From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Nov 14 15:41:50 2007 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6A92816A41A for ; Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:41:50 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bds@waywood.co.uk) Received: from lon-mail-3.gradwell.net (lon-mail-3.gradwell.net [193.111.201.127]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D112F13C458 for ; Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:41:48 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bds@waywood.co.uk) Received: from 81-6-241-84.dyn.gotadsl.co.uk ([81.6.241.84] helo=[192.168.1.6] country=GB ident=bds&pop3#waywood^co^uk) by lon-mail-3.gradwell.net with esmtpa (Gradwell gwh-smtpd 1.262) id 473b0d82.34ac.42 for freebsd-questions@freebsd.org; Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:00:18 +0000 (envelope-sender ) Message-ID: <473B0D70.7020307@waywood.co.uk> Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:00:00 +0000 From: Barnaby Scott User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.6 (Windows/20070728) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Subject: Dell PE4600 RAID5 server failing X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:41:50 -0000 I suspect I already know the answer to this, which is that the trouble I am having is nothing to do with the OS at all, but I have to ask, because I am otherwise up against a total brick wall! I bought a second-hand Dell Poweredge 4600 and installed FreeBSD 6.2 earlier this year. I had it set up with RAID5 using its PERC3/DC controller, with 7 x 73GB disks (+ 1 hot spare). So far so good, and it worked faultlessly as a Samba server for several months. At the beginning of October, it went down, reporting a mismatch between the configuration on the NVRAM and the disks. With help from Dell support, I managed to recreate the RAID array and it worked again for a month. In early November it happened again, and has kept happening since. At one point it appeared that the backplane was faulty, so I replaced that, but I cannot keep the server up for more than a day or so without this 'mismatch' poblem. What about diagnostics on the hardware you may ask? I have run all the diagnostic tools that Dell can supply - several times - and the server declares itself to be totally fault-free. My specific questions therefore: Is there any way at all that FreeBSD could be invloved with this problem? (I did notice for example that the Dell PERC3/DC controller was not in the list of supported hardware - but then again, why did it work for several months?) Can I use FreeBSD to tell me anything about the fault that Dell's diagnostic tools haven't found? (I do hope someone might be able to help - Dell are trying to get me to switch to a 'supported' OS!) Thanks Barnaby Scott