RocketRAID 1820A failing channel

[Njål Fisketjøn]

I bought a new file server in January equipped with a HighPoint RocketRAID 1820A
and 4 WD 2500JD S-ATA disks.

This weekend I lost connection with the server from my other PC's (home
network). When a power off power on didn't help, I connected a monitor and saw
that the RocketRAID BIOS utility started and one disk was missing from the list.
I was given 3 options (Power Off, Destroy, Continue).

After reading through the pages in the user's manual I tried swapping S-ATA
cable, connecting to another channel, trying a WD 250 GB IDE disk with an
attached RocketHead adapter to the failing channel AND a free channel. Today I
bought a new WD 2500JD disk (identical to the initial setup) and tried replacing
the disk connected to the failing channel. Still left with the 3 options.

Using the management software I have tried to click on the "Add disk" button
after selecting my RAID array (RAID_5_0), but I get the error message

"There is no disk can be added to array RAID_5_0"


Anyone experienced something similar? I've run out of ideas.

The server runs fine in "unprotected" mode, BTW, after selecting the "Continue"
option.

 

[spainkd]

I have the exact same problem with the RocketRaid 454 card - broken
RAID 5 and no way to fix it. (the 1820 and the 454 and most of the
other highpoint RAID solutions use the same chip)

I don't know how their chip could have passed quality assurance. I
suppose they never tried testing their RAID 5 recovery but I can't
imagine they're that dumb. I'm hoping they just don't do regression
testing on their product, meaning that RAID recovery's broken in their
latest BIOS but the older versions (which they tested before releasing
the product) might work. I'm going to go back a BIOS level and see
what happens. It it works here, I'll let you know.

BTW, the RAID configuration is stored on the disks themselves, and I'm
guessing so there are no settings to lose when you wipe the card with a
new BIOS. If I lose everything, I'll let you know as well.

KD.

 

[spainkd]

Hi, old bios versions didn't help.

I eventually called and asked tech support for their diagnostic
program, and it showed that my RAID card had a semi-broken channel. I
am replacing the card. You should ask tech support for the same
program and test out your card.

Another thing tech support said was that if the spare is smaller than
the dying drive, even by a single byte, it won't be used. That's not
an option for me as I don't want to buy yet another drive, but perhaps
you should try buying a drive that is a few gigs larger than your
largest drive.

KD.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

Hi, old bios versions didn't help.

I eventually called and asked tech support for their diagnostic
program, and it showed that my RAID card had a semi-broken channel.
I am replacing the card. You should ask tech support for the same
program and test out your card.

Another thing tech support said was that if the spare is smaller than
the dying drive, even by a single byte, it won't be used.

That's not an option for me as I don't want to buy yet another drive,

but perhaps you should try buying a drive that is a few gigs larger
than your largest drive.

Or make the other drives just that little bit smaller (shortstroke the
remaining drives to the same size as the spare).