IBM X336 server with RAID1 configuration formats all HDDs on new hardware installation

[Sid B]

Hi,

I am new to my company and have been asked to recommend a new
redundancy / backup plan for our online server. I've talked to the
other folks in the company and they have been describing an usual
feature of the server wherein if we try to install ANY new hardware
like a new harddisk, the system automatically formats everything.
(apparently this "resetting feature" kicks in even if we add more RAM
pieces!)

Now, I'm not too sure what portions of this are correct and what are
not. As this is our LIVE online server and we are serving hundreds of
thousands of documents on it at any point, therefore I am hesistant to
"try anything" before fully understanding all aspects.

The specifications are as follows:
CPU: Intel(r) Xeon (tm) cpu 3ghz (Dual processor)
Speed: 3 GHz
RAM: 4 GB
HDD: 2 x 140 GB (on RAID1)
Type: ADAPTEC RAID 1 SCSI Disk Drive
Server contains: Online Application and Database (SQL Server 2005)
Partitions: C: 30 GB, E: 110 GB
SCSI controller: (not known at this point)


The problems we're facing are as follows:
(a) Because of the low partition in C drive, we regularly have to run
maintenance tasks on the server which if we dont leads to our site
being inaccessible to our users.
(b) Our database is stored on E drive (about 60 GB of data). There is
a performance issue which our users face, but we are unsure of what we
should do to solve the problem.

I'm looking to understand:
(1) the automatic hard-disk formatting issue and how to solve it
(2) how we can upgrade our hardware in the most optimum fashion

Thanks!
Sid :)

[Spencer Hall]

I've never heard of an auto format when new hardware is added - are you sure
it's not the RAID system trying to initialise a new disk?

If you're running the SBS version or have Exchange running then move the
Exchange database to D:\Exchange from the default location on C: to free up
more space on C: 20GB should be enough for Server 2003 and SQL 2005. Make
sure there aren't any databases stored on C:

If the problem persists then buy another identical server and experiment
offline so if it all goes Pete Tong you don't lose any data

Hi,

Thanks!
Sid :)

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