should I know before I do this to be able to keep the raid intact. I have pretty much a 99% backup of it but I don't want to have to transfer everything over again if I don't have to.

I have everything ordered for it and will be here tomorrow.

Is there any tips I should know or the order to add the raid to the new install.

Any help is appreciated , thanks Ryan

I think your first step should be consulting highpoint documentation if there is any or calling their tech support.

In general when a raid array is created the drive has metadata written to it that is recognized by the controller. The new controller should be able to pick up where the old left off.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 9
11/22/11 at 8:04am
If it were software RAID, you could just import foreign array into the new. With hardware controllers you are at the mercy of the manufacturer, whether they enabled or not the import functionality, or if it is compatible.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 9
11/22/11 at 4:37pm
Highpoint cards will read arrays made on different model numbers. I have swapped out a HP 2220 for a HP 4320 with no problems.

What hard drives are you using for your array. If they don't support TLER they can give your PC and Windows problems after a bit of time.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 9
11/22/11 at 7:59pm
Thread Starter 
Well thats promising at least

the drives are Seagate Barracuda 1.5tb model ST31500341AS
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 9
11/23/11 at 5:43am
Thread Starter 
Well here is the response I got from HPT support

Quote:


Dear Sir or Madam,

Upgrade to RocketRAID 2720?they are the diffrent model card and RocketRAID 2680 can't upgrade to RocketRAID 2720

So who knows if they are right or not I guess I will find out later today when everything gets here.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 9
11/23/11 at 1:18pm
I doubt they understood your question. Not much difference in the cards. Your drives shouldn't be any problem, I've used ST3500630AS and ST31000340AS drives. Plus yours are on HPT's compatibility list also. You won't have any problems with the array being recognized, just make sure you use the drivers for the new card.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 9
11/25/11 at 8:42pm
Thread Starter 
Well turns out it was a bad hdd so I have 3 of the same ones sitting here, put 1 in for the bad drive and starting rebuilding and it got to 64% and locked up the pc. Did a hard reboot and when I opened the web management it was back at 33% rebuilding but going so I said screw it I'll just let it sit and see what happens. This happened 3 times and everytime it would be back at 33% and then freeze at 64%, no errors in the log or anything just stated the rebuild has started.

So luckily I was able to get the few things I didnt have backed up off the drive while it tried to rebuild and saved to the backup. Just deleted the array and started over, right now its initializing and its looking good so far, and I noticed the network transfer speed might have picked up a little also, even though the old setup used a Intel Pro NIC card and this is just the onboard Realtek NIC.

I guess I will find out in 2 days when the 9tb is done transferring and I get to test everything to see if its all good, but at least I figured out the problem.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 9
11/28/11 at 6:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryan20021982 View Post

Well turns out it was a bad hdd so I have 3 of the same ones sitting here, put 1 in for the bad drive and starting rebuilding and it got to 64% and locked up the pc. Did a hard reboot and when I opened the web management it was back at 33% rebuilding but going so I said screw it I'll just let it sit and see what happens. This happened 3 times and everytime it would be back at 33% and then freeze at 64%, no errors in the log or anything just stated the rebuild has started.

So luckily I was able to get the few things I didnt have backed up off the drive while it tried to rebuild and saved to the backup. Just deleted the array and started over, right now its initializing and its looking good so far, and I noticed the network transfer speed might have picked up a little also, even though the old setup used a Intel Pro NIC card and this is just the onboard Realtek NIC.

I guess I will find out in 2 days when the 9tb is done transferring and I get to test everything to see if its all good, but at least I figured out the problem.

So just to reiterate, you had a bad drive and even though you had a raid setup it resulted in data loss?
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Home Theater Computers

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Video Components › Home Theater Computers › Rebuilding pc how to keep raid array