Reading Raid0 Drives

[Geoff Cloake]

Having ongoing problems with Promise Raid0 with two Matox 80gig 2meg cache NTFS. Always seem to get them running but... Original problem due to corrupt files from system crashes and probably cache losses or paging errors. Most files are 50-200meg images and there are lots - should have gone SCSI! but running three computers on a network.

Set up new system, when tested stable added old raid drives made backup drives (which also fail, can't run one at all at the moment) - Raid has been going ok but still get $Mtf errors after entering folders with corrupt file - but reboot OK. Seems to have problems saving the 'tumbs' file. Have thought about using Windows recovery tools to rebuild the Master FIle Table but don't really know enough about this or the risks. Rather I've plodded on.

Windows XP pro still occassionally fails to show drive icon - Bios, Promise Ulilites R-Studio recognise drives all the time . Updating/reinstalling drivers, and fiddling with Administrative Tools has always got them going again - but once zeroed recent files after Scandisk deleted lost clusters. Still can't delete currupt files or even reformat the drives???

Also hear the drive/s clicking alot (swithing on and off)?. Not as hot as main drives - warm to touch.

But this time no-go - not even shown under Disk Management. R-Studio will still recover files though. Have reset Windows.

HDD driver automatically reinstalls with one called"Promise Stripe 2+0 Raid 0 SCSI Drive Device" begining to wondering this thinks it is looking for SCSI Drives or whether this is just a general name. Don't really know how to install anything different

So now runout of ideas except to buy R-Studio and recover files.

Have just ordered a Matrox 120Gig SATA150 and once transferred files will ditch the raid. Hopefully I can sort out any corrupt files before they stuff up my new drive. In all a big job prospect! Help would really be apprecaited.

[spiderman2]

Sounds like a real mess, I hear promise controllers are not too good.

[BipolarBill]

Really helpful there, Mr. IDE RAID. :rolleyes:

Try breaking the array and examining each drive with the drive maker's diagnostic utility. It sounds like a drive problem.

Update the Promise BIOS if you can. You don't specify onboard vs. PCI card.

Always use identical drives too. Bad sync can cause these problems as well.

[Ankerson]

Also hear the drive/s clicking alot (swithing on and off)?. Not as hot as main drives - warm to touch.


That is the first sign of a drive failing.:(

As BipolarBill said run the Disk Utility.

[Ankerson]

Originally posted by BipolarBill
Really helpful there, Mr. IDE RAID. :rolleyes:




ROFLMAO...:D :D

[BipolarBill]

Sorta one-way, isn't he? I smell a bye-bye! :t

[Ankerson]

should have gone SCSI!

That might be a good option in the future if you want to go that way.

I feel your pain though.

You will have to RMA the bad drive...Drives.:(

[Ankerson]

Originally posted by BipolarBill
Sorta one-way, isn't he? I smell a bye-bye! :t


That seems to be the case...unless I am reading it wrong...

[Ankerson]

Geoff Cloake,

Data recovery is very expensive to say the least.

In the future you might want to get a DVD-r or at least a CDR to backup important files.

What you could do is make one machine a Server, put SCSI HD's in it and a CDR. Drop all your files on the server then backup as needed.

[Geoff Cloake]

Thanks Guys I am getting the Gist.

Its getting a bit late here so will have to look at it again tomorrow.

I assume 'breaking' means reseting the raid on my motherboard (not PCI) back to ATA133 and connecting one drive at time. Becuase of the stipping I really hadn't expected they could run separately

The puzzle is R-Studio Demo can read the directories and restore some of the files (less than 64k).

Any thoughts?

[Ankerson]

Originally posted by Geoff Cloake
Thanks Guys I am getting the Gist.

Its getting a bit late here so will have to look at it again tomorrow.

I assume 'breaking' means reseting the raid on my motherboard (not PCI) back to ATA133 and connecting one drive at time. Becuase of the stipping I really hadn't expected they could run separately

The puzzle is R-Studio Demo can read the directories and restore some of the files (less than 64k).

Any thoughts?


You shouldn't need to disconnect the drives.

But once you break the Array you will loose all the data on both drives. So Save what you can before you do anything.

[Ankerson]

The puzzle is R-Studio Demo can read the directories and restore some of the files (less than 64k).


I haven't had to deal with Data recovery software so I really don't have a good answer for you.

I have always been a firm believer in Tape Drives..CDRS..etc.

[Geoff Cloake]

Fortunately a lot of the data is copied on other drives and over 100Cds Looks like I better get the full fersion of R-Studio to get the last couple of weeks of work off before trying anything more.

Yes I plan to make one machine a Linux server (probably act as a server/gateway for the net too). I'll have another think about SCSI then.

Meanwhile I have to satisfy some clients hence the new SATA150.

[Ankerson]

Yes I plan to make one machine a Linux server

Are you sure you want to open that can of worms..:)

Be careful with Linux...do alot of reading before you make the switch.

Red Hat would be you best option for Linux if you choose to go down that road.

[Geoff Cloake]

I understand your warning - been taking things slowly. Had a good look at the Red Hat manual.

But I kinda don't like the can of worms I've been struggling with for the past two years either.

It seems from other forums there are big issues with XP and (my guess) larger cache/volume drives and they all compound with large files, raid and even some video drivers. (mine are Matrox but ATI Radeon gets most flak). I hear similar problems can occur on even good ol' WIN2000.

Most problems reveal themselves as "delayed write errors" and eventually drive failures- hence my MTF problems. CorelDraw, has problems with XP and I've just found out, seemly more if with more than 520M Ram. Despite an upgrade/service pack it is a major cause of my corrupt files especially when getting low in disk space.- I mean less than 3GIG.

I have had two HDDs replaced under warrantee already with another just gone down and one just put aside as suspect, now maybe another one or two. Also lost one out of warantee. Most are Maxtors but include a seagate and even a WD.

And all this from two different rigs and even WIN98. Getting hard to have a productive day. The most distrubing was retrieving an old backup drive after twelve months to find it unreadable - It was an old WIN 98 OP DISK that was functional, when removed. Also after a CD Writer failure have 30CDs that need CD-Diagnostics recovery software before they can be read.

Otherwise our air does funnying things over here.

Well thats vented - thanks for listening and your advise.

[Ankerson]

With the new drivers that ATI has out the issues with them is nill these days. They are alot better.



CorelDraw, has problems with XP and I've just found out, seemly more if with more than 520M Ram.

Corel Draw has issues with alot of things....but I am not going there.

I would install Win2k and have at it. Less issues, more software works with it.


Linux....

You think you are having Driver and software issues now......

[Ankerson]

Geoff Cloake,

Linux is not the greatest thing sense sliced bread that some will have you believe... :t

You will have a project on your hands.....get a big bottle of Advil....you are going to need it before you are done.


Linux is much better today as it was last year and yes it does get better with every release.

But it is still not really ready for the mainstream yet.

The more people use it the more people find wrong with it. And it is going through the same software and hardware issues that every other OS has had.

And the more software that is written for it the more issues it will have.....

And no it's not more stable than Win 2k or XP Pro.

[Geoff Cloake]

I have purchased R-Studio 2 NFTS and it quickly gets my files off the Raid0. I see it can rebuild the tables and much more, so will give that a try when all is backed up again on the new SATA drive.

Incidently the Disk Administrator is again showing the disk as offline but still won't reactivate it.

So there is life after HHD death. Microsoft lives for another day! (or will that be 'rescued' by SATA) .... Linux can wait.

Thanks for all the comments

[Geoff Cloake]

For the record, R-Studio has recovered most of the files, and finalised which files were corrupt during a recovery procedure. Some were still able to be opened and resaved OK. Nothing critical went bye-bye.

Only one file could not be read and the raid0 drives failed each time I tried, but were OK on reboot.

Now will have a play the raid0 drives and see how well R-Studio rebuilds the MFT and if windows can recognise them again.

Then will run the drive diagnostic on the drives. Hopefully one is still OK. They may be out of warrantee.