system down - looking for recovery ideas

[Geek]

We have a Dell PowerVault storage array that was configured as a
software RAID 5 - all of the devices were grouped together as a LV.
We've now lost access to it. It took a while to piece together the
entire story, but here it is:

1. Whoever initially set up the server plugged the SCSI cable into the
RAID controller and vice versa (but it all worked, so no one realized
the mistake).

2. As mentioned, the array was configured as a software RAID 5 rather
than as a hardware RAID - again, it worked, so no one else realized the
mistake.

3. A Dell technician came on site last night to replace a processor in
the server. When it came time to replace the cables, even though he had
marked where the cables came from, he put them back in the "proper"
places, and (possibly) did a hardware RAID 5 configuration without
saying anything to anyone. When he couldn't get the system back up, he
came to us.

4. At that point, we were unable to boot the server. It freezes while
uncompressing the kernel.

Anyone have any idea if recovery is possible?

 

[Mitch Crane]

We have a Dell PowerVault storage array that was configured as a
software RAID 5 - all of the devices were grouped together as a LV.
We've now lost access to it. It took a while to piece together the
entire story, but here it is:

1. Whoever initially set up the server plugged the SCSI cable into
the RAID controller and vice versa (but it all worked, so no one
realized the mistake).

2. As mentioned, the array was configured as a software RAID 5
rather than as a hardware RAID - again, it worked, so no one else
realized the mistake.

3. A Dell technician came on site last night to replace a processor
in the server. When it came time to replace the cables, even though
he had marked where the cables came from, he put them back in the
"proper" places, and (possibly) did a hardware RAID 5 configuration
without saying anything to anyone. When he couldn't get the system
back up, he came to us.

4. At that point, we were unable to boot the server. It freezes
while uncompressing the kernel.

Anyone have any idea if recovery is possible?

Is there some reason (that apparently went over my head) that you can't
put the cables back in the "improper" places?

 

[Geek]

We have done that. The system won't boot. We get "Uncompressing
Linux... invalid compressed format (err=2). (The is RedHat AS 4.0)