Extremely Urgent: 9260-4i and m5014/5015

Notice: Page may contain affiliate links for which we may earn a small commission through services like Amazon Affiliates or Skimlinks.

fesarlis

New Member
Jun 22, 2022
8
0
1
Hello,
I am sorry if this question is answered before but I really do not have the time to search thoroughly at the moment.

I have an LSI 9260-4i which obviously died. It has 4 Seagate 2TB disks attached, configured in RAID5.

The system must work again ideally tomorrow, just to retrieve some recent important data from it. However I was only able to find the following items for immediate purchase:

1. Express ServeRAID M5015 SAS/SATA Controller 49Y3719
2. Express ServeRAID M5014 SAS/SATA Controller 49Y3720

I am aware those are rebranded LSI controllers.

So my question is: Will the existing RAID5 array work without any extra steps (eg. crossflashing) with one of the above controllers? I can't take the risk to destroy it.

Thank you in advance.
 
Last edited:

mobilenvidia

Moderator
Sep 25, 2011
1,956
212
63
New Zealand
Either should work and see the array on the 9260-4i but importing can be a hit/miss afair doesn't always goto plan

You could also plug the all drives onto SATA ports or a HBA
And use Linux with mdadm to see your files it can read LSI Raid Arrays, do some googling about this
It wil work out the stripe and order of drives
Then copy data somewhere else
This way you won't destroy any data as only reading
I used this the other day and works a treat.

Once data copied you can then try an import with knowledge of data safe
 
  • Like
Reactions: Patrick

fesarlis

New Member
Jun 22, 2022
8
0
1
Thank you. Can I ise another RAID controller as HBA? At the moment I only have a Dell H200 available. Will just connecting the drives somehow mess the array?
 

fesarlis

New Member
Jun 22, 2022
8
0
1
One more question please. I have also a Dell H700 available which I believe is also a rebranded LSI 9260. Perhaps I can use this one?
 

fesarlis

New Member
Jun 22, 2022
8
0
1
What if I attempt to crossflash the H700? Provided it will be successful, is then the array import certain?
 

mobilenvidia

Moderator
Sep 25, 2011
1,956
212
63
New Zealand
If you import the array it may fail, I've had this happen more than once but usually does work

H700 = Dell's version of the 9260 and should be able to import the array
Dont cross flash no point

H200 should be able to do JBOD and see each drive individually, then you can retrieve data

Just becareful its very easy to loose the lot, MDADM route will be safest, but you will need drive big enough to copy data to
Then you can import to your hearts content
 

Stephan

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2017
920
697
93
Germany
First order of business is write a number on each drive with pen, attach disks as JBOD to another system and dd contents from disks to a separate disk using Linux. This way if the data get corrupted while importing (you never know), you can dd the data back. dd like "dd if=/dev/sda bs=512 of=/mnt/newdisk/disk1.img". Use lsscsi or blkid to display what drive is what, might not be sda.
 

fesarlis

New Member
Jun 22, 2022
8
0
1
There is one important thing I have not mentioned (Sorry but I am not thinking clearly at the moment).

The RAID volume is also encrypted using TrueCrypt (entire volume - not in a container). Would I be able to mount this under Linux after using mdadm?
 

mobilenvidia

Moderator
Sep 25, 2011
1,956
212
63
New Zealand
OK, I think you are deep in the poo
The key is probably kept in NVRAM on the 9260
Without it there will no way to decode the data on the drives

MDADM will probably see data on the drives but without the key it will just be meaningless junk
 

fesarlis

New Member
Jun 22, 2022
8
0
1
I somehow knew that :) (although I think TC has a key recovery mechanism that have used in the past and it works)

Yet I am guessing that installing the H700 SHOULD be able to provide a solution for me right? Of course if I don't apply to the 'USUALLY WORKS' you mentioned before :)
 

fesarlis

New Member
Jun 22, 2022
8
0
1
I am not sure what you mean by that. Do you mean that Truecrypt recognises the RAID controller somehow and encryption is controller-specific?

To sum up:
My ideal goal is this:

1. Install H700 and connect the array
2. Should ask me to import foreign configuration
3. Boot to Windows (OS is installed separately)
4. Mount TC partition contained in the array

I also have Megaraid software installed in Windows, in case import should not be done before boot.
 
Last edited:

fesarlis

New Member
Jun 22, 2022
8
0
1
I am happy to inform you that everything is back to normal. H700 recognised the array, and TC mounted it automatically.

I have one final question:

The H700 is the integrated version. I don't notice any difference with the standalone version (except the bracket) but it seems to me it's getting very hot (can't touch the heatsink) (Server is Dell Poweredge T110 II). To be honest, I don't recall if I ever touched the 9260 to know if it was running equally hot. Is this something I should be concerned with or it sounds normal?

Thanks again for your time.
 

mobilenvidia

Moderator
Sep 25, 2011
1,956
212
63
New Zealand
All LSI chipsets run hot, 'if they ain't hot they aint workin' :)
My H710P sits at 55degC 24/7
H700 integrated vs not as you said just the bracket missing

But as @Stephan mentioned backup what you can't afford to loose
4x 2TB in RAID5 = 6TB of max storage needed, even an external or internal drive >= 6TB to backup to would be better than what you have now and would cost little

But glad you got it back and you can go back to work