topic Re: Hard Drive Failing? in ProLiant Servers (ML,DL,SL)

Hard Drive Failing?

_d1k_ — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:02:30 GMT

Hello again, all.

I have two questions I'm hoping you all can help with. My Proliant I just bought had 2 18.2 gb scsi wide ultra 2 drives in it. Both boot fine and seem to have no errors until I installed Windows on it. Once windows is on the front red led indicator with a X through the hdd icon is on. To me this looks like some kind of error led, is this the case? I have searched and searched but cannot find any reference as to what this led means.

Second question is does anyone know of any bootable utility cd or disk that loads up drivers for our controller card and lets us low level format the hdds? I have tried maxors scsimax but it does not recognize the controller. I have not found any other pieces of software that even look like they can help. I was hoping to low level format both drives but cannot find anything to do so.

Thank you for your time.

Re: Hard Drive Failing?

KarloChacon — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:33:58 GMT

hi _d1k_

what is your controller? and also which model is your server?

regards

Re: Hard Drive Failing?

KarloChacon — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 01:08:30 GMT

hi

about question number 1

1. See the attached file regarding LED on SCSI HDDs

2. check this guide regarding LED behaviors, page 16
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00300504/c00300504.pdf

3. and check this customer advisory
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&taskId=125&prodSeriesId=374617&prodTypeId=15351&objectID=c00596597

further Troubleshooting means:

- try reseat the HDDs if you got the LEd again the HDD is failed.
- check cables
- reseat backplane

about question number 2
what do you mean with "low level format the hdds?
you want to format HDDs?
or you want to configure the RAID level?

regards

Re: Hard Drive Failing?

e4services — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 08:52:47 GMT

As for your question of hard drive utilities, you will have to know the Original Manufacturer. If it was a Mator or Quantum drive, SCSIMax would be good, but the drive could be Seagate or IBM depending. The only way to tell is from the original part or model number, if noted on the drive OR by appearence.
As for the driver, you would need to connect the drives to the onboard SCSI controller and not to the RAID controller, for the RAID controller presents a Logical Drive and not a physical drive.
SeaTools is available online and can run from Windows.

Re: Hard Drive Failing?

_d1k_ — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 11:44:53 GMT

Hello, thanks very much for your help. I don't know how I missed the led explanations, I was pretty sure I checked all the support documentation. Thanks again.

A low level format writes all zeros to the drive. This can sometimes help correct minor errors that a error checking utility cannot. I like to low level format every used drive I get then do an advanced scan to be sure that there are no problems on the drive. Thing is a low level format is something usually only the manufacturer does and they do not recommend anyone doing it (though I honestly don't see why).

My hard drives are Compaq drives and my controller is a Compaq smart array. That's all I know so far. I've been trying to look to find out more information on the specifics of my system but I have been having a really hard time finding them. It's a Proliant 1600 6/500.

Re: Hard Drive Failing?

KarloChacon — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 11:58:07 GMT

hi

what if you try this utility

it has a bunch of HDDs utilities maybe can help you

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/hiren.thanki/bootcd.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiren's_boot_CD

regards

Re: Hard Drive Failing?

_d1k_ — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 20:01:30 GMT

I have already tried Hirens as well as "the ultimate boot cd" neither seem to pick up the controller. I cannot find any other utility that seems to do this.

As far as my first problem with the error led it was a simple fix. Just had to fix the scsi id for them.

Thanks again all.

Re: Hard Drive Failing?

KarloChacon — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 20:12:38 GMT

hi

what about this want I did not find it on the Hiren's BootCD 9.2 list

HDD Low Level Format Tool
http://hddguru.com/

or just try low level format on google

regards