I suddenly have 3 "2.7TB Raid-5 Arrays"!

[no1_vern]

and Im going What tha-????

According to Win 7 drive management module, instead of 1-RAID 5 array, I have 3 RAID 5 arrays, 2 showing as RAW, 1 showing as unallocated and uninitialized, and none of them have any information on them - all my information is gone - it was only like 300 g, but still, some of it was important. IF anyone has an idea of how I can retrieve the info, I would be very grateful.

This morning I had 1 raid 5 array using the Intel rapid storage technology v 9.6.0.1014, with an Intel ICH10R RAID controller and 4 1Tb -WDC WE10EARS-00Y5B1 on a TYAN "p6x58d premium" mobo. I finally received a EVGA 480 video card this afternoon, and I shut off the computer to install the card. After installing, when I restarted the system would not boot past the Windows 7 welcome screen. Uhoh.

I opened up the computer, verified all the drive connections were tight, attempted to reboot, no go. So, I removed the 480, put in the old card, and I was able to get to the recovery console. After some thought, I decided to select restore my system - which may be why Im here now.

After I turned the computer back on, the RAID Firmware message came up that the raid array had failed. It hadn't before going through system restore.

I was able to boot into Win 7, and my system drive is fine, but my RAID 5 drives are borked.

This is what the Intel report says:

System Report

System Information
OS name: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
OS version: 6.1.7600 7600
System name: 980X
System manufacturer: Me
System model: INtense!
Processor: GenuineIntel Intel64 Family 6 Model 44 Stepping 2 3.34 GHz
BIOS: BIOS Date: 02/24/10 12:23:42 Ver: 08.00.15, 022410 - 20100224

Intel® Rapid Storage Technology
Kit installed: 9.6.0.1014
User interface version: 9.6.0.1014
Language: English (United States)
Intel RAID controller: Intel(R) ICH8R/ICH9R/ICH10R/DO/5 Series/3400 Series SATA RAID Controller
Number of SATA ports: 6
RAID option ROM version: 8.0.0.1038
Driver version: 9.6.0.1014
ISDI version: 9.6.0.1014

Device Information
Name: Array_0000
Size: 3,815 GB
Available space: 0 GB
Disk data cache: Enabled
Number of volumes: 1
Volume member: Games
Number of disks: 4
Array disk: WD-WMAV51464491
Array disk: WD-WMAV51422303
Array disk: D-WMAV51535299:0
Array disk: D-WMAV51537789:0

Name: Games
Status: Failed
Type: RAID 5
Size: 2,862 GB
Data strip size: 64 KB
Write-back cache: Enabled
System volume: No
Initialized: Yes
Verification errors found: 0
Blocks with media errors: 0
Physical sector size: 512 Bytes
Logical sector size: 512 Bytes
Parent array: Array_0000
Number of disks: 4
Array disk: WD-WMAV51464491
Array disk: WD-WMAV51422303
Array disk: D-WMAV51535299:0
Array disk: D-WMAV51537789:0

Disk on port 0
Port location: Internal
Status: Normal
Usage: Available
Size: 954 GB
Serial number: WD-WMAV51535299
Model: WDC WD10EARS-00Y5B1
Firmware: 80.00A80
System disk: No
Password protected: No
Disk data cache: Enabled
Native command queuing: Yes
SATA transfer mode: Generation 2
Physical sector size: 512 Bytes
Logical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk on port 1
Port location: Internal
Status: Normal
Usage: Array disk
Size: 954 GB
Serial number: WD-WMAV51464491
Model: WDC WD10EARS-00Y5B1
Firmware: 80.00A80
System disk: No
Password protected: No
Disk data cache: Enabled
Native command queuing: Yes
SATA transfer mode: Generation 2
Physical sector size: 512 Bytes
Logical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk on port 2
Port location: Internal
Status: Normal
Usage: Array disk
Size: 954 GB
Serial number: WD-WMAV51422303
Model: WDC WD10EARS-00Y5B1
Firmware: 80.00A80
System disk: No
Password protected: No
Disk data cache: Enabled
Native command queuing: Yes
SATA transfer mode: Generation 2
Physical sector size: 512 Bytes
Logical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk on port 3
Port location: Internal
Status: Normal
Usage: Available
Size: 954 GB
Serial number: WD-WMAV51537789
Model: WDC WD10EARS-00Y5B1
Firmware: 80.00A80
System disk: No
Password protected: No
Disk data cache: Enabled
Native command queuing: Yes
SATA transfer mode: Generation 2
Physical sector size: 512 Bytes
Logical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk on port Unknown
Port location: Unknown
Status: Missing
Usage: Array disk
Size: 0 GB
Serial number: D-WMAV51535299:0
Model:
Firmware:
System disk: No
Password protected: No
Disk data cache: Enabled
Native command queuing: No
SATA transfer mode: Generation 0
Physical sector size: 0 Bytes
Logical sector size: 0 Bytes

Disk on port Unknown
Port location: Unknown
Status: Missing
Usage: Array disk
Size: 0 GB
Serial number: D-WMAV51537789:0
Model:
Firmware:
System disk: No
Password protected: No
Disk data cache: Enabled
Native command queuing: No
SATA transfer mode: Generation 0
Physical sector size: 0 Bytes
Logical sector size: 0 Bytes

Disk on port 4
Port location: Internal
Status: Normal
Usage: Unknown
Size: 0 GB
Serial number:
Model: ATAPI iHAS424 Y
Firmware: ZL1U
System disk: No
Password protected: No
Disk data cache: Disabled
Native command queuing: No
SATA transfer mode: Generation 1
Physical sector size: 0 Bytes
Logical sector size: 0 Bytes

Empty port
Port: 5
Port location: Internal

Note: I have and have only had the 4 WD drives, on ports 0-3 the extras seem to be duplicates. All 4 are still connected, and working, its just the settings that are borked AFAICT. Any help at all would be appreciated!

[no1_vern]

4 drive array, suddenly failed when I attempted to install new hardware. The drives are still attached to the computer, but 2 are listed as non-raid disks in the storage manager ROM the other 2 are still considered member disks.

Any ideas on how to get them back to being accepted as member disks?

[no1_vern]

The answer my friends -

1) Go into the Intel Matrix Storage Manager in BIOS.

2) Mark all the drives in the RAID as "non-Raid." This warns you that all your data will be lost, but really is simply re-writing the partition table, which is ALREADY messed up anyhow... Then Re-Create the RAID using the SAME settings as you originaly did(I hadn't moved any of my drives so it was easy for me). The drives must be in the same order as before, and the strip size must be the same as before. Note: Having the drives in the wrong order will not destroy your data, it will just mean that step (3) will not work... If (3) doesn't work, you will need to repeat steps 1-2 until you have the disks in the proper order...

4) Download TestDisk from CGSecurity *It worked for me, but there is no guarantee.

5) Follow the directions here: TestDisk Step By Step - CGSecurity

6) If all goes well, you will simply have to reboot and all will be better!

Good luck! BACKUP YOUR DATA!! LEARN from my mistakes please!

[Steve R Jones]

You very lucky man.