Moving Disks from ML350 G3 to G4

[Craig Eeles]

Hi. We have a ML350 G3 server, with a smart array 641 controller running Windows SBS 2003 (Main components AD, Exchange and IIS). We want to upgrade to a new ML350 G4 server (which has a 642 controller), ideally by just swapping the disks (Raid 5) over to the new server. Has anyone tested this, or successfully performed this procedure. Can it be done by simply moving the disks?

[Steven Clementi]

Craig:

One of the things you should probably do before hand is drop the 642 into the G3 first and let Windows detect it and load up drivers for it. Probably a good time to update to the latest firmware and drivers as well.


Once done and WIndows "knows" about the 642, you should be able to just move evertything to the G4.

If you just move the disks, the registry in Windows might not be populated with the needed information to boot up properly, causing the server to continously Blue Screen while starting up.

This is the case as with DL380 G2/G3 to 380G4. (5i to 6i). I have done this with the 380's and it works perfectly as long as Windows has the correct reg entries for the SA Controller.


Steven

[Ruslan]

Hi Craiq!

RAID configuration stored on disks, therefore you can move disk between different SA controllers without any problem.

[Oleg Koroz]

agree with Steven
Best Practice Step
...... Probably a good time to update to the latest firmware and drivers as well....

before you swap
direct swap works 999 from 1000, however 1 from 1000 might gave you hard time