Help! Dynamic Disk Failed

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Mulan

Win2003 server with dynamic disks that "failed", and became unreadable
according to the Disk Management console. The actual partition (E:) has
disappeared altogether, and it contains critical data..

(Microsoft Knowledge Base) Article ID : 236086
talks about changing the partition system ID to a type 0x42, and then
using regedit to check the registry for correct dmboot, dnload and dmio
values.

In the event viewer I found

Event ID 3 -- dmboot : Failed to start volume Volume4 (E:)

Event ID 30 - dmio: Harddisk3 write error at block 1562...


My question is : how do you change the system ID type of a partition?
(Microsoft article 236086 doesn't explain this)

Is there a way to repair this disk/volume so it becomes readable again?

Thanks a lot in advance.
 
To make things more clear this is how the disks appear under Disk
Management:

[the first 2 physical disks were mirrored]
Disk 0 - Dynamic - Online - Failed Redundancy (C: (system)/D: partitions)
Disk 1 - Dynamic -Unreadable -Failed Redundancy (C:/D: partitions)

[the next 2 were part of a spanned volume (E:), made up of 3 partitions]
Disk 2 -Dynamic -Online - Failed (2 partitions)
Disk 3 -Dynamic -Unreadable -Failed (1 partitions)

Disk 4 -Dynamic - Online- Healthy
Disk 5 -Dynamic - Online -Healthy


The data I'm hoping to recover is on the spanned volume E:, (spanning disks
2 and 3). I've used dmdiag to check for the partition types in the MBR's and
they already seem to be 0x42, signifying dynamic volumes.

I'm at a loss as to what to do next to make the spanned volume readable.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Mulan said:
Win2003 server with dynamic disks that "failed", and became unreadable
according to the Disk Management console. The actual partition (E:) has
disappeared altogether, and it contains critical data..

(Microsoft Knowledge Base) Article ID : 236086
talks about changing the partition system ID to a type 0x42, and then
using regedit to check the registry for correct dmboot, dnload and dmio
values.

In the event viewer I found

Event ID 3 -- dmboot : Failed to start volume Volume4 (E:)

Event ID 30 - dmio: Harddisk3 write error at block 1562...


My question is : how do you change the system ID type of a partition?
(Microsoft article 236086 doesn't explain this)

Is there a way to repair this disk/volume so it becomes readable again?

Thanks a lot in advance.
Click to expand...

AFAIK there is no reliable way to recover damaged partitions
on a dynamic disk. You should restore your data from your
backup medium.

You can set the type of any partition by booting the machine
with a Win98 boot disk (www.bootdisk.com), then running
ptedit.exe. The change is reversible as long as you make a
careful note of where you changed things and what they were
before the change. Whether this will restore your data is
another question. You can get ptedit.exe from here:
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/tools/pq/utilities/
 
Mulan,

First of all, ensure you have backups of all the data you can access !

Second, you need to open a call with MS PSS. They might be able to
recover/restore the LDM (dynamic disk database) which might bring your
dynamic spanned volume on line. IF this is possible you still need to figure
out if you have data corruption or not.

Furthermore, if your data disks are on a SAN; ensure your system disk is
Basic and your data disks (on SAN) are dynamic. or the otherway around. But
do not have both system disk and data disk dynamic.
Please follow the best practices for dynamic disk
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816307

Last, I like to recommend that you use a Hardware RAID controller for your
system disk, in stead of software RAID. You should be able to pick up a
cheap / basic RAID controller for your system. Hardware RAID is highly (!!)
recommended over software RAID.

Rgds,
Edwin.


Mulan said:
To make things more clear this is how the disks appear under Disk
Management:

[the first 2 physical disks were mirrored]
Disk 0 - Dynamic - Online - Failed Redundancy (C: (system)/D: partitions)
Disk 1 - Dynamic -Unreadable -Failed Redundancy (C:/D: partitions)

[the next 2 were part of a spanned volume (E:), made up of 3 partitions]
Disk 2 -Dynamic -Online - Failed (2 partitions)
Disk 3 -Dynamic -Unreadable -Failed (1 partitions)

Disk 4 -Dynamic - Online- Healthy
Disk 5 -Dynamic - Online -Healthy


The data I'm hoping to recover is on the spanned volume E:, (spanning disks
2 and 3). I've used dmdiag to check for the partition types in the MBR's and
they already seem to be 0x42, signifying dynamic volumes.

I'm at a loss as to what to do next to make the spanned volume readable.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.



Mulan said:
Win2003 server with dynamic disks that "failed", and became unreadable
according to the Disk Management console. The actual partition (E:) has
disappeared altogether, and it contains critical data..

(Microsoft Knowledge Base) Article ID : 236086
talks about changing the partition system ID to a type 0x42, and then
using regedit to check the registry for correct dmboot, dnload and dmio
values.

In the event viewer I found

Event ID 3 -- dmboot : Failed to start volume Volume4 (E:)

Event ID 30 - dmio: Harddisk3 write error at block 1562...


My question is : how do you change the system ID type of a partition?
(Microsoft article 236086 doesn't explain this)

Is there a way to repair this disk/volume so it becomes readable again?

Thanks a lot in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Edwin vMierlo said:
Last, I like to recommend that you use a Hardware RAID controller for your
system disk, in stead of software RAID. You should be able to pick up a
cheap / basic RAID controller for your system. Hardware RAID is highly
(!!)
recommended over software RAID.
Click to expand...

Well, if a hardware RAID fails chances are that you can not get a
replacement same type/build and that as a resukt the current array will be
inacessible. You do not have this problem with software RAID so depending on
view recommendations may vary. If you pick RAID controller better buy 2
immediately.

Joep
 
Mulan said:
Win2003 server with dynamic disks that "failed", and became unreadable
according to the Disk Management console. The actual partition (E:) has
disappeared altogether, and it contains critical data..
Click to expand...

Critical data should always be backed up and never be on a spanned volume
(even when backed up).
(Microsoft Knowledge Base) Article ID : 236086
talks about changing the partition system ID to a type 0x42, and then
using regedit to check the registry for correct dmboot, dnload and dmio
values.
Click to expand...

That will not get you anywhere since the spanned volume.
In the event viewer I found

Event ID 3 -- dmboot : Failed to start volume Volume4 (E:)

Event ID 30 - dmio: Harddisk3 write error at block 1562...


My question is : how do you change the system ID type of a partition?
(Microsoft article 236086 doesn't explain this)
Click to expand...

Forget that. Only will help you recover a simple volume.

If MS can't help and no backups in place then:

Seen the write error I suggest you run a disk check at the 'disk level'. The
error may be correctable or you may persuade the disk to reallocate the 'bad
sector'. Initially run a read only scan. Alternatively you can try to
recover individual files with a file recovery tool that allows you to define
virtual arrays.

Joep
 
Joep,

I can see your (valid) point, but I guess we have to agree that we disagree.

I will pick a Hardware RAID controller over software RAID any day of the
week, and twice on sunday.


rgds,
Edwin.
 
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