4200 Question

[madmartyk]

We just received a Snap 4200 from one of our other locations. I'l having a real hard time trying to reset this beast! If I hook a monitor up to the monitor port I get to the Uncompressing Linux, OK, booting the Kernel screen.

The system light is green, but the disk light is flashing on and off. I can't HTTP into the server. I tried to reset the system, but the system does nothing. I held the reset button in for 5 minutes after starting the unit and it doesn't reset.

Anyone have any ideas?


Thanks!

Marty

[blue68f100]

Connect using the com port with a null modem cable using terminal program. The settings are 9600, N, 8, 1. This will give you access to the full boot process. Capture the log, it sill scroll off the screen pretty fast.

You can not reset a Guardian OS unit without having the access to the GUI. Do you know if IP was set to static? If DHCP look at the routers log to find what ip it got. If it's unable to get an IP (dhcp) it defaults to 10.10.10.10.

Is all disk led flasing or just one?

But the com port data will tell you what is going on.

[madmartyk]

From what I'm told, it's a OLD 4200. So the I'm assuming the software is in ROM. I'll be back at the office in the morning. I'm hoping that I can get into it by using IP 10.10.10.10

BTW, all 4 disks (80GB each) are flashing. Thanks, and I'll post an update tomorrow.

[blue68f100]

The 4200 is a Guardian OS unit, not a SnapOS. The OS is on the HD.

[Phoenix32]

By Reset, I am assuming you are talking about the white reset button next to the power button. If so;

Boot the unit up. WAIT 5 TO 10 MINUTES! Then while the unit is running, press and hold that reset button for 3 seconds and release. WAIT 5 TO 10 MINUTES! Then try to access the Server with Server Manager (the Guardian OS version of Assist).

If not, contact me in e-mail and we can see what we can do...

[blue68f100]

If he connects the null modem/terminal program, this will let us know where it failing at. And this gives you kernel access.

[madmartyk]

Originally Posted by Phoenix32

By Reset, I am assuming you are talking about the white reset button next to the power button. If so;

Boot the unit up. WAIT 5 TO 10 MINUTES! Then while the unit is running, press and hold that reset button for 3 seconds and release. WAIT 5 TO 10 MINUTES! Then try to access the Server with Server Manager (the Guardian OS version of Assist).

If not, contact me in e-mail and we can see what we can do...

Did that! Unit is now up and running. It reset the IP to DHCP and I was able to access the unit. It had a old version of software on it, and I was able to upgrade to a 3.X version. You guys here and the wiki are a great resource!! Now, figuring out how to upgrade the drives!

[madmartyk]

Next question. The 4200 right now is configured for Raid 5 (4 80GB drives). Can I break the array. Remove all but drive #1, insert another drive in drive #2, mirror drive #1 to drive #2. Break the mirror, remove drive #1 and replace it with drive #2, add 3 more drives and make it Raid 5 again?

[blue68f100]

If you have access to the web GUI and every thing is good except a broken array replacing the drives will allow the upgrade. Below is instructions.

If you want to upgrade drives. You need to turn off AV and stop all Scheduled Snapshots First. If you DO NOT DO THIS, these units complain badly corrupting the OS. It will drop you in recover mode where you have the option to do a clean install. The problem is that it WILL NOT over write some system files, so it not a clean install as indicated.

If you have all of the AV and Snapshots off you can power down and remove drives 2-4 and install a new hd in slot 2. Then reboot the snap, after about 5-6 min you will see the new disk led lite for about 30 sec. This is where it transfers the OS to the new HD. Power down agian, move drive 2 to #1 position. Install new drives for 2-4, reboot and after the the 5-6 min you will see the OS transfer to the remaining drives. (You do not want to hot swap drives on a OS transfer only. Doing so will force it into a resync if it's capable of.) Once up from the Maintance menu you can run reset to factory. After the required reboot, use the clean install option.

