RAID array died, how can I tell what drive is dead?

[Thasp]

They both come up in the BIOS. I figured something was wrong on the linux end until I tried to compile a kernel, got an error, and heard a drive clicking from across the room. The clicking is the sound of death I have heard many times before.

 

I need to know which one to send back to Western Digital . The machine has neither windows or linux installed since the RAID array died. I'd prefer a CD I can boot up that'll test the HD but it appears WD's utilities are all for windows. The machine had one DVD reader, no floppy drive.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. As can be expected, everyone who told me to buy seagate and not WD is laughing. I should have listened.. this HD is 11 months old.

[AsAs1n8eR]

Try Tmod's CD it has utility tools for HDD testing.

[Angry_Games]

if it is RAID-0 then you've lost everything on the drives since they are striped, so you can just test each drive individually

 

you can download WD's drive diagnostic tools and test individually also

 

you'll most likely have to turn RAID to Disabled in the bios first so that the board recognizes the drives as independent instead of a single drive

[Thasp]

The BIOS would have been hardware raid, this is software raid for linux. I never touched a BIOS RAID Option.

 

I ran a quick test on both drives, it says they are both fine. I ran an extensive test on the second drive, it said it was fine. If the extended test on the first drive comes back with the same thing I'll run spinrite.. and if that shows no errors, I'll wipe the disks clean and start from scratch, listen carefully for the disk clicking, drop it until it fails WD's test and RMA it.

 

Thanks for the advice on the tmod CD also. I have his DAGF august BIOS on CD also. Very useful guy.

[AsAs1n8eR]

Yes it he;ps very much you don't need a floppy drive.It would be useful if you wouldn't need a floppy drive for RAID drivers x-(

[Thasp]

WD tools is horrible.. the extended test says both of my HDs are fine.

 

I am running spinrite now.. it takes forever. I can't tell which HD is screwed up so I'm RMAing both, using the advanced WD RMA where they send you the drive first. These were advertized as server drives and kept with good airflow.. so I don't care if WD loses money on me.

[Angry_Games]

if you bought 'server' hdd's then you are taking the correct action

[Thasp]

Yeah, it's the RE series for RAID, supposedly more relaible! I might as well get a completely fresh array out of them. Sure it loses them money, but nothing's more reliable than a fresh unused HD.

[oc newbie]

AsAsIn8eR-You don't need a floppy drive for raid just slipstream the raid drivers with nlite. They have a thread in the software section about it with linkies to. I have been doing it that way for quite awhile without any issues with x64 or 32bit. Only had one floppy connector on my ps and don't need a floppy for anything anymore right now.

[Angry_Games]

AsAsIn8eR-You don't need a floppy drive for raid just slipstream the raid drivers with nlite. They have a thread in the software section about it with linkies to. I have been doing it that way for quite awhile without any issues with x64 or 32bit. Only had one floppy connector on my ps and don't need a floppy for anything anymore right now.

or you can do like I do and just hook up a floppy drive only during initial install to get raid drivers loaded then pull it and never use it again until you are ready to reload Windows (this is a lot less time consuming than slipstreaming...what if there are new drivers? what if you get a different mainboard? etc)

[oc newbie]

Part of the reason I like to slipstream mine is for the unattended portion, Like to just set my partition and come back to window's on the desktop. Happy's way is a much better way of doing it since you don't have to redo the install disk everytime there is a new driver released.

[Thasp]

I was always too stubborn to pay money or spend time buying/installing a drive that accomodates 1.44 MB files. I use winflash or BIOS CDs(the only BIOS for the DAGF on CD is the only BIOS I can get that is not buggy with OC settings that works with an opteron). Anything that absolutely requires a floppy drive to work is not worth doing.

 

On newegg, this drive only comes open box, and refurbished. They must really suck.