Replacing drives with bigger ones leaves array functional but in non-expandable state

[george-x]

Hello,

I had a 300GB 2-drive raid-1 array. I replaced the 2 drives, one-by-one with 600GB drives. I am left with the following state:

=> controller slot=0 physicaldrive all show

Smart Array P420i in Slot 0 (Embedded)

Array A

physicaldrive 1I:1:1 (port 1I:box 1:bay 1, SAS HDD, 600 GB, OK)
physicaldrive 1I:1:3 (port 1I:box 1:bay 3, SAS HDD, 600 GB, OK)
physicaldrive 1I:1:2 (port 1I:box 1:bay 2, SAS HDD, 0 GB, Failed, auto replace spare)

There is no drive in 1I:1:2 slot.  The OS boots normaly, eveything works fine.

=> controller slot=0 logicaldrive 1 show

Smart Array P420i in Slot 0 (Embedded)

Array A

Logical Drive: 1
Size: 279.37 GB
Fault Tolerance: 1
Heads: 255
Sectors Per Track: 32
Cylinders: 65535
Strip Size: 256 KB
Full Stripe Size: 256 KB
Status: OK
Unrecoverable Media Errors: None
Caching: Enabled
Unique Identifier: 600508B1001CFE82651DA8D3A2AFE1B3
Disk Name: \\.\PhysicalDrive0 (Disk 0) (Bus: 0,Target: 1,Lun: 0)
Mount Points: Offline 50 MB Partition Number 1, C:\ 278.7 GB Partition Number 2
Logical Drive Label: 02CD7181001438027AB1220D446
Mirror Group 1:
physicaldrive 1I:1:1 (port 1I:box 1:bay 1, SAS HDD, 600 GB, OK)
Mirror Group 2:
physicaldrive 1I:1:3 (port 1I:box 1:bay 3, SAS HDD, 600 GB, OK)
Drive Type: Data
LD Acceleration Method: Controller Cache

At some point before replacing the drives, I had given the command:

controller slot=0 array A add spares=allunassigned sparetype=autoreplace

When i try to expand the logicaldrive:

=> controller slot=0 logicaldrive 1 modify size=max

Warning: Extension may not be supported on certain operating systems.
Performing extension on these operating systems can cause data to
become inaccessible. See SSA documentation for details. Continue?
(y/n) y

Error: This operation is not supported with the current configuration. Use the
"show" command on devices to show additional details about the
configuration.
Reason: Array status not ok

I cannot figure out how to remove the entry for the non-existent drive from this array, so I can proceed with the expansion.

Thank you

[george-x]

More information:

=> controller slot=0 array A show

Smart Array P420i in Slot 0 (Embedded)
Array: A
Interface Type: SAS
Unused Space: 572447 MB (50.01%)
Used Space: 558.73 GB (49.99%)
Status: Failed Physical Drive
Array Type: Data
Spare Type: autoreplace
Smart Path: disable

Warning: One of the drives on this array have failed or has been removed.

[Croweb]

Have you tried restarting the server?

* Try "Cold Boot" option from iLO IRC.

Regards,

[thutchings]

Hello,

Was there a spare at the location indicated? If it is expecting a spare at that location then you would likely not get the option to expand/extend. If it is expecting a spare in slot 2, you should be able to modify the configuration and remove any spare. 

Regards

[Sham82]

Hello George,

Please check and update the Controller and Hard Drive's Firmware and drivers.

Reboot the server and check

Regards

HPE

[george-x]

> Try "Cold Boot" option from iLO IRC

Cold boot did not help

Regards

[george-x]

> Was there a spare at the location indicated? 

Yes when i inserted the 1st 600GB disk and before pulling out the 1st 300GB disk, I set that 600GB disk as spare.

> If it is expecting a spare at that location then you would likely not get the option to expand/extend. If it is expecting a spare in slot 2, you should be able to modify the configuration and remove any spare.

Ok I will try to find the command to do that

Thank you

[george-x]

> Please check and update the Controller and Hard Drive's Firmware and drivers

Controller Firmware is the latest. Since the problem comes from a disk that does not exist, I do not think updating the rest of the disks' firmware would help

Regards

[André007]

From my previous experience on an older Smart Array controller if it is missing a spare, you will not be able to do other functions until the spare was replaced. Because you specified the disk to be replaced as a spare, you will need to put an equally sized disk or bigger as the required spare, where thereafter you can delete the spare disk after being recognised.
Then you should be able to do the functions required for the disk expansion.