I need assistance in trying to reconnect/recreate my RAID arrays on an Exchange Server. I think what I need most is to find out from the existing HDDs (undamaged) what the size and stripe configurations are so that I can exactly recreate the arrays without Initializing the arrays, and hope that I can then boot the machine.
S5000VSA / S5000VSASATA. Does contain the RAID-5 key/dongle, but RAID-5 not in use, only using RAID-1 feature.
The original arrays were built circa 2008. Port 0 has Disk "A" -- Port 1 has a DVD -- Port 2 has Disk "B". Together Port 0 and 2 are RAID-1 Array 0. Port 3 is vacant. Port 4 has Disk "C" -- Port 5 has Disk "D". Together these are RAID-1 Array 1. Array 0 (C: Drive) contains Windows 2003 Server (64-bit) OS and MS Exchange, etc. Array 1 is a "data disk" and the Exchange Information Stores are on Array 1 (D: Drive).
The arrays started out on 4 identical 500GB HDDs. Over the years, each of these HDDs was, individually, replaced when they failed, by removing the old drive, inserting the new drive into a vacant port, and adding it as a Hot Spare, at which point of course the Rebuild would begin. As we know, the replacement disk had to be as big or bigger than the failed drive. Over time, with replacements, the original drive partitions have remained the same but the disks are now A=750GB and B,C,D=1TB drives. So, I have a partition that is smaller than the physical drive it rests on.
Does anyone know how I can examine Disks A and C to find out the correct parameters to specify when I try to recreate the logical disks ? I think I need the EXACT Size in MB and the Stripe size to use. As I understand it, if I can get these right, save the Configuration, then reboot, the controller should recognize correctly the disks/arrays and let me boot as per normal processes.
The drives themselves are, as far as I know, undamaged. The server board somehow erased its knowledge of the arrays during a reboot when I was trying to add a 5th HDD to the system.
Mainly I need to attempt to put the array back in touch with the motherboard's knowledge of the LDs.
Also, would appreciate any recommendations on what software to use to clone Disks A,B,C,D onto E,F,G,H and experiment with cloned versions not the original disks.
Any guidance would be much appreciated.