Query: smart array: restore a RAID1, p40

[gipsea]

Morning everybody.

I bought a Proliant DL360p gen8 with 2x4TB and array card P401i for home purposes not being fully aware of the complexity of setting up and manage a server machine. I'm not a professional IT.

After ffew try and error cycles, I did set up the machine with RAID1 with a small partition for the OS (ubuntu server) and 2 big partitions, 2TB+1.7TB with the idea of installing some Virtual Machines with qemu.

Along the process, I created some sub partition with the OS which I think started to mess things up with the RAID controller. Am I right, is it feasible or is it wrong procedure? feedbacks welcome

At a certain point, I ended with server showing some RAID error with one of the HDD.

To make it short, despite the server was running I thought to delete the RAID card config and use the HDD as separated without considering that now the smart array process to use any HDD need to erase it. 1 HDD boots up on a regular PC but the partitions are not visible

The question is: Can I restore a RAID configuration starting based on an HDD instead that erase the HDD and start fresh again?

Start fresh it is an option because I have most of the backups.

on the other hand, is there any possibility to start the server with the HDD skipping RAID configuration? Just plugging in the HDD in the bay, it is not seen by the machine at all

Can I "exclude"the raid card and use the HDD setting boot priority at boot time?

Thanks and I hope to have passed enough information otherwise please let me know

Cheers

[support_s]

System recommended content:

1. Redundant Boot Strategy for Software RAID 1 in Linux

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[gipsea]

Hi and thanks for prompt reply.

I checked the documentation. Unfortunately it is usable with an OS already
running or at least a Raid already configured

In my case, there is no more Raid configured and the smart Array manager at
the moment sees 2 available HDD but to use these need to erase/format both
which is what I'm trying to avoid

So far I'm starting the server with a opensuse leap live USB with the hope
to manage the server configs and possibly have more features to re-instate
a RAID from an hard drive.

In other terms, if the RAID card fails, how would you swop the card? How
and if could the new card create a Raid configuration that match the HDD
partitioning?

Thanks again for your help

[Rakshitha_K]

Hi @gipsea ,

To answer your questions,

Along the process, I created some sub partition with the OS which I think started to mess things up with the RAID controller. Am I right, is it feasible or is it wrong procedure? 
Creating a sub partition in OS level will not the affect the RAID configuration.

Can I restore a RAID configuration starting based on an HDD instead that erase the HDD and start fresh again?
You can restore the RAID array created for the OS, keeping the other RAID levels created for data as it is.

Is there any possibility to start the server with the HDD skipping RAID configuration?
You may start the server with the HDD, skipping RAID configuration by switching from 'RAID mode' to 'HBA mode'. Please note that by doing this, the disks will be visible as standalone but RAID won't work and old data on RAID partition will be wiped out.

My suggestions are:

Please diagnose the hard disks-

    a) If there are no issues found:
         * If RAID partitions are working, continue to use.
         * If not reconfigure RAID and install operating system.

    b) If there are faults detected:
         *  Identify the faulty disk and replace it.

Regards,
Rakshitha

[gipsea]

Dear @Rakshitha_K 

thanks for your in depth reply.

About RAID configuration and restoring: I have OS and data in the same HDD but different logical partition. As I said, being a little to optimistic, I removed the HDD from the machine and then deleted the RAID1 array with ll the logical partition. Now I have 1 HDD where the OS partition works but it shows unformatted  the other 3.8TB. For this reason, if I understood ur reply correctly, it is not feasible to delete only the OS RAID (beside the RAID is already deleted)

RAID Mode and HBA Mode: where should I change this setting? worst scenario I think I can still runn a software RAID configuration. regarding the fact of old data on RAID partition, again if I remove the HDD before this change, the HDD will still be working. Correct?

Definetively I'll do some diagnostic on the HDD.

Checking the different configuration of IP and SSA I found that the controller cache is disabled because the backup to flash memory failed. Which flash memory? is it the RAID card gone bad and this is the possible reason of warning and errors?

Cheers