Hey everyone, so I've got a bit of a situation. A client reached out for help with their Dell PowerEdge R710 server, which refuses to boot. Upon inspection, it seems like there's a RAID issue possibly caused by a power outage. They originally had a RAID 5 setup with five 2TB drives, but now two of those drives are showing up as foreign. The client unfortunately doesn't have any backups, and the data on there is quite crucial. I'm wondering if importing the foreign configuration is a safe move, or is there a high risk of losing data? Thanks for your thoughts!
5 Answers
RAID is not a backup, folks! This situation is a classic example of why you shouldn’t rely on RAID for data safety. They’ve been living dangerously for years, so now it’s time to refer them to a recovery company and step back. Importing that foreign config can sometimes work, but it’s a total gamble.
Absolutely. People need to understand the difference or they might end up in situations like this!
First off, if you’re dealing with a server that’s been running for over a decade and the client has no backups, that’s a huge red flag! Honestly, if it were me, I wouldn’t even attempt to touch it without advising them to get a professional data recovery service involved. Importing that foreign config might seem tempting, but it could complicate the situation further. Sometimes it’s better to cut your losses and rely on the experts instead of risking it all for an uncertain outcome.
I totally agree with you. It’s like playing with fire, especially since they’ve been living on the edge without backups for so long!
Right? It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially since no one wants to be responsible for potentially making things worse!
If the data’s critical, please avoid DIY fixes unless you’re absolutely sure about what you’re doing. Sometimes RAID controllers go wonky and importing the foreign disks might actually resolve things, but it's risky. Better to consult with a recovery service and have a plan, just in case things go south. Always prep for the worst, right?
Yes! Always prepare for the worst, and don’t take unnecessary risks!
Totally agree. The last thing you want is to make things worse by trying to fix it on your own.
If they’re already beyond the fault tolerance limit with two drives showing as foreign, then importing the config is risky. In my experience, it can go either way—either it comes back intact or the situation just worsens. If the data is super important to them, I’d recommend cloning the drives first and then sending those to a recovery service. This way, you have a backup of what’s there before making any changes.
Yeah man, definitely create a clone before doing anything. It’s just smart to have a backup in a situation like this.
Exactly! The last thing you want is to make a bad situation worse by losing everything.
Just a heads up—don’t rush into replacing any disks! That could lead to irreversible data loss in RAID 5 if you lose two drives. I’ve been in similar situations. My advice? Get in touch with a data recovery specialist; it’s the safest route in this context. Let the pros handle it.
Right! It’s hard to resist the urge to fix it yourself, but sometimes you have to let the experts take over.
Exactly! You don’t want to make the issue worse. Better safe than sorry!
So true! It’s like people confuse RAID with a full backup strategy. It’s crucial to have both.