How do I clear the information on a TOFL disk? virtual-pool-delete-override on doesn't wor

[JupiterMangue]

I have an MSA 2050 that crashed. I lost all the information in the unit but luckily, all the information was replicated to other MSA 2050 in another site. 

However, I am unable to use the failed unit now, because the metadata cannot be removed. The group-disks are in TOFL state, and I cannot remove the disk-groups because the unit says it is unhealthy, and I can't remove the pools because it says the disk-groups are quarantined, and I can't de-quarantined the disks becuase it says that the disk-group is an internal component. Nothing I have tried is working.

I tried to get a contract with HPE support as my unit it out of warranty, and they say they cannot provide me support because the country I am in. They provided a list of regional partners who have been unable to help in this case. 

I came about with a solutoin to run the command "set advanced-settings virtual-pool-delete-override on" to be able to force delete the pools, disk-groups, and disks metadata, but that command is no longer working on new MSA 2050 firmware images.

The only way right now for me to be able to reuse the MSA is buying all new disks (56 disks), but that is something we cannot afford at this moment. 

If anybody knows a way for me to be able to use my MSA again, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks

[Mahesh202]

Hi JupiterMangue

I would suggest you open a support ticket for this query, as this definitely requires Log analysis to guide you further. However, if you would like to get it done by yourself then you might try to remove all the drives, insert one at a time and then clear the metadata from the drive. Depending on the state of the drive this can sometimes work but not always.

Hope this helps.!!

Regards
Mahesh.

[ArunKKR]

Hi,

Deleting quarantine disk groups requires using advanced engineering commands. We will need to engage HPE MSA engineering team to perform the steps. Please log a support case for assistance in this regard.

[JupiterMangue]

I had already done that. I called HP support, they sent me the e-mail and regional partners who didn't respond. I have called and sent emails to other regional partners on different countries. Many have not replied to my emails, some calls will not go through, and one of them just closed my case for reasons I still don't know. 

Recently, after writing this post, I have been reached by HP support, and they told me they have opened a ticket for me. I will see if this time I get somebody to actually look and work on my issue

[ArunKKR]

Hi, My response was for the ticket number you received. You would need to call the support team and log a hardware break fix case to receive support from HPE MSA engineering team.

[JupiterMangue]

I called support again, gave them the case number, then they created a new case for me. Then again, they sent me the same numbers and e-mail of the regional partners who are not replying to calls or emails. Now, I am again in the same spot, looking to see if any other partners in the region reply to my e-mails to assist with my case. 

[JupiterMangue]

HPE closed my case. I received no help from them, I received no help from the partners they recommended. Most probably the wors support experience I have had in all my IT career. I am thinking about replacing all my HP equipment in the region as soon as I get a chance. 

[JupiterMangue · Accepted solution]

OK, I received no help at all from HPE or their regional partners, but I was able clear the metadata from the disks following the process below. I have to make it clear, that it did not work 100% all the time. I had to do many iterations, and sometimes I had to wait 24 hours before I was able to get it to work again.

With the MSA turned ON, and the disk inserted:

1. Remove the disk
2. Count to 10 or wait for 10 seconds
3. Insert the disk back. The green light will start blinking
4. As soon as the orange light turns ON and the green light goes OFF, remove the disk before the green light turns ON again
5. Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 five (5) times for each disk
6. You know this has worked if after the last iteration, the orange light turns ON, and it stays that way. The green light will be OFF at this point

You should now be able to log in to the web interface or the console and clear the metadata on the disks that have the orange lights turned ON. If some of the disks with the orange light turned ON fail to clear the metadata, just remove the disks and put them back. They should still have the orange light ON; try to clear the metadata again, and this time it should work.