Storage

[marcnesium]

Pleas help: I'm using a DriveStation Duo HD-W800IU2_R1 with two 400GB HDDs as a RAID1. It was build under Windows XP and was now used for 2 month with Windows 7 without problems. Yesterday i shuted down my Laptop (i use the automatic shutdown feature of the DriveStation), but today in the mornig I saw, that the DriveStation was still on and both Drive-LEDs were on (green)... Starting windows 7 up, but drive was not recogniezed. Then i unpluged the drive and swithed it off. After switching it on again same thing: both Drive-LEDs are on (green). I'm not sure, if the drives are really being accessed by the RAID-controller. If yes, it must be an linear access, cause random access is much more louder. But sometimes i think i can hear some access-clicks...

I'm really worried, because i used this drive for my music library. no extra backup, cause i thought a RAID1 would be enough.

Can someone help me? Anybody had same expirience like this? What does it mean, that both LEDs are on (green)? Is it some kind of RAID-rebuild? I thought, this process would be indicated by red blinking LEDs?

Thanks in advance (and sorry for my bad english)

Bye, Marc.

[mosonson]

I have exactly the same problem.

I switched it off and turn it into non-automatic start mode and power on again. Then I found the number 2 on the panel turned red. I think it has some problem on the disk synchronzation and is now re-building the RAID 1. The rebuild process may take more than 50 hours from my experience. It is annoying. :smileysad:

[marcnesium]

Damnit, Mosonson! That was it! Thanks for this hint! (It sould be written in the official FAQ...)

The power-off-mode switch! By switching into manual mode i get finally a red LED (number 2), too! (Never thought a power mode switch could be relatet to RAID issues). I think this is somehow a good sign, because i know now, that the drive is in a controlled state and there is hope, that after rebuild everything is ok again.

I started the rebuild process right now. Because the disk is quite full (60-70%), i guess it will take "some" hours.

Mosonson, tell me, worked it out for you? Have you lot some data?

Thanks again!

Bye, Marc.

[marcnesium]

Oh no!!!:smileysurprised:

I just read this: http://www.buffalo-technology.com/knowledgebase/users/kb.php?id=10076&category_id=0&sid2=

My drive 2 led is stable red, not blinking!! **bleep** it! According to this faq, this means, that disk 2 just failed...

Mosonson, can you please confirm, that yours was blinking? Or was is stable?

Has anybody any expirience for that case? Is it possible to disassamble the working HDD to get access in an other external usb casing? I'm just worried about my data, don't wana risk to loose them...

[mosonson]

My drive 2 led is switching between stable and flashing. Sometimes it is switching to green too.

But I can tell from the sound that I know it is working (read & write), so I assume it is re-building.

When it is in manual-startup mode, I can access to the drive. So I have copied the most important data to another disk to play safe. Now, I am waiting for it to re-building the RAID.

If your hard disk is failed, I think it won't re-build, but you should still able to access to it and get your data from the good harddisk.

[marcnesium]

Hmm, thanks for the fast reply!

I have almost no working sounds here... i'm quite sure, that there is no rebuiding process...

I will disassamble the drivestation now, and try to access my data...

Keep me posted, if it worked out for you, good luck!

Bye, Marc.

[marcnesium]

Update:

Just before i started to unscrew the housing, i was wondering if i can access the working disk in this state: disk 1 led off, disk 2 led stable red. after plugging usb cable in both leds turned stable green and nothing happens. drive was not regocnized by windows 7. than i swthed off the device, started it again and guess what! The DriveStation started the rebuild process! And i can access my files with windows explorer! I'm so happy right now and optimistic, that the rebuild process could work out... But as you already mentioned, this could take a while...

So let's drink a tee or coffee... Bye, Marc.:smileywink:

[drmemory]

I strongly suggest you call your local Buffalotech support and get help on this before you start disassembling the product and potentially lose all your unbacked up data.

[mosonson]

Hi    marcnesium, my RAID 1 has finished the rebuilt after 30 hours.

  drmemory, is it problem with the RAID controller that causing such problem? Thanks.

[marcnesium]

Congratulations Mosonson!

My Rebuild is running for 24h now... not yet finished.

Mosonson: How big is your RAID? Mine is 2x400GB. How often happend this to you until now? This is my 2nd rebuild, haven't lost any data until now...

If this is an usually appearing problem, is see a need for a controller firmware update. A RAID(1) is in my opinion something like an insurance: I spend a little more money (for a RAID storage device) to feel a little more safe regarding my data. But if this problem keeps coming up, i feel uncomfortable... No use of spending more money... : ( But in general i like this device, because it worked fine until now. So i would really like to solve this problem. Any thing regarding this, Dr. Memory (or anybody else)?

I will keep you posted about my rebuilt process. Bye, Marc.