Many disk on error due to controller


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Hello,

 

I seriously need some help.

I had some issues with two 4-Sata PCI controller. (One disk was on faillure, then recovered with a miracle xfs_repair).

So, I bought a LSI 8-Slot card to replace them.

 

First problem, le LSI card count as a disk. And I reached 12 Drives + LSI card => My Motherboard won't boot on USB with 13 Drive. (Don't ask me why.)

I have read somewhere that I could use a trick with the hotswap feature. I can boot without one drive, then plug it.

Unfortunately, when I booted, one drive was emulated, and another one missing.

I tried minor things. (Hope no mistakes).

 

Now, I have all my drive OK exept 2 (disk 5 + cache) which is seen as "New Device". I think I can recover lot of data with utils.

And another one which is emulated (disk 9) (But the parity is broken, so... I don't know what to say.)

 

I think disk data are 99% okay (sysfile are certainly broken). But I don't know if I can explore them, because I cannot start the array.

 

What can I do to recover the most of data ?

 

Thank you so much.

 

FP

Config.png

unraid-diagnostics-20190708-2158.zip

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I have never heard of a disk controller counting as a drive for licensing purposes!   I strongly suspect that there was something like a USB drive left plugged in as that WOULD count..

 

regarding the BIOS issue it is not at all abnormal to have a limit on the number of drives for booting purposes.   I would suggest you go into the settings of the LSI card and disable the option to boot from disks attached to it.

  • Upvote 1
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Hi, thanks for your response.

 

Weird, I can't access to the LSI setting card. (Ctrl+C when LSI screen appears doen't work.) I'll try tomorrow with a ps/2 keyboard.

For my current Unraid state, do you know what can I do to retreive my data ? I currently can't start the array.

 

edit: Do you think making an unraid new config is a good idea ?

 

Regards

Edited by Fefepaille
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2 hours ago, Fefepaille said:

Hi, thanks for your response.

 

Weird, I can't access to the LSI setting card. (Ctrl+C when LSI screen appears doen't work.) I'll try tomorrow with a ps/2 keyboard.

For my current Unraid state, do you know what can I do to retreive my data ? I currently can't start the array.

 

edit: Do you think making an unraid new config is a good idea ?

 

Regards

It is worth pointing out that each Unraid array disk is set up as a standard Linux file system that can be read by any other Linux system.

Edited by itimpi
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13 hours ago, itimpi said:

It is worth pointing out that each Unraid array disk is set up as a standard Linux file system that can be read by any other Linux system.

Yes, I should put the 2 failing drives on another computer and try to make them readable again. 

Then Could I re-add these drives on the array, keeping data on them ?

 

Morning Edit : I'm at work, the "failing" drives are readable on ubuntu. Is there a way to re-add them on the array, then rebuild parity drive from actual data ?

Tools => New Config ? (I'm not sure and a bit affraid)

 

Thanks a lot.

Edited by Fefepaille
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Or, I can do following steps :

- remove failing disks from array, and remove parity disk (which don't work now.) => (1) I'm not sure how to do this. Just putting them "unassigned", then start the array ? 

- Add the current parity disk like a new free disk, then copy a failed disk into it. => (2) using Unassigned Devices plugin ? Or putting the drive to copy like a Cache drive ? I don't know which works.

- Add this failed disk to array, formatting it.

- Copy the second failing disk into the array.

- Use this second failed disk like the new parity disk.

 

It sounds good ? [I know it's a bit risky because I won't have parity during operation, but I'm stuck.]

 

Another question => (3) : cache drive is seen like "New Device". It contains some important data. Will it be reset if I start the array like that ?

 

Best Regards,

 

FP

Edited by Fefepaille
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17 hours ago, Fefepaille said:

Morning Edit : I'm at work, the "failing" drives are readable on ubuntu. Is there a way to re-add them on the array, then rebuild parity drive from actual data ?

Tools => New Config ? (I'm not sure and a bit affraid) 

Yes, new config with parity sync is the option to use, assuming all data disks are OK.

 

2 hours ago, Fefepaille said:

Another question => (3) : cache drive is seen like "New Device". It contains some important data. Will it be reset if I start the array like that ?

Screenshot omits that part but as long as there no "data on this drive will be deleted" warning on the right of the cache device you can start, and there won't be one after a new config.

 

 

 

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i had this exact problem, the cause of it was i had two LSI Cards installed and they fight over the boot BIOS.

when you have one installed there is no issues, when you have two installed it randomly locks up and won't boot just a black screen after bios screen.

It doesnt present the LSI Boot Menu because both cards are fighting for the boot slot.

 

Sometimes it will boot up after a few restarts, work for a few minutes or hours then disks will randomly get read errors, sometimes when you boot up some disks will just be disabled and not be there.

 

You can use the lsi flash tool to delete just the boot bios, the down side is you cannot boot off a SATA Drive on the LSI cards anymore.

However with unraid you are booting off USB so thats no issue.

 

I deleted both off my LSI cards so it would stop happening.

This caused no end of issues for me, i replaced my PSU, Motherboard, CPU, Memory and was still happening after a long time i discovered a post about two LSI Cards.

 

https://www.ixsystems.com/community/threads/lsi-9207-8i-can-i-erase-just-the-bios-leave-the-fw.60861/

https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/lsi-9211-8i-it-mode-stuck-during-loading.8183/

 

You will find a heap of articles around about it.

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Hi,

I just have one LSI card and after some tests :

- When I boot and doing nothing : It doesn't boot from USB

- When I press Ctrl + C on the LSI card boot screen : It says that it load the LSI config menu, but it doesn't and it boot from USB !

 

So I need to Ctrl + C to start my Unraid !

 

I also have updated Unraid to 6.7.2 and I have some random Unclean Shutdowns. (It happens even if all containers are down)

 

Any Idea ?

 

Thanks a lot

 

 

unraid-diagnostics-20190713-0715.zip syslog

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Thanks for your reply

 

Hi, It's a card bought on ebay. It was already in IT mode.

In my syslog, I can see : LSISAS2308: FWVersion(15.00.00.00), ChipRevision(0x05), BiosVersion(07.29.01.00)

So I need to upgrade FW to P20.00.07.00 ? And delete the bios ?

 

How can I achieve this ?

The card is a lsi 9208. On broadcom website [ link ], I need to DL this one [ 9207-8i_Package_P20_IR_IT_Firmware_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows ] ?

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Well, tonight my Unraid has shutdown again.

In the syslog, I don't see anything weird.

 

Unclean shutdowns has come with an Unraid upgrade from 6.5 to 6.7.2. 

Is it possible ? Should I rollback this upgrade ? Anything special to do with this potential rollback ?

 

Thanks,

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