Now the procedure posted by Phoenix above will drop you into the recovery mode screen. (You need monitor and keyboard attached to do this.) From recovery mode you can do a clean install of the OS, the problem is that it does not wipe out user config info. So if one of these files are corupted you do not clean it up. Andy knows the debug cmds to force it into recovery mode. And which files that need deleted to have a clean install. I will not post these cmds, not for the normal user, and if you have a problem, in most cases you do not want to do an upgrade till the problem is corrected.

When I do this I have a HD That has a clean install, and the init setup has not been run. This HD is stored in a safe place just encase I have to do clean install.

[madmartyk]

I didn't know the OS is stored on all the drives. Right now I have snapshots off (took one). I'm waiting for the 320GB drives to arrive. Also, corp called Adaptec to get the latest version of the software. Once I get this figured out I have 10 more to work on!

[Phoenix32]

Originally Posted by blue68f100

It will drop you in recover mode where you have the option to do a clean install. The problem is that it WILL NOT over write some system files, so it not a clean install as indicated.

Originally Posted by blue68f100

Now the procedure posted by Phoenix above will drop you into the recovery mode screen. (You need monitor and keyboard attached to do this.) From recovery mode you can do a clean install of the OS, the problem is that it does not wipe out user config info.

David, did you have your coffee today? You seem to be a little off your game and that is not normal. Why?

Because Oh Yes It Does! If you do a Clean Install of the OS (not just a repair) from the recovery console, it wipes ALL of your configuration data. In fact, this is the only way I have found to completely wipe all old configuration data.

As a side note, you do not need a monitor and keyboard attached to use the recovery console. You can use a GUI for this also (you need to know the IP).

[blue68f100]

I did a clean install on mine and it retain some user settings. To me a clean install should have removed them too. So I went back to my Clean drive setup.

ps. will send you an email.

[blue68f100]

Originally Posted by madmartyk

I didn't know the OS is stored on all the drives. Right now I have snapshots off (took one). I'm waiting for the 320GB drives to arrive. Also, corp called Adaptec to get the latest version of the software. Once I get this figured out I have 10 more to work on!

It's part of the watchdog bios. So if the bad drive fails it tries the next one, etc till all drives fail or till it finds one that boots. The OS uses 10gig of HD space off each drive. You will need to see how much Snapshot space you need. Do not make this any larger than what you thing you will need. This takes away from your storage space.

If you cold boot the Guardian only copies the OS over. If you hot swap it will auto transfer the OS and start resync of the array. Hot swap is the prefered method if you have a HD failure.

If you have that may to do you will be a pro by the time you finished.

I hope you bought the WD Raid Edition HD's for your snaps. Being 320gig that is the largest WD makes. These drives preform super. I have a habit of running SpinRite on all new HD's that I put in service. MFG no longer scan for HD defects. Doing this before putting them on line ensures you will not have any delays that will effect the array stability. All of my WD RE drives have always been super clean. Can't say that about the last Seagates I bought.

Any more questions just ask. Andy is the hardware person for this forum (snap) and other computer related hardware. Andy allways calls me the software guy, but by school is hard knocks process. But I did di some extensive testing on the recovery procedures of the Guardian Units. As long as you make a diaster recovery files and 1 set of snapshots, (back up to another server) it will be very hard pressed to fail them. I would recommend failing a drive to see how the process works.

[madmartyk]

The WD Raid Edition drives are ordered, got my Guardian OS 4.4.049. Soon as everything shows up I should be ready to Rock and Roll!

Just for giggles, I wonder if you can install Guardian OS to a Snap 1000? It's uploading, don't know if it will run. Guess I'll find out.

Thanks!

[blue68f100]

Not unless you have a version that will run in 64 meg or less.

[madmartyk]

Nope, won't load. Wants a .SUP file. Oh well, that was an hour of my life wasted.

[blue68f100]

You learned something didn't you ..........

[madmartyk]

You never learn anything unless you try!

[madmartyk]

Well 4 160GB drives came in today. The drive swap worked like a charm! You guys are the best!!


Thanks!

[blue68f100]

Glad to help. Glad something went your way.

I would have installed larger drives 250+. The cost was actually cheaper than the 160's the last time I checked on RE HD's.

[madmartyk]

That was my dumb error when I ordered them.

Next one!!