Guest Calab Posted July 28, 2008 Posted July 28, 2008 I have a Windows 2003 Server that currently has five 500gig drives in a RAID 5 array. The array is healthy. Unfortunately, we need temporarily need a 500gig drive for an issue unrelated to this machine. Other than losing the protection of RAID 5, would there be any issues if we shut down the server, removed one drive, and brought the server back online? If we format the removed drive and use it elsewhere can we still be able to reinstall it into the server and let the array rebuild itself? From what I understand, this should all be fine, as long as we don't have another drive fail in the array while a drive is removed. I also know performance will suffer while the array is missing a drive. Does this all sound right?
Guest Meinolf Weber Posted July 29, 2008 Posted July 29, 2008 Re: Removing a drive from a software RAID 5 array. Win2K3 server Hello Calab, As you said, performance will go down. You can reconnect it after you are ready and it should rebuilt without problem, will be the same as you replace a broken disc. I would really think about buying another same drive, so you also have one spare if one breaks. Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm > I have a Windows 2003 Server that currently has five 500gig drives in > a RAID 5 array. The array is healthy. > > Unfortunately, we need temporarily need a 500gig drive for an issue > unrelated to this machine. > > Other than losing the protection of RAID 5, would there be any issues > if we shut down the server, removed one drive, and brought the server > back online? If we format the removed drive and use it elsewhere can > we still be able to reinstall it into the server and let the array > rebuild itself? > > From what I understand, this should all be fine, as long as we don't > have another drive fail in the array while a drive is removed. I also > know performance will suffer while the array is missing a drive. > > Does this all sound right? >
Guest Betzold, Adam Posted July 30, 2008 Posted July 30, 2008 Re: Removing a drive from a software RAID 5 array. Win2K3 server This is a really bad idea. I would highly recommend buying the 500 gig drive. After you're done you can put it in your array as a hot spare so it wouldn't be that much of a waste of money. Meinolf Weber wrote: > Hello Calab, > > As you said, performance will go down. You can reconnect it after you > are ready and it should rebuilt without problem, will be the same as you > replace a broken disc. > I would really think about buying another same drive, so you also have > one spare if one breaks. > > Best regards > > Meinolf Weber > Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and > confers no rights. > ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups > ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm > >> I have a Windows 2003 Server that currently has five 500gig drives in >> a RAID 5 array. The array is healthy. >> >> Unfortunately, we need temporarily need a 500gig drive for an issue >> unrelated to this machine. >> >> Other than losing the protection of RAID 5, would there be any issues >> if we shut down the server, removed one drive, and brought the server >> back online? If we format the removed drive and use it elsewhere can >> we still be able to reinstall it into the server and let the array >> rebuild itself? >> >> From what I understand, this should all be fine, as long as we don't >> have another drive fail in the array while a drive is removed. I also >> know performance will suffer while the array is missing a drive. >> >> Does this all sound right? >> > >
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