ML350 - Windows 2003 moved from Adaptec to Smart Array

[Sean Waite]

This past weekend we had to replace the old server with Win2003 SBS with a new ML350 G5. There was no option of re-installing Windows, so I used an Acronis backup image, the old Adaptec RAID card, and 2 36GB SCSI drives. Upon restoring the image and working through the misc. problems I had the server up and running and ready for Monday morning. The 2 Compaq SAS drives however arrived today, these will be for the OS. When I created the drives into a mirror I see that a small 8MB EISA partition is created. This may be very problematic as the current OS resides on Disk0/Partition0.

To move Windows to the new SAS, I need some way of doing this. I tried with several boot utilities but found none would see the Smart Array card (e200). Within Windows I was able to use Acronis True Image to copy from the SCSI to the SCA. But after selecting which controller to boot off of, Windows just could not load, even in Safe Mode.

I have successfully swapped different SCSI and RAID cards in the past and never experienced these problems. It finally loaded up in Safe mode to the point it said I had to go into Directory Restore mode. Well there I could not log successfully.

Is there maybe a better way or tool I can use to migrate from the SCSI drives to the new SAS? Is there a method to having that EISA partition moved to the end of the disk? I assume this is being labled as partition0, which Windows currently resides on.

[Sean Waite]

One question I have, is the EISA partition that was created, when the SAS drive mirror was made, movable? My suspicion is that SBS which is installed on "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)" is now essentially located at (2) while the EISA is now (1). This would not be an issue if I can move the EISA to another location (after the Win partition)

[Brian_Murdoch]

Hi Sean,

I'm not sure if it will be any help but DISKPART.EXE can be used to remove the 8Mb partition.

We sometimes have to do this when we get a replacement drive for a software mirror and it comes with a this 8Mb partition from HP.
A Smart Array controller can handle this and wipe it however if it's present on a new disk attached to an embedded SCSI controller, the 8Mb causes a problem where the free space isn't enough to permit the software mirror. DISKPART cures this by wiping the 8Mb partition.

Server 2003 has diskpart as standard.
Here is how to use it.

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/ca099518-dde5-4eac-a1f1-38eff6e3e5091033.mspx?mfr=true

I'm not sure that it's your answer but you could give it a try.

Brian

[Sean Waite]

Deleting the EISA partition that the RAID controller created will not affect the mirror? I assume this is created as to store RAID configuration on the drive as well in the event the drives are moved to a different machine. If the partition was moved to the end, would this affect the ability of Smart Array in a new machine to detect a mirrored drive set?

[e4services]

Is not your problem here with Windows and not the hardware anymore?
Seems as if you finally got the system moved to the new SAS drives correct? And Windows now simply fails?
If so, this is typical for way MS Windows faults and the basis of those Apple ads on TV. There is a problematic driver loading normally when this happens. Unfortunately the brainiacs at MS have no way to boot around these things, Safe Mode is not true to its name. Safe Mode does not remove these drives to load the OS, niether does the command prompt. Stupid.
MS tells you to start the system from you install CD. When asked to Install or Repair, select Install (Repair is the repair console which is helpful if you want to delete a specific file from the Windows directory). The Install will inspect your system and should see the previous install (if the proper drivers for the new controller are available from the Windows disk OR you have loaded them back in the beginning when prompted) and will ask you if you wish ti Install New over the current install, or Repair the existing install. Select Repair this time and the Install will reload only the OS and reconfigure without disturbing anything else or files or users or Documents or directories.

[RaMpaNTe]

If you still have the old servers you can use Server Migration Pack - Physical to ProLiant Edition 1.2 which is P2P utility that will migrate all your data including OS from an OLD server to a NEW one.

www.hp.com/go/p2p

[Sean Waite]

Currently the OS is running off of the drives from the old server (SCSI) connected to the old Adaptec RAID card. These drives have Windows installed on disk (0) partition (1). With the EISA on the new SAS drives located at the begining of the drive, this makes the location of Windows to be on partition (2). My assumption then is this is just a matter of editing the boot.ini to reflect the change of partition location. But, I have to question now, if the boot.ini said to look for Windows on partition (1) which is the EISA, then this should have not even loaded Windows.

The one thing I do not understand is if the EISA is required or not. If I delete this, will this also delete the mirror. If I delete the partition, restore Windows to just one drive, and re-create the mirror, will this put the EISA after the Win partition? Will moving the EISA affect anything. Currently I can do nothing with it through Disk Management, meaning I can not format, delete, etc..And because this machine is a Windows SBS 2003, I am limited to what tools or utilities I can load it seems. I have Acronis Disk Suite installed on regular Win2003 server no problem, but it refuses to install on SBS. Booting from CD with different disk tools is of no help since the Smart Array card is not recognized, hence the drives are not seen. At the moment I can only do changes through Windows (where the SAS drives are currently seen, just no drive letter added at the moment)