Raid 5 failure - please help

Admiral Huddy · 09-02-2009, 10:40

First time for me..

I have a screen showing that RAID-5 has failed. Continuing the startup process I then get a black screen stating "disk read error".

The system won't boot.

Being RAID-5, I would have thought this would have just downgraded to a single disk config, reporting the disk in error?

My questions are:

1. How can I determine which disk is in error?
2. How can I recover from this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Daz · 09-02-2009, 10:47

RAID-5 must be at least 3 disks, if you're down to a single disk then you're buggered.

The RAID controller software/BIOS will tell you which disk has failed - first thing remove that disk and try a boot with the degraded 2 disk array.

Admiral Huddy · 09-02-2009, 11:01

Thanks Daz, That's the point, It just says RAID 5 has a status of FAILED during post but doesn't say which disk.

Then it continues to say "disk read error" with no clue as to what has failed. It's going to be pretty unlikely that 2 disk have failed. I'm wondering if it's the parity disk that's failed.

??

Daz · 09-02-2009, 11:09

There will be some sort of key combination to get into the controller BIOS - it should spit out that combination when the controller posts (CTRL+A, CTRL+D - could be anything). You need to get into the controller to see what's going on.

LeperousDust · 09-02-2009, 11:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Admiral Huddy

Thanks Daz, That's the point, It just says RAID 5 has a status of FAILED during post but doesn't say which disk.

Then it continues to say "disk read error" with no clue as to what has failed. It's going to be pretty unlikely that 2 disk have failed. I'm wondering if it's the parity disk that's failed.

??

RAID5 doesn't have a parity disk, it interleaves parity throughout. Press something like F5/F11 etc... before your computer even tries to boot from a hard drive.

Admiral Huddy · 09-02-2009, 11:40

Edit - ok you ar correct..

http://www.easeus.com/resource/raid5.htm

Mark · 09-02-2009, 11:59

Yup, as Daz said, try things like Ctrl+A, Ctrl+D, etc. This is the one big reason why RAID is not a backup solution.

Admiral Huddy · 09-02-2009, 12:58

The chap has backups thanksfully.

Ok, I'm going to run the Samsung HDD check on each of the drives later today. Assuming I find the faulty drive, it should be a case of just replacement and the system will correct itself, right?

Dr. Z · 09-02-2009, 13:05

Depends on the controller. You *need* to get into the controller's menu (assuming its a proper RAID card and not a windows fakeraid arrangement) and see what the score is.

Do you know what model of card it is? It is SCSI/SAS yeah?

Admiral Huddy · 09-02-2009, 13:09

It's just an onboard ICH9R controller.

09-02-2009, 10:40	#1
Admiral Huddy HOMO-Sapien Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chelmsford Posts: 6,692	Raid 5 failure - please help First time for me.. I have a screen showing that RAID-5 has failed. Continuing the startup process I then get a black screen stating "disk read error". The system won't boot. Being RAID-5, I would have thought this would have just downgraded to a single disk config, reporting the disk in error? My questions are: 1. How can I determine which disk is in error? 2. How can I recover from this? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks __________________ I just got lost in thought.. It was very unfamiliar territory. Techie Talk \| My gaming Blog \| PC spec \| The Admirals log

09-02-2009, 10:47	#2
Daz The Stig Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Swad! Posts: 10,713	RAID-5 must be at least 3 disks, if you're down to a single disk then you're buggered. The RAID controller software/BIOS will tell you which disk has failed - first thing remove that disk and try a boot with the degraded 2 disk array. __________________ apt-get moo

09-02-2009, 11:01	#3
Admiral Huddy HOMO-Sapien Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chelmsford Posts: 6,692	Thanks Daz, That's the point, It just says RAID 5 has a status of FAILED during post but doesn't say which disk. Then it continues to say "disk read error" with no clue as to what has failed. It's going to be pretty unlikely that 2 disk have failed. I'm wondering if it's the parity disk that's failed. ?? __________________ I just got lost in thought.. It was very unfamiliar territory. Techie Talk \| My gaming Blog \| PC spec \| The Admirals log

09-02-2009, 11:09	#4
Daz The Stig Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Swad! Posts: 10,713	There will be some sort of key combination to get into the controller BIOS - it should spit out that combination when the controller posts (CTRL+A, CTRL+D - could be anything). You need to get into the controller to see what's going on. __________________ apt-get moo

09-02-2009, 11:40	#6
Admiral Huddy HOMO-Sapien Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chelmsford Posts: 6,692	Edit - ok you ar correct.. http://www.easeus.com/resource/raid5.htm __________________ I just got lost in thought.. It was very unfamiliar territory. Techie Talk \| My gaming Blog \| PC spec \| The Admirals log Last edited by Admiral Huddy; 09-02-2009 at 11:45.

09-02-2009, 11:59	#7
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Yup, as Daz said, try things like Ctrl+A, Ctrl+D, etc. This is the one big reason why RAID is not a backup solution.

09-02-2009, 12:58	#8
Admiral Huddy HOMO-Sapien Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chelmsford Posts: 6,692	The chap has backups thanksfully. Ok, I'm going to run the Samsung HDD check on each of the drives later today. Assuming I find the faulty drive, it should be a case of just replacement and the system will correct itself, right? __________________ I just got lost in thought.. It was very unfamiliar territory. Techie Talk \| My gaming Blog \| PC spec \| The Admirals log

09-02-2009, 13:05	#9
Dr. Z I'm going for a scuttle... Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,021	Depends on the controller. You need to get into the controller's menu (assuming its a proper RAID card and not a windows fakeraid arrangement) and see what the score is. Do you know what model of card it is? It is SCSI/SAS yeah? __________________

09-02-2009, 13:09	#10
Admiral Huddy HOMO-Sapien Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chelmsford Posts: 6,692	It's just an onboard ICH9R controller. __________________ I just got lost in thought.. It was very unfamiliar territory. Techie Talk \| My gaming Blog \| PC spec \| The Admirals log