SNAP 1000 in diagnostic mode permanently?
 

Hi all,

I've got a SNAP 1000 that disappeared from our network last week. We thought that perhaps the drive had gone bad.

We can hear the drive initializing, so that part seems okay.

When first working with the SNAP after its failure, we could see the unit via SNAP Assist, and at one point had gotten to the point of reformatting the internal drive, but the SNAP gave an error message that there was no internal drive to format (the same one it's been running all along is still in the box).

We've reset the SNAP....now the lights seem to be indicating it's in diagnostic mode. The system and disk lights blink together once, then the disk light blinks once more. I'm reading that as the disk light is blinking twice, the FAQ says that's diagnostic mode.

I can't contact the unit using Snap Assist, though I can see another Snap 1000 on the same network.

What I've read is that I would need a disk initialized with the boot image for the Snap 1000 to revive this system. Any suggestions on how to proceed appreciated. It would be nice to mount the volume on the disk to see if it's viable, but my understanding is that cannot be done. We're not going to spend the $ on recovery, but it would be nice to get the unit operational again if possible.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Re: SNAP 1000 in diagnostic mode permanently?
 

Sounds like the hd has failed. The best chance of recovery is by a recovey service. SpinRite can correct some media problem provided the drive spins up. Controller boards on the HD fails and can be swapout with a know good one, with the same model (and same rev perffered). Swapping controller boards is what recovery services do in an attempt to get drives working again.

The 1-2 led pattern means it's looking for and did not find a drive to boot from. You can use the instruction in the FAQ's to replace the drive. Some times Digital Dolly can copy enough of the OS to boot. Other wise you will require boot image. There are 2 different version of the 1000. Remove the HD and see if assist can find it on your network. If so you have a v1, which only requies replacing the HD. v2 will requires a image file.

Re: SNAP 1000 in diagnostic mode permanently?
 

I have said it before, and I suppose I will say it again;

One of these days I need to take my excess Quantum Drives and make up some SNAP 1000 replacement drives.

Re: SNAP 1000 in diagnostic mode permanently?
 

Okay, I believe we have v.2 as I tried the Snap without the drive and it failed to boot. I've got the general idea about using Digital Dolly. Where do you find the right image file for this unit?

Re: SNAP 1000 in diagnostic mode permanently?
 

That's the key. You can get it from any working 1000 or 2200 unit. Or search P2P (BT) for it.

Re: SNAP 1000 in diagnostic mode permanently?
 

Okay, we've got another 1000 working on site.

Model Software Hardware Server # BIOS
1000 series 4.0.830 (US) 3.1.1 108159 2.1.363

Is the only to do this to remove the working drive on the above SNAP and image it using Digital Dolly to another drive that would go into the nonworking SNAP? The admin probably isn't going to like that idea though it seems like it would be relatively safe for the working drive.

Re: SNAP 1000 in diagnostic mode permanently?
 

That what you have to do, if you can not locate the 1000 image file. But look at the bright side. If you image the boot tracks to a file you will have away to restore the other snap when it dies. All HD fail at one point, it's the natural life cycle, normaly in the 3-5 yr cycle unless it a Maxtor. Maxtor's has the highest falure rate in the industry. If your keeping critical data on it, make sure you doing backups.

If you removes the drives from a working unit. Make sure you note the jumper position, and mark which drive it is. I would hate to see you wipe a good unit.

Re: SNAP 1000 in diagnostic mode permanently?
 

Okay, thanks for the help. I'm not clear on the transfer process. My picture is that I would use Digital Dolly to do a block for block image of the new drive with the working SNAP drive as source.