Trying to recover data from failed Wide Ultra 320 SCSI Hard Drive

[droctogon]

I have a HP Proliant Ml 350 G2, with 3 36.4 GB 15,000 RPM SCSI Wide Ultra320 LVD drives. The HD in tray 2 has failed and I am trying to recover data from that HD. But am unsure exactly what would be the best steps to do so.

Any information regarding this would be immensly appreciated.

[Trygve Henriksen]

PErsonally, I'd insert the right tape into the tape drive and do a restore, but if that's not an option...

Failed as in?

Rattling/clunking noise?
- If so, forget it unless you want to pay someone like IBAS to do it. Mechanical defects tends to get worse the more you mess with it, so doing an attempt to recover yourself will just make the Pros job more difficult/expensive.

Completely dead?
- Theoretically, ripping the circuitboard from an IDENTICAL drive and transplanting it should bring it back to life.
(Not just manufacturer, size and model must be the same. They REALLY should be from the same job lot, too, to be certain they're using the exact same sub-revision circuits)
But frankly, a good recovery company is still a better choice.

A failed filesystem, though, can be recovered from using tools you can buy online.
(I have had good experience with FileRescue Professional, with among other things physically damaged MemoryStics and SD-cards, but haven't tried it on SCSI drives, yet.)

If you could post a more accurate description, we might be able to give better advice.

[Michael A. McKenney]

If the drive failed, Ontrack can recover it. It will cost $2000-$5000. I would restore from your last backup. If you don't have a last backup with current data, Ontrack.

http://www.ontrackdatarecovery.com/

[droctogon]

Hey guys,

I bought a replacement drive for the bad one. I inserted it into the server, I guess I have to create a new logical drive... If I do create a new logical drive / raid configuration will this delete all the data that was still on the good drive that was raided with the drive that failed?

[droctogon]

Well the server will not boot to windows, it says that Hard Drive in Tray 2 has failed. I have replaced that bad drive with an exact model of hp hard drive. Now it is saying that the hard drive configuration has changed and I need to run the raid utility. But I am certain if I raid the previous drive that was raided with the one that failed to this replacement drive that it will remove all of my data.

[Ali]

Hi There,

It is important to know the raid configuration before we advice the next steps.

What is the controller that you have on this server.

If you have smart array controller then boot from Smartstart CD and launch ACU (Array configuration utility) and check the logical drive status.

Possibilities are you may be able to retrieve the data if you have Raid setup and it's not completely failed

thanks,
Aftab

[droctogon]

Hey the raid config was setup as RAID 5, there are 3 disks on the server, with one going bad. The Smart array controller was 641.

[droctogon]

My logical drive status shows

logical drive #1, raid 5, 67.8 gb, failed.


When I insert the replacement hd disk, it doesn't see any logical drive setup and wants me to create a new one....

[Ali · Accepted solution]

Hi,

thanks for providing the info.

If logical drive has failed, there isn't much that we can do. you might have lost everthing.

However, sometime due to some issue with the firmware, hard drive or logical drive itself it may not recongised the other drive.. thereby raid will fail.

Raid 5 can sustain 1 hard drive failure and logical drive should go on recovery mode. but in your case it is showing as failed.

If you really concerned about the data which might have been lost due to logical drive failure, contact some data recovery company, they have some tools which can recover data even from broken hard drive.

coming to troubleshooting this issue further... you may try few steps.. you might be so lucky if this comes back.

1. shutdown the server completely. (remove the power and network cables also)
2. now reseat all the hard drives and make sure there are positioned in their orginal slot.
3. put the failed hard drive back in if you still have it... else put the replacement drive.
4. plug all the cables and switch on the server and observe if you get any message about logical drive... like F1 or F2 options.
If it asks you to start the recovery process... please do


share your observations

hope this helps,

thanks
Aftab

[droctogon]

Thanks for the quick response.

How do I update the firmware if I can not get the system to boot to windows, much less boot to disk?

This actually did allow something different to happen when I did this procedure. At the moment the server started recognizing the the Array I clicked F2 and it asked did I want to disable logical drives or continue into a safe mode.

[droctogon]

Going to explore my options from that point, will reply with what I find.

[Ali]

great...

you are getting there...

This actually did allow something different to happen when I did this procedure. At the moment the server started recognizing the the Array I clicked F2 and it asked did I want to disable logical drives or continue into a safe mode.

please write the exact message that you got...

only option that you should choose is Safe mode (recovery mode) this will allow you to rebuild the array and you would be able to boot to operating system and recover your data. other option will disable the logical drive and it will not boot to OS.

for more clarity, share the Array diagnostic report... I wanted to check whether it has started the rebuild process after choosing the safe mode options.

thanks
Aftab

[droctogon]

I'm not getting anywhere from here. I selected the F2 option to "to continue in interim recovery mode" and it continues to do as it does before. It goes to another screen where it attempts to boot from HD, CD Rom, Diskette, and eventually NIC, where it goes into an infinite loop of wanting to reboot the server...

Can I create a new logical drive using the new HD with the older drive that didn't fail and not lose all of my data?

This server also came with a third spare drive, can I raid my new drive with the 3rd spare drive and specify my drive with previous data as a spare and later recover the data once I reinstall the OS?

[droctogon]

The logical Drive status now shows that it is in Interim Recovery Mode,

slot 0 shows ok
slot 1 shows ok
slot 2 (the failed drive) doesnt show a status at all...

Should I replace this with good drive?

Also even though it is in Interim recovery, the system is still in an infinite reboot loop. If I exit the array configuration screen the system will go through the same process of screens and try reboot itself.

[droctogon]

The hard disk in tray 0 is now blinking all 3 lights on the front of the tray. The HD in tray 1 is solid green, while the HD in tray 2 is solid orange (the failed drive).

[Ali]

that's actually a good news...

You logical drive is not failed.. it has been changed from failed to recovery mode.

So your data is intact and still have chance to recover your data.

now you have another problem that it is not booting to Operating system.

it could be becoz of two reasons..
1. OS corruption
2. Boot controller order changed.

so check the boot controller order in system bios and make sure your raid controller is selected as 1st boot controller.

If boot controller order is fine and logical gets initialized during post with the message interim recovery mode, then run the repair option from windows CD to repair your corrupt OS.

About replacing the faulty drive...

Open the Array configuration utility and check the raid status.
select the drive which is showing as failed in ACU and you would notice that LED illimunated on that drive... identify and replace the faulty drive.
it should automatically rebuild the drive and you should see the message.. if it does not then reboot the server.

thanks
Aftab

[Ali]

hold all other activities/thought for sometime.

we need to rebuild the replacement drive and your raid status should change to OK.

then we can perform other activities like upgrading the system bios and controller firmware etc. offline.

[droctogon]

Ok more news, I replaced the bad drive with the good one into Tray 2, and when I rebooted and the server finally initialized the Array, it asked if I wanted "to continue with recovering data to drives click F1" or "continue without restoring data to drives F2", bad thing is after about 10 seconds after I click F1 "to continue restoring data to drives" it still moves me over to the boot screen where it goes through the boot order CD Rom, HD, Diskette...

and eventually to the NIC, where it goes into an infinite reboot cycle...

Should I move to a bios screen or something to keep it from doing that? Will the drives restore in the background while I am in another screen?

[droctogon]

Currently I have the server setting on a bios screen. The drive in tray 0 is still blinking all 3 leds...

Tray 1 is solid green but with a sporadically blinking arrow green arrow light.

Tray 2 is doing the same. It look as if that arrow is to signify activity or if the drives are writing.

But I'm not sure why Tray 0 is blinking all 3 led's...

[Ali]

HI there,

Please be patient!

You have two issues.

1. 1 hard drive failed and raid is degraded.
2. It is also not booting to OS.

so we are working on the first problem.

Open the Array Configuration and check whether rebuild process is started and what is the progress...

If rebuild process is not started then you might not have pressed key on time... power cycle the server and press the F1 key which is to start recovery process (rebuilding)

once this is initiated... it will run in background.. you can open the ACU and watch the status.

So we shall wait for rebuild to take place first then we would troubleshoot operating system issue..

thanks
Aftab

[Ali]

your responses are very fast :) by the time I compose my message your response is already in... I appreciate that.

YOur response...
Currently I have the server setting on a bios screen. The drive in tray 0 is still blinking all 3 leds...

Tray 1 is solid green but with a sporadically blinking arrow green arrow light.

Tray 2 is doing the same. It look as if that arrow is to signify activity or if the drives are writing.

But I'm not sure why Tray 0 is blinking all 3 led's..."

this is absolutely normal...
when you open the array configuratiion all the hard drive LEDs blinks.
and green arrow LED represents rebuilding status... so I guess it has started rebuilding the drives.. however you may track the progress from ACU...

thanks again

[Ali]

Hi,

Thanks for being so patient!

We need to monitor the rebuilding process. hope your server is running on UPS and have enough backup.

Rebuilding generally takes 10-15 mins per GB. so depending on the no of hard drives, raid levels and other controller settings, it will decide as how much is required to rebuild.

Once rebuild process is completed and Raid status turns OK, We need to check the other problem.

Steps to troubleshoot the other issue " Not booting to Operating system"

1. check the boot controller order in system bios or in Controller bios (ORCA) and make your smart array controller is selected as a first boot controller.

2. Also check the boot order, make sure no floppy or CD disk inside.

3. still no luck... boot the system from the original operating system disk (the one which was used to install operating system previously on this server)

4. Run the windows setup and choose REPAIR option... this will not erase anything rather will reinstall and repair all the corrupted/damaged OS files including mbr without formatting the partition.

5. disconnect all other devices like tape drive, external extorage box etc... while performing these steps.

6. once everything is setup and you are back in windows, verify your data and back it up to ensure proper backup.

7. now you may plan to update the server with the latest driver and firmware.

I may not be around for sometime... but please be patient and follow the steps to fix the issue....

I will respond to your post the moment I am available

Thanks.
Aftab

[droctogon]

Thank you very much for all of your help. Although I don't see a progress bar or anything like that, I will leave the server on, and on the array controller screen until tomorrow. I'll be sure to post if it is a success or if I run into any more issues.

Thanks again.

[Michael A. McKenney]

If RAID 5, set the new drive as a global spare. See if RAID 5 rebuilds. If it does not, do the firmware as last resort. It could cause issues upgrading firmware on a downed RAID array. Ontrack does recover RAID arrays. Mark the drive order for them if possible. They are not cheap but they can recover your data.

[Ali]

Hi there,

Hope we have some progress..!

thanks
Aftab