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RAID/Server/Drives/Controller question

MichaelD

MichaelD

Lifer
We have an old server at work (Compaq TaskSmart 2400). It's one of our backup servers. It's running a Compaq-bastardized version of W2K. It's configured:

Onboard SCSI controller has a 2-drive RAID1 mirror for the OS
Three, 15-drive SCSI arrays are attached to a RAID controller in a PCI-X slot.

We've been having some probs with it lately and I want to load W2K3. What I'm planning on doing is:

1. Removing the two current drives with W2K on them. Putting them in the closet.
2. Putting in two other drives, creating a mirror, loading W2K3 on them and test.
3. Assuming W2K3 doesn't fix the issues, I plan on just putting the old drives back in...should be like nothing ever happened, right?

Am I missing something? I won't be disconnecting or fiddling with the PCI-X card that hold the configuration info for the 3 arrays, so that info should be solid, correct?
 
in theory, absolutely correct. As long as the array get shut down properly and the controller doesnt lose it settings in any way (ie a dead battery or whatever), or the arrays dont take a dive during the process, you should be fine.
 
It's running a Compaq-bastardized version of W2K.
Click to expand...

You can say that again. 😎

Sounds like a classic 1/5 server config. Raid 1 for the OS for simplicity and redundancy. Raid 5 for the data array for improved write performance.

You should have no problems with the procedure you want to try with the drive swap.
 
Thanks very much, guys. The server was never originally intended to run everything it's currently running. I mean...3, 15-drive arrays, BUSY arrays on a dinky dual P3/1GB ram box like this? :roll:

The Comcrap version of W2K sure doesn't help things. IMO, a fresh install of W2K3 SP1 will make it a snappy little box. We'll see!

Luckily, we do have the "rescue CD" that the server came with. Basically a bootable image of the OS. Better than nothing.
 
Just wanted to report that the swap went as planned, no issues at all. 🙂 Happily running W2K3SP2 AND it solved the problems we were having.

OEM-bastardized versions of Operating Systems suck big time. :thumbsdown:
 
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