Question : Problem: Software Raid has failed! How to recover when Recovery Console won't even run

We have an IBM e-server with //software// raid.  Or had, I should say.

The server will not even boot now...and when I put in the Windows 2000 disk, I can do neither a repair, nor even a fresh install of Windows, because the system comes back with NO HARD DRIVES DETECTED, CANNOT CONTINUE.


When I put in the IBM raid setup disks, the logical drive does not show up, but I am given the option of making a new logical drive.  However, it I do that, all data on the existing logical drive (which can't even be detected at this point) will be lost forever.

Is there a way to recover this data?

Answer : Problem: Software Raid has failed! How to recover when Recovery Console won't even run

Add a spearate drive, swimplest would probably be an IDE drive if the eServer can handle them. Then install a basic version of the OS on, including the raid drivers. Now it should be possible to access the array and copy off your data. After that, never again install software only raid on the system or boot partitions! If the Server doesn't already have a raid controller builtin, get yourself one and use that.