On Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:12:30 -0400, "Ron Kirschner"
wrote:

>I am putting a raid controller into an existing HP ML370 server that
>currently has a non raid controller and 3 hard drives. Is there any way to
>copy an image of the current root drive to tape, and then restore it to a
>disc array of the same size after the new controller and discs are
>installed. I'm trying to avoid a full OS re-install.
>
>HP has some backup and restore software that does this, but only for
>windows.
>
>

LoneTar - http://www.cactus.com/
BackupEdge - http://www.microlite.com/


Scott McMillan

In article , Ron Kirschner wrote:
>I am putting a raid controller into an existing HP ML370 server that
>currently has a non raid controller and 3 hard drives. Is there any way to
>copy an image of the current root drive to tape, and then restore it to a
>disc array of the same size after the new controller and discs are
>installed. I'm trying to avoid a full OS re-install.
>
>HP has some backup and restore software that does this, but only for
>windows.
>
>
>

BackupEdge and LoneTar will both do this. You can start at the
lowest level and have it recognize the new controller and then just
restore the backup. You don't have to install any of the OS to do
this.

Check the docs for both programs. I'm surprised you don't have one
or the other and haven't seen this.

Bill
--
Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com

Ron Kirschner wrote:
> I am putting a raid controller into an existing HP ML370 server that
> currently has a non raid controller and 3 hard drives. Is there any way to
> copy an image of the current root drive to tape, and then restore it toa
> disc array of the same size after the new controller and discs are
> installed. I'm trying to avoid a full OS re-install.
>
> HP has some backup and restore software that does this, but only for
> windows.
>
>
>
>

As pointed out in other replies: Backup Edge from Microlite or LoneTar from
Cactus are backup programs that backup, verify, and restore the entire contents
of a system's mounted file systems. They both provide recovery tools to
boot a system with new hard disks and restore a full system backup to
the new drive(s).

I have personally used Backup Edge to move an SCO 5.0.7 system from a
SuperMicro based system with RAID on an Adaptec RAID controller to
an HP ML350 with HP Smart Array 641 RAID controller (ciss driver).

Do not rely on the ability to boot the backup software with boot time
loadable drivers. Instead, install the drivers for the new RAID controller
on the running system and perform the steps to "add a disk on the new
RAID controller" to relink the kernel with the new RAID controller's
drivers.

Then install Microlite Backup Edge and select the option to make the RE2
boot media on CD. If you don't have a CD writer on this system, just copy
the resulting ISO image to a system that can burn an ISO image to a cd.

Use Backup Edge to create a full system backup to tape or DVD writer or
FTP repository. Test restoring selected files from the backup image
to an alternate location (like /tmp/* files to /tmp/tmp/*). Then when
you are satisfied that you know how to use the software to retrieve
the backup, install your new RAID controller, boot the RE2 media
and verify that the kernel "sees" the new RAID controller before
you use the RAID controller firmware to create a RAID array using
your existing hard drives.

A better strategy would be to plan to set up the RAID with all
new hard disks, preserving your existing