Snap 1100 just died. Please help.

[DavidHoris]

Hello All,

(Note: Snap Server newbie here... found this forum via Google...)

An older 40GB Quantum Snap Server 1100 at small school I volunteer at just died.

Apparently, the last backup was done 6-months ago.

Upon supplying power to the unit, the "system" light comes on as solid green, but no other lights. (Not even network).

I called Adaptec and paid $120 for a "per incident" tech support call, but all they did was try to walk me through the reset procedure listed on the Adaptec website. The reset procedure does not work, as both the "system" and "disk" lights will come on solid, but will not blink as they should.

Adaptec was of no help. They won't even to tell me what kind of filesystem is on the drive. They said that since it's an old product, my only choice is to send the device to an authorized data recovery firm... I got a quote for ~$4,000 USD. (Not really in the budget for this school...)

At this point, since I presume it's just motherboard issue, I've opened the unit and put the disk in a spare PC.

Since I don't want to risk damage to a foreign filesystem, I have not booted via Windows. Rather, I have tried the Ubuntu, Knoppix, and GPartEd LiveCDs.

All LiveCDs can see the drive, but report the disk to be empty of partitions. (And thus not mount-able... I think.... Not very versed with *nix innards.)

If anyone can be of assistance, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
David

[JohnJJG]

David,

This is something I am interested in to. I am upgrading a SnapServer 1100 to a larger hard disk and not sure if there is an easy method to get the data off if it dies.

The guys on this forum are pretty good so you might get better advice than this but it seems like you may be able take an existing SnapServer 1100 drive out and put it in another SnapServer 1100 unit. After this you can access the drive as if it was the old machine. If the other guys on the forum confirm this and there is no better way then search ebay for an old SnapServer 1100 or see if there is anyone in a charitable mood near you that will allow you to put your hard drive in their SnapServer and copy the data onto a USB hard drive or a few DVD's.

The people on this forum don't seem to have many good things to say about Adaptec support. My own experiences have not been good. I'd help you myself but New York is not exactly on my route home.

Just had a look and there is a 'buy it now' one on the US eBay for USD 159 (Item number 150061538318 or search for 'snap 1100'). If one of the SnapServer black belts on the forum confirms that a unit swap is the best way to go then I'd start bidding.

[JohnJJG]

Oh yeah, and get yourself a backup policy. Even if it is just onto another PC on the network. If there is personal info on the drive though you'll want it to be password protected.

I use two small 120Gb USB Hard Drives with one in operation and one offsite in a maximum security location (okay, the cupboard under the stairs). I use XP backup and a simple batch file which does a full backup if it detects a drive has been swapped and thereafter does a differential backup. There are plenty of one click backup solutions though. Backup only gets done when it is automated and simple.

I would always advise that an offsite backup is done, this would probably be monthly but may be weekly or six-monthly depending on the consequences of losing the data.

[blue68f100]

As for AS Recovery. Contact Snap-tech here on the fourm. He runs a recovery bussiness and should be able to do it for at least 50% - 75% less than any other data recovery company, depending upon failure.

If you have anouter 1100, install the drive into it to confirm a HD failure.

As fars are replacing the drive. 1st do you get a link light?

If you have another 1100 or 2200, the os image file from them will work to setup a new drive. Unless it's an early 1100, then a 1000 will be required.

Depending upon you OS the 1100 can handle large HD (>137gig)

Snap-tech can be found on the 4100 post, or douglas@frontlinedatarecovery.com

[JohnJJG]

Blue68f100,

Just in case I need to know this later, if you bought a replacement SnapServer 1100 that was around the same vintage would I be able to move a working hard disk across to it and carry on as if nothing had changed?

Jhhn

[DavidHoris]

Hello All,

blue68f100: I've certainly not tried to install an OS on this drive.

Re: lights

No, the link light does not come on. Only the green "system" light comes on, and it does not blink.

If I hold down the reset button and apply power, both the "system" and "disk" lights come on, but do not blink.

Can anyone confirm the behavior I am seeing is consistent with a bad motherboard, and not a HD issue? I am not sure I really trust Adaptec tech support anymore.

If it's not an HD issue, shouldn't I at least be seeing some partitions when I boot under Knoppix?

Thanks,
David

[DavidHoris]

Also, how can I just swap drives with a different 1100? Won't the firmware / design differences cause trouble?

Thanks,
David

[Phoenix32]

The file sysem is XFS, Free BSD.

Are you sure it is the motherboard? That is the same indications I get on my 1000 when there is no hard disk plugged in sometimes (I get all kinds of combinations when the drive is not plugged in). Figured I would ask... But a Drive failure is a lot more common than a motherboard failure.

[DavidHoris]

Hi,

Is the file system XFS even on the older Quantum/SnapOS models like mine?

Thanks,
David

[blue68f100]

Yes, Snap went to XFS with v2, 1999-2000. All Snap-OS units use the XFS file system.

You can move the drives from one 1100 to another. The 1100's have the OS stored on the HD. Being a single drive unit, you do not need to worry. Infact, That has been the only way to recover data from a system board, before Snap-tech showed up and offered a Recovery Service to us at a reaonable fair price. It is recommend if the hardware version are different, you re-load the OS. There is 2 different hw version of the 1100.

FreeBSD now offers a way to read the XFS file system starting with v6. Need to set a flag so it will load the necessary drivers. I have not tested it, SO I have no idea if it actualy works.

edit: Correction, the Snap uses a Modified XFS file system. So Nothing but another snap will read them.
The FreeBSD will only read the Std XFS file system. my error.

[snap-tech]

David,

You can try as blue86f100 suggested putting drive into another 1100, just make sure that you make a complete image of the drive before you do. If for some reason the filesystem was modified and not recognized by the new 1100 it would format the drive.

Douglas Snap-Tech

[PP02]

I've just found this thread which is similar to a problem I had. A Snap 1100 with a 160Gb drive died. The drive powers up on a PC which no problems except obviously I cannot access the FS. I've tried using the various flavors of Unix to access with no luck (despite Adaptecs Ask support asserations -

"We do not sell motherboards for this server, the data on the drive can be read from a UNIX PC. I would suggest FreeBSD.org or Knoppix.net for a CD-ROM image to read the data from the partitions from a PC."

and

"The Snap OS uses a standard UNIX file system. Linux should be able to mount a UFS volume.
Thank you for using ASK US")

I also plugged the drive into a Snapp 1100 containing a 80Gb drive - the unit failed to even power up after an initial burst.

[blue68f100]

The Snap OS uses a BSD highly modified File System. It's my understanding since Adpatec bought Snap there are very few techs that know the SnapOS systems. There responce proves they do not know what they are dealing with. They were refereing to the Guardian OS.

Since the hd spins up you may try swapping out the HD controller board with a matching model. If any of the systems you tried wrote anything to the HD, you will require a FIle Recovery service.

[PP02]

aye. I was quoted £1,000 ish just to look at the drives from data recovery pov that ws before swpping in other systems - the data on it isn't worth that much but close.

Adaptec don't/won't sell mobo's for the 1100 meaning I'd have to purchase a matching whole 1100. I can't believe that Snap / Adaptec do not have a means to access these drives without plugging into an actual working Snap.

Agreed, that they don't know what they are doing despite telling them it's a modified FS (info I'd obtained thanks to these forums) they repeatedly insiste it's readable from Unix. hey ho.

again thanks for the reply.

[re3dyb0y]

Originally Posted by PP02

aye. I was quoted £1,000 ish just to look at the drives from data recovery pov that ws before swpping in other systems - the data on it isn't worth that much but close.

Adaptec don't/won't sell mobo's for the 1100 meaning I'd have to purchase a matching whole 1100. I can't believe that Snap / Adaptec do not have a means to access these drives without plugging into an actual working Snap.

Agreed, that they don't know what they are doing despite telling them it's a modified FS (info I'd obtained thanks to these forums) they repeatedly insiste it's readable from Unix. hey ho.

again thanks for the reply.

We do have someone state side who can get teh data back

Im not sure how he does it - ie by putting it into a pc or another snap

http://forums.procooling.com/vbb/member.php?u=1429

Successful results have been experienced by people on the forums

[blue68f100]

You can contact Douglas at Front line data recovery (1-866-279-2985), His prices are 25-75% cheaper than the compitition. Tell him blue68f100 sent you.

He has special hardware for striping the data off.

[re3dyb0y]

Originally Posted by blue68f100

You can contact Douglas at Front line data recovery (1-866-279-2985), His prices are 25-75% cheaper than the compitition. Tell him blue68f100 sent you.

He has special hardware for striping the data off.

The only problem PPO2 is going to have, is he'll have to get his drives state side first...