How do I replace a failed disk drive (RAID 5) in a Compaq 1850R?

[hello321_1999]

I have recently been given a Compaq 1850R. It has 3 x 18.2 GB hard disks in the machine, configured in RAID5. One of the disks has failed (the LED light on the right hand side is showing amber - I understand this is the 'drive failed' indicator).

How do I replace this faulty disk without losing any of my data? Please give detailed instructions, as I am new to this. For example, do I need to turn the power off and then replace, or replace with the power turned off? Do I need to run any programs post-replacement? Etc, etc.

[Steven Clementi · Accepted solution]

Hello:

If you have a Smart Array in the 1850, which you most likely do, you should only need to just remove the bad drive and put in a new one (or a working one). The new drive should start to rebuild automatically. To be more safe, I would stick in a 4th drive and allocate it as a hot spare in the Array Configuration Utility.

Your other option is to start replacing ll the drives, one at a time with bigger/faster disks. This too can be done online without any data lose.

Either way, you should make sure you have a FULl and Complete Backup before doing anything, if only as a fall back plan.


Steven

[Mahesh Kumar Malik]

Hi

Since the failed drive is part of RAID, simply replace it with good one and RAID system will build it up by itself. It may take couple of minutes. You may use the server during build up time

Regards
Mahesh