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Hard drive swapping

 
Caster Troy
Regular Advisor

Hard drive swapping

i am using a ML370G3 with 6 hard drives if i use these hard drives in a DL380G3 will the server run properly
Evil Has Its Winning Ways
8 REPLIES 8
Ivajlo Yanakiev
Respected Contributor

Re: Hard drive swapping

HP will answer YES.
I will say maybe :)

Generaly if you switch all disk and they work on array :) it shoud work.
My be windows will find new hardware :)


Josh Tolle
Occasional Advisor

Re: Hard drive swapping

We try to swap drives between servers when upgrading hardware. It appears that the array controller is the key. If the array controllers are the same model, in both servers, then it will work.
If the array controllers are not the same, then at least make sure that both of them have the latest BIOS and driver. This improves your odds, but it is rarely successful. When upgrading hardware the array controller is generally a different model, that's a big hang-up for us as well.
Tony D'Agostino
Occasional Advisor

Re: Hard drive swapping

What if you are not swapping all drives? I want to move a data drive between two identical systems to see if I can pull the data off of the system.
Josh Tolle
Occasional Advisor

Re: Hard drive swapping

Jared,

I have complete confidence in swapping hard drives between servers that are of the same hardware generation, and I believe more importantly the same array controller.

I hope that someone can prove me wrong and provide a way to swap hard drives between servers that do not have the same model of array controller.

Thanks,
Josh
Dave_180
Valued Contributor

Re: Hard drive swapping

If your OS is on those 6 drives I'd almost put money on that it will not work. If it is only data and no applications installed on it - I say go for it provided you have the same/like controller.

With Windows 2K or greater - you might get away with it. NT you are certain to fail. I don't have enough experience with Novell or Linux to make that call.
Tony D'Agostino
Occasional Advisor

Re: Hard drive swapping

I have Windows 2000 and it is only data, but I'm wondering from the hardware aspect if the new drive will be accepted intact due to the fact that it's replacing drives or will I be required to create a new array (thus erasing all my data). I know I've been able to build a full set of drives and install the full set, but I'm not sure what will happen when I move just one of four drives.
Oleg Koroz
Honored Contributor

Re: Hard drive swapping

Agree with Josh Tolle, try to update driver and firmware before you make swap. Set Boot controller order, 5th generation and 6th Generation controllers same Driver, try Safe mode and let System see HW firstly. Always before you move Drives from Device manger you can Uninstall HW, which would be not part of Target server.
John Marinov
Frequent Advisor

Re: Hard drive swapping

I vote no.

ML370G3 doesn't come with an array controller (so what does yours use to control the disks?). The DL380G3 comes with an on-board 5i controller, configured by default in simplex mode (why?).

For your attempt to work, the array controller in the source and donor systems have to be the same type. Mostly it doesn't matter. One case where it does is moving between 5304 and 5302 (same family, same type, but don't swap one for the other).

Here's what you do: You need six spare disks and an array controller in the ML370. Quiesce the system (just leave it idling at powered up at a f1 prompt or something). One at a time, replace the drives and wait for the rebuild to complete (replaced drive will stop flashing the arrow light). Make sure you get this right. Dropping the next disk out with the rebuild incomplete will destroy your array.

You now have a complete copy of the original system that you can experiment with.