Raid volume disappears on RocketRaid 2720 until reboot then is back with all shares gone, drive letter changed etc.

[mindstreamtech]

I have a Windows 7 64 machine with a RocketRaid 2720 controller card. There are 2 separate 4TB raid 1 volumes configured on this card, Company_Data_1 and Company_Data_2. Both volumes are made up of 4TB Western Digital RE drives with one hot spare each. Randomly, Company_Data_1 will disappear from Windows. If I launch Computer Management, Windows wants me to initialize the disk for Company_Data_1 (which I do not do). If I reboot the machine, the raid volume returns with all data, but has lost the disk name, and drive letter assignment as well as all sharing options. This weirdness occurs about every 1.5 operational days, and has never occurred with Company_Data_2 which is attached to the same controller??

Do I have a bad card? I am considering replacing the 1 card controlling 2 raid volumes with 2 separate 4 port cards. It seems like that would enhance throughput, but I am not certain on that. If this "fake raid" card is probably bad, does anyone have any suggestions for a "real raid" replacement, either 4 port or like this card 8 port?

Many thanks as the client is getting impatient

Darren

UPDATE: Just happened again, and this time after reboot, Company_Data_1 retained the name but had NO drive letter assigned. After assigning one, it worked as normal, although the shares were all deleted???

 

[baddad]

What size drives and how many are in your raid set, and is it the same data on each set?

 

[baddad]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816117214 I use this card on my game Server.

 

[mindstreamtech]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816117214 I use this card on my game machine.

Interesting that you suggested that as I was looking at that card specifically 10 minutes ago. My main concern with that card is the user who commented: "Array rebuilds must be done without a reboot. So if you have to boot to a GUI to get it configured, you have a 3hour min downtime for it to rebuild.". This would not be acceptable since my client has 3TB+ of data. Do you have any experience with what he is talking about?

 

[baddad]

The whole purpose of a raid drive with a hot spare is so it automatically rebuilds on the fly, so no I don't know what he is talking about.

 

[mindstreamtech]

What size drives and how many are in your raid set, and is it the same data on each set?

Each of the two raids consist of 2 Western digital 4tb RE drives in raid 1 mirror with 1 hot spare drive. There is different data on each raid.

 

[baddad]

Is 3TB data total across two sets and is is different kind of data and if not why did you set it up that way.

 

[mindstreamtech]

Is 3TB data total across two sets and is is different kind of data and if not why did you set it up that way.

First raid is for current company data, and second raid is for archived company data that I do not yet have and will be copied on when I deliver the machine. They happened to have a backup of current company data so I went ahead and copied it on there, and will refresh that with most current when delivered.

 

[mindstreamtech]

I think I am going to return this controller card as defective and get a true hardware raid card. Price is more than double, but I don't want the problems related to the cheaper option. Thanks for your help guys. I appreciate it. Now to go post a new thread about which is better.. 2 4 port controller cards or 1 8 port, and if LSI or Intel is better.

 

[jaywi11]

I was considering the upgrade to 4tb drives but I am awaiting confirmation to see these drives on the compatibility list for the raid controller. See highpoint website http://www.highpoint-tech.com/PDF/Compatibility_List/RocketRAID_27xx_26xx_Compatibility_List.pdf. I still do not see any 4tb drives in the list.

 

[mindstreamtech]

I would not suggest using the 4TB drives with the RocketRAID, or after much research using the RocketRAID card at all. While I was able to make it functional with some 4tb drives, it was intermittent as above. I sent it back and got an LSI card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816118112 and installed that. No issues whatsoever in a reasonably demanding environment running 24/7 with a LOT of drives connected. From here on out it is LSI only for me. I lost waaaay too much time fooling around with the Highpoint card. Good luck.