ML110 G3 Embedded SATA RAID Controller how to upgrade disks

[Alan J Pugh]

This server has been running as a RAID1 array of 2 80GB SATA disks without problems. Now I would like to upgrade to a larger pair of disks while keeping all the data. In particular I don't want to have to reinstall W2K3 Server. Is this possible? How do you do this?

I have read the documentation (HP Embedded SATA RAID Controller User Guide) but it is not that detailed. I understand the basics of the RAID controller and have previously managed to replace a failed disk but this problem has got me stumped. Who can help please?

[KarloChacon]

hi


the normal procedure is:

- Insert one of the bigger HDD, rebuild the new HDD maybe you know for Embedded SATA rebuild is not automatic you must start the rebuild after you insert the HDD

when rebuilding for first HDD finishes insert the other HDD and rebuild it too

now using a partition tool you must extend the new space you find this when the rebuild completes for the 2 HDD in Disk management

even though this is the procedure and to avoid any headache create a backup first

bye

[Alan J Pugh]

Thanks for your information.

I have gone through the steps described and replaced the 80GB disks with 1TB disks.

Disk manager still displays the disk as having only 74GB though. Acronis Disk Director Server only sees a 74GB disk too. It seems that the RAID controller drivers are still telling the OS that the disk is 74GB. When I run HP Storage Manager it confirms this, listing port 0 and 1 as having 931 GB but lists a logical drive of only 74GB.

How can I fix this problem? Will a partition tool help? Or can I somehow run the RAID software and instruct it to resize the RAID1 array?

I don't even need to change the size of the existing partitions, just being able to create a new partition using the vacant space on the disk would be enough for me.

I would be thankful for any assistance!

[KarloChacon]

I know the procedure using ACU but that's for smart array controllers

don't you see any option in acronis or Embedded SATA SW to extand - utilize - resize - create new logical drive....???

bye

[Alan J Pugh]

Hi Karlo

I have looked for this functionality in:
1) Acronis Disk Director Server,
2) Windows Disk Management utility
3) HP Storage Manager utility, and
4) Boot-time array management utility

and have found nothing suitable! It is stupid that the RAID controller software doesn't have this feature. It should be offered as part of the boot-time utility.

I notice that the RAID controller writes some metadata at the end of the disk, this must store info about the RAID array.

Thanks again, Alan

[KarloChacon]

hi

just curious were you able to extend the new space?


bye

[guang chen]

Hi, Alan

I am just about to do the same thing as you did. I am just wondering if you have solved this problem.

cheers

[Víctor Cespón]

1 TB SATA disks are not officially supported on this model.
The integrated SATA controller does not support RAID migration or expansion, only create and delete logical units.
You need a decent SATA RAID controller for that (HP 6-Port SATA RAID Controller Option Kit (P/N 372953-B21))

[Alan J Pugh]

After spending quite a bit of time looking into this I have found no way to increase the size of the logical RAID array while keeping both the data and the ability to boot into WS2003.

I have concluded that the software for the HostRAID doesn't have this capability. I emailed with support from Adaptec who wrote the drivers and they confirm that it isn't possible with HostRAID.

One option would be to image the drives to somewhere else (e.g. with ghost), delete the RAID array, create a larger RAID array, then restore the data from the images.

By the way, the server is using the 1TB disks now and there seems to be no problem with using this large capacity. One small benefit of all this is that a 80GB RAID1 array on 1TB WD Black Caviar disks is fast!

[Scott Mickelson]

I am about to do this on an HP ML110G3 with 500GB Western Digital RE3 Drives. Were you able to clone the data onto the larger drives using Acronis/Ghost?

I was thinking of Installing the New Drives, Creating a RAID Array, then cloning the data to the new drives using Acronis True Image. Then removing the OLD Drives and setting the new array as bootable.
Does anyone have experience succeeding with this type of Drive expansion?
Thanks in advance,
-Scott