I'm replacing a failed drive in a Dell SCv2020, but every replacement remains in an "Unmanaged" state. The first drive had a different configuration code (1341 instead of 1311), so I suspected it was incompatible. However, a second drive has the same configuration code and labeling as the failed drive, including the part number and model, yet the result is unchanged.
The drive appears associated with the correct disk group, but the only available action is "Toggle Indicator." After inserting it, I also ran "Request Swap Clear," which completed successfully. The drive behaves the same way in both the Web UI and Storage Manager Client. It still does not show a Power On Time value.
Could this indicate that the drives are incompatible or have the wrong firmware? Is there another step required to claim or assign the drive to the disk group, or could the drives still be locked to a previous array because they were not properly unclaimed before being removed?
4 Answers
SSH being refused is not necessarily surprising; access to the controller shell may be disabled or restricted on this platform. Do not assume a shell command is available just because it works on another Compellent installation. The safest next step is to collect the drive’s full identification and firmware details from the management interface, check the SCv2020 support matrix, and have a storage specialist verify whether the disk is foreign-owned, unsupported, or simply awaiting a claim operation.
Another possibility is that the replacement disks were previously claimed by another Compellent or SC-series array. Some drives retain array ownership information and may need to be explicitly unclaimed before they can be reused elsewhere. Properly decommissioned drives are normally cleared before removal; if that was not done, the SCv2020 may leave them unmanaged even though the model and configuration code appear correct. That is not necessarily permanent damage, but clearing the prior ownership may require the original array, an authorized service procedure, or Dell support. Factory-defaulting an array would clear its drives, but that is obviously not an option for a live system.
There may be a controller-side way to inspect and assign the disk. On systems where shell access is available, administrators have used commands such as `disk show` to identify the inserted disk, its parent folder, and the managed disks, followed by a command to set the disk’s parent folder. The disk must match the other members in attributes such as block size and enterprise/storage qualification. Be careful with undocumented or developer shell commands, though—using them incorrectly could affect the array.
First, verify the exact Dell-supported drive part number, firmware, sector size, and other compatibility details rather than relying only on the label. A drive can look identical but still be rejected because of firmware or configuration metadata. If the storage system is still covered by a support contract, Dell support is usually the fastest way to confirm the drive’s compatibility and inspect its state. Without support, you may need to compare the drive information against the SCv2020 compatibility documentation or obtain a known-good, properly sourced replacement.
Related Questions
Lenovo Thinkpad Stuck In Update Loop Install FilterDriverU2_Reload