[cobalt-users] Raq4 - Help - Anyone replaced a hard drive?

["Anthony Cook" <ant_cook@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

We've had a hard disk failure on our RaQ4r.  So we've got to replace the 
hard drive.

Okay, so it's covered under warranty, but Cobalt insist that I send the box 
back to them for repair.  As I've got quite a lot of business riding on the 
box, taking the box offline for days will cost significantly more than a 
half an hour repair session next to the rack where it is.  So sending it 
back is out of the question and Cobalt refuse to send me a disk to replace 
it with.  So much for the Warranty.

So I need to find a replacement disk so I can go do it myself.  But there 
are two problems.

1. The disk in the RaQ (Seagate ST330621A 30gb) is no longer available, 
Seagate have replaced it with an update model.  And over 20 suppliers here 
in the UK do not have the old one on their shelves.  So it means getting 
another drive, by another manufacturer.  Has anyone else done this, and have 
they done this with a RaQ4r RAID?  What if the new drive is slightly smaller 
than the existing drive?

2. What will happen with the RAID when the box is switched back on again?   
Should I swap the disks around so that the working Secondary drive is put in 
the primary slot and the new drive is put in the old secondary slot.  Or 
should the new drive go in the Secondary bay.  I don't want the RAID to 
think that the formated drive is the one to copy over the broken one.  What 
about partitioning the new drive or formating it?  Does this need to be done 
before installing?

Thanks for any help anyone can give - getting quite desperate here!

Anthony

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