raid 1 partition lost after rebuild

[Fa3ien]

Hello...

I have a computer with an Asus MB which has a built-in SIL3114 sata-raid
interface. I use it in raid 1 mode, having 2 mirrored disks. Primary
partition is C, system, and secondary partition is E, files.

OS is Windows Server 2003 SBS.

It's been running well for 2 years, until it started recently to produce
Blue Screens Of Death, which I tracked down to a problem with the raid array.

At boot time, I can access to a raid control panel, which told me something like :
- disk 1 : CURRENT
- disk 2 : rebuild

In the main menu, there is an option to "rebuild raid1 set", so I took my chance...
The thing said "copying" (I assume it was copying "current" onto the other)...
It rebooted and...

MISERY ! The "E" partition was empty. All my files vanished ! The partition
was there, but empty. Partition "C", though, was intact.

Can someone explain me what happened ? Why E was wiped, and why C wasn't ?

Well, the Blue Screens have dissapeared, and I had a backup for E, so, no
great panic, but, still, WHY ? HOW ?

I'm having a hard time finding correct information about raid diagnostic, and
especially what to do in case of a failure... SIL, which is the main source
for affordable raid interfaces documents quite badly its products... (when
it's documented at all). I'm slightly frightened of what could happen and
what could I do in a more critical situation...

Fabien.

 

[Arno Wagner]

Hello...

I have a computer with an Asus MB which has a built-in SIL3114 sata-raid
interface. I use it in raid 1 mode, having 2 mirrored disks. Primary
partition is C, system, and secondary partition is E, files.

OS is Windows Server 2003 SBS.

It's been running well for 2 years, until it started recently to produce
Blue Screens Of Death, which I tracked down to a problem with the raid array.

At boot time, I can access to a raid control panel, which told me something like :
- disk 1 : CURRENT
- disk 2 : rebuild

In the main menu, there is an option to "rebuild raid1 set", so I took my chance...
The thing said "copying" (I assume it was copying "current" onto the other)...
It rebooted and...

MISERY ! The "E" partition was empty. All my files vanished ! The partition
was there, but empty. Partition "C", though, was intact.

Can someone explain me what happened ? Why E was wiped, and why C wasn't ?

Well, the Blue Screens have dissapeared, and I had a backup for E, so, no
great panic, but, still, WHY ? HOW ?

I'm having a hard time finding correct information about raid diagnostic, and
especially what to do in case of a failure... SIL, which is the main source
for affordable raid interfaces documents quite badly its products... (when
it's documented at all). I'm slightly frightened of what could happen and
what could I do in a more critical situation...

Fabien.

I don't think the RAID is the source of the problem (although a
RAID controller that does not have a clear user interface and
good documentation is more than useless). If it wiped data, it
should have wiped the whole disks. More likely the crashes are
the reason your partition seems empty. Microsoft is notoriously
unreliable handling filesystems (and why anybody put up with
that is a mystery to me....). Look a bit thtrough the archives of
this group. Numerous people had the same problem (partition under
windows suddenly seems empty). You will find numerous things you
can do in the answering posts.

Arno

 

[Fa3ien]

Arno Wagner a écrit :

I don't think the RAID is the source of the problem (although a
RAID controller that does not have a clear user interface and
good documentation is more than useless).

Can you recommend RAID controller manufacturers who do it right ?

If it wiped data, it
should have wiped the whole disks.

That's what I thought...

More likely the crashes are
the reason your partition seems empty. Microsoft is notoriously
unreliable handling filesystems (and why anybody put up with
that is a mystery to me....).

At the time (2 years ago) we choose the system, time constraints
led use to choose a Windows server. I hope I'll be able to replace
it by something more modular, open and reliable, someday...

Look a bit thtrough the archives of
this group. Numerous people had the same problem (partition under
windows suddenly seems empty). You will find numerous things you
can do in the answering posts.

That makes sense, at least. I'm gonna check. Thanks.

Fabien.

 

[Arno Wagner]

Arno Wagner a écrit :

Can you recommend RAID controller manufacturers who do it right ?

Hmm. Personally I don't like hardware RAID, since you need
a spare controller and they are all limited one way or the
other. And they are too expensive for their performance, unless
you go to the high end. I use Limux software RAID.

However I have heard good things about 3ware controllers.

That's what I thought...

At the time (2 years ago) we choose the system, time constraints
led use to choose a Windows server. I hope I'll be able to replace
it by something more modular, open and reliable, someday...

Well, Windows is easy at the beginning, but the problems never stop.
Unix is the otehr way round: E.g. Linux servers continue working
unmaintained for years (personal best uptime so far: 400 days).

That makes sense, at least. I'm gonna check. Thanks.

No problem.

Arno

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

Hmm. Personally I don't like hardware RAID, since you need
a spare controller and they are all limited one way or the other.

And they are too expensive for their performance,

Some would say, you get what you pay for.
So babblebot, what exactly is the cost of performance.

unless you go to the high end.

At which point performance (be)comes very cheap all op a sudden.
As always, babblebot, you make so much sense. It's almost frightning.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

So where is D: ?

I don't think

You never do, babblebot, since it makes your head hurt.

the RAID is the source of the problem (although a RAID
controller that does not have a clear user interface and
good documentation is more than useless).

If it wiped data, it should have wiped the whole disks.

Nonsense. There is no such wiping.
Obviously it depends on what was wrong with the mirror.
If the mirror had it's directory area deleted/missing and the rebuild
was done from the mirror, then that's what the end result will look like.

More likely the crashes are the reason your partition seems empty.
Microsoft is notoriously unreliable handling filesystems (and why
anybody put up with that is a mystery to me....).

Pity the partitions were OK before the rebuild, you clueless troll.
If they weren't, he wouldn't be here asking what happened as it
would have been crystal clear what had happened and he wouldn't be questioning from where to where the rebuild went and he wouldn't
be
so surprised *after* the rebuild of his data vanished all of a sudden.

Look a bit thtrough the archives of this group. Numerous people had
the same problem (partition under windows suddenly seems empty).

Nonsense.
Lately there have been one or two posts about missing directories,
but not empty partitions/drives.
Missing drives or unrecognized drives are more common.

You will find numerous things you can do in the answering posts.

Arno

Kloolusidjut.