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Is it possible to somehow access the raw block device hiding behind a HP SmartArray controller?

I have a JBOD disk connected through a SmartArray, and the second the controller thinks it's failing it makes it impossible to access the disk (which would be the desired behavior in a RAID array). I know from experience if I could get access to the raw block device I successfully recover 100% of the data stored on this disk, but the controller is not letting me get access to the disk.

How do you access a "failed" physicaldrive through a HP SmartArray?

ewwhite
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anthonyryan1
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  • Can we have more information about the OS you're running, the hardware involved and any other pertinent details? – ewwhite May 23 '13 at 07:34

1 Answers1

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You can't access the RAW drive. It's going to have RAID metadata on it...

If the controller believes the disk is failing, it's probably failing or failed. Smart Array controllers use S.M.A.R.T. as well as a number of other metrics to determine drive health. What are the LEDs on the drive indicating? Solid amber? Flashing amber?

If you're in the unfortunate situation of having created multiple RAID 0 Logical Drives consisting of a single disk, you're out of luck.

Can you provide more context about what happened and what you're trying to do?

Community
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ewwhite
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  • The drive **is** failing, and it **is** a RAID 0 of a single disk. However failing does not equate failed. I want to access the disk even though it is failing and I understand the integrity cannot be guaranteed. This is completely doable when a drive doesn't have a raid controller in the way. – anthonyryan1 May 23 '13 at 03:33
  • But you DO have a RAID controller in the way. I'm sorry, but due to the fact that this is a RAID member, there's metadata on that drive. You did not answer the other questions I asked, but all bets are off when you do this type of setup. – ewwhite May 23 '13 at 04:00