Expanding an array without data loss in an (old) ML350 G3 with a Smart Array 5300 controller

[Rodrigo Ventura]

I have an old ML350 G3 server with a Smart Array 5300 controller. I want to expand an array in RAID5 with one more disk (of same size of others in array), but ACU (boot from SmartStart CD) does not give me that option.

I tried recent ACU bootable ISOs, but none seems to work (boot failure: x86_64 not supported :( -- is there any way of downloading the most recent ACU ISO that works on ML350 G3?

Is there any chance that a firmware upgrade of the controller can allow it to expand arrays?

The crucial question is whether there is an hardware limitation of this smart array controller preventing it to expand arrays without data loss.

Thank you,

Rodrigo Ventura

[EDIT]

Here goes the lspci -v output of this controller:

02:02.0 RAID bus controller: Compaq Computer Corporation Smart Array 5300 Controller (rev 02)
Subsystem: Compaq Computer Corporation Unknown device 4070
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 24
Memory at f7fc0000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K]
Memory at f7e00000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1M]
I/O ports at 3000 [size=256]
[virtual] Expansion ROM at 50100000 [disabled] [size=1M]
Capabilities: [f0] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [f8] Vital Product Data <?>
Kernel modules: cciss

[Skotte]

Hi,

As with most hardware arrays, higher level options ie. expanding  arrays / switching from one raid level to another requires a functioning battery to be present.

HTH

Cheers

Leon