LSI MegaRAID/PERC RAID problem

[Funkstar]

I have a RAID-5 Array with 8x 1TB Hitachi drives that is giving me some problems right now.

The array was working just fine the other day when suddenly the volume disapeared in Windows. Opened up MegaRAID Storage manager and two of the drives are listed as Foreign. Tried to import them back into the array and I just get "Operation Failed: ErrorCode = 0x3b".

Any ideas?

I've tried the array on my second PERC and the whole thing is producing that error when trying to import the foreign disks.

The disks appear to be fine, there are no errors showing and nothing in the log to indicate a problem.

[alsenior]

i have a feeling that it maybe to do with your on disk configuration info being corrupt

[Funkstar]

anything that can be done about that?

Just flashed to the latest firmware and no change.

[alsenior]

not sure im afraid

[MercutioUK]

Have you tried importing in the perc's bios or just using the manager tool in windows? I've had a drive drop from the array occasionally on mine and it's a bit hairy but imported from inside bios and all is ok.
Unless you're really ramming the 8TB full of stuff (it's possible of course) you might want to consider going to 7x and hot spare (I think the perc can do this).

[Funkstar]

I've tried in the PERC BIOS and the LSI MegaRAID tool in Windows.

I keep meaning to email LSI to see what they suggest, but right now I have so much other stuff on. I don't really want to loose the data on there, but it won't be the end of the world if I do (no I don't have a backup for this very reason).

I'd really like to migrate over to a PERC 6/i with a SAS multiplier card and go RAID-6. This would give me fare more flexibility and in theory I can ports the arrays I have across, add another drive and migrate to RAID-6 without first having to image or back up the data.