Initialization Issue

[Tim Yarber]

We have a Fiber Channel JBOD for a backup solution connected to a Compaq 66/64bit FC PCI controller. O/S is Server 2003 running on a ML370 G3.

What is happening is that the disk wont initialize and the only error I get is suppose to be recorded in the event log.

This JBOD solution was working at one time with 7 36Gb FC drive in it. We needed to upgrade the capacity. So we put 7 67Gb FC Drives in it. The controller we had for it was a qlogic 2100 (I think). Anyways when we changed the drives over they wouldn't initialize through disk management. Eventually we got this newer controller (made in 1999 lol), but it was suppose to be compatilble with server 2003.

Thats where I'm at now, JBOD with 7 67Gb FC drives that won't initialize and very little help researching the problem over that last 2 months. Not much on google/google groups to be found about this...


Any help would be much appreciated...

[Brian_Murdoch]

Hi Tim,

Is the external disk enclosure an older Compaq/HP model e.g. an RA4100? Is it a third-party one?

I will await your reply before giving any further advice but if it's an RA4100 there is some hope to get it all working.

Regards,

Brian

[Tim Yarber]

Well the JBOD enclosure is definitly a third party manufactuer. The disk are Hitachi 72Gb FC drives and the controller is Compaq. The thing is this worked no problem with the 36Gb drives, matter of fact I pluged one back in to see if it wouldn't initialize, and it did no problem. I'm really just trying to narrow the source of the problem down. I think its not the controller b/c it didn't initialize with the qlogic in there before the Compaq. Its possible its the drives (this is my guess) b/c they were puchaced off of ebay and for all we know they all were fried. Going to do some more stand alone test on the drives for sure.

[Brian_Murdoch]

Tim,

You might have some success with DISKPART.EXE (Part of 2000 and 2003).

Sometimes manufacturers disks have a small 8Mb partition which needs to be cleared before they can be used. (This happened with Compaq hot-plug drives when used for non-raid mirroring to replace a faulty disk).

Use DISKPART (Start-Run-Diskpart) and list the disks. You may be able to select the disks in question and use the CLEAN command to clear any configuration held on the disk to make it accesible again. Use HELP at the DISKPART prompt or the following Microsoft link for more information.

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

I hope this helps.

Brian

[Tim Yarber]

Its worth a shot, thanks a bunch. Ill let you know what comes of it all.


Tim