Re-post: A7N8X-Dlx RAID Query

[Ron]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

05/22
Greetings. Despite having become 'fairly' comfortable with
using/configuring arrays...I find myself wondering about something:

Originally, I put in ONE serialATA drive. Then I added a second drive some
time later, and successfully created a mirrored array [with no loss of data
on drive #1].

I am casually thinking about removing drive #2 for temp duty in a friend's
computer. If I power down and remove the drive, then restart, the BIOS will
perceive the anomaly and warn me that the set is faulty. If I ignore the
warning, the comp should still boot normally. (Right?)

But in this scenario, the Sil BIOS still believes there is a [faulty]
array...unless I delete
the array. But is this possible with no loss of data? Can I simply say
"Hey - Sil - forget about that other drive. Just run with a single, OK?"
And if so...at what point can I perform this step? Can I do it before I
remove the other drive?

Or maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe this will go smoothly -- (as if) -- and I
can just delete the array without opening the case or anything...and the
second drive will revert to an available storage location!

Please advise.
TIA
Ron

 

[Paul]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

In article <GGArc.4907$Xy3.20074@tor-nn1.netcom.ca>, "Ron"
<pls-reply2group@urleisure.ca> wrote:

> 05/22
> Greetings. Despite having become 'fairly' comfortable with
> using/configuring arrays...I find myself wondering about something:
>
> Originally, I put in ONE serialATA drive. Then I added a second drive some
> time later, and successfully created a mirrored array [with no loss of data
> on drive #1].
>
> I am casually thinking about removing drive #2 for temp duty in a friend's
> computer. If I power down and remove the drive, then restart, the BIOS will
> perceive the anomaly and warn me that the set is faulty. If I ignore the
> warning, the comp should still boot normally. (Right?)
>
> But in this scenario, the Sil BIOS still believes there is a [faulty]
> array...unless I delete
> the array. But is this possible with no loss of data? Can I simply say
> "Hey - Sil - forget about that other drive. Just run with a single, OK?"
> And if so...at what point can I perform this step? Can I do it before I
> remove the other drive?
>
> Or maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe this will go smoothly -- (as if) -- and I
> can just delete the array without opening the case or anything...and the
> second drive will revert to an available storage location!
>
> Please advise.
> TIA
> Ron

See page 35 of this RAID users manual. Or go to similar companies
that sell RAID products and read their procedures.
http://www.promise.com/support/file/manual/1_FastTrak%20TX4000%20user%20v1.1.pdf

It gives the distinct impression, that when there is a "failure",
your first step is to enter the array and identify the failed drive.
I presume what this is doing, is somehow marking the "good" one
as being good (as the "failed" one will be too failed to be
writable).

When the removed drive returns, I would install it by itself on
the RAID controller, and then enter the RAID BIOS. If it claims
the disk is part of an array, delete the array with the RAID BIOS.
Power down and add the good disk to the RAID controller. Maybe that
way, when you rebuild the array (good disk copied to replaced disk),
there will be less chance of a screwup.

And for any of you RAID wannabies out there, this is why you want
to go through all the maintenance procedures BEFORE your good data
goes on the drive This is why a neophyte juggler doesn't start
with fine china, but with bowling pins

A RAID mirror is not a replacement for backups.

Have fun,
Paul