RAID 5 server will not boot

I cannot get the server to boot after installing new hard drives.

We are using Acronis True Image Enterprise Server 9.1.

Here is what has taken place:

The server is an HP Proliant ML350 with a Smart Array 641 array controller and running Windows 2000 Server.

The server originally had a RAID 0+1 array consisting of two 36.7 SCSI drives, with two partitions as C and D. The C partition was 8 GB and contained the OS. The D partition was storage.

I used a boot disc (Ultimate Boot CD for Windows) in conjunction with the Acronis plugin to successfully make an image of the entire drive (partitions C and D). The image was saved to a USB hard drive.

I powered-down the server, removed the two 36.7 drives, and installed three new 147 GB SCSI drives. I booted the server using HP's StartSmart disc. I configured the new array as RAID 5. I powered-down the server.

I booted the server using my boot disc and ran Acronis True Image. I successfully restored the image to the new drive - creating two partitions - C and D as before, with C containing the OS files and D as storage.

When I restarted the server, it will not load Windows. The start-up sequence proceeds normally until I reach the point where it is looking at the hard drive for something to boot. I see only a black screen with a blinking cursor.

The on-board ROM utility confirms that the array is set up correctly and that the drives are working correctly. With my boot disc, I can open a file manager and see that the data has been correctly written to the drive.

What is preventing the server from booting Windows? Any help is appreciated.

 

Hello dcfly,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Remote Server Backup Software.

Please be aware that your system does not have the drivers for the RAID installed, so it won't boot. Therefore, please take a look at this previous thread containing the more detailed information on how to transfer your operating system from a simple hard drive to a RAID array.

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov

 

Marat:

Thanks for the reply.

The only thing that's changed are the hard drives and RAID configuration - going from RAID 0+1 (two drives) to RAID 5 (three drives). The OS was already configured with the drivers for SCSI and the RAID controller before imaging. This configuration hasn't changed with the new hard drives. I'm not going from a single drive to a RAID array; I'm going from a RAID 0+1 array to a RAID 5 array.

Thanks for any further help you can provide.

 

I also had the same problem - with the same set up. RAID 1+0 going to 5. Are the drive letters getting written incorrectly? ie - your c: drive is now your d: drive?

 

No, the drive letters are the same.

 

Hello dcfly and wssn00b,

We are sorry for the delayed response.

Please notice that the link I provided is valid for transferring between different types of RAIDs as well.

Please also be aware that RAID 0+1 requires a minimum of four hard drives (see chapter "Nested RAID levels" of this article).

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov

 

Marat:

Thanks again for responding to my question.

I've read the article you suggested but it does not really apply to our situation. The server we are upgrading is running a hardware RAID controller. The OS that we're trying to restore already contains the proper drivers. The OS, in this situation, is not involved in the RAID configuration; changing RAID modes should not keep the OS from booting.

Thanks for any further help you can provide.

 

Well, we've figured out the problem. The original drive was configured as dynamic disk. When Acronis True Image creates an image of a dynamic drive, it does not save the MBR data. Once the image is written back to the new drive (as basic disk), the MBR must be created by some other means in order to boot.

It should be noted that the behavior of other imaging software is similar when dealing with dynamic disks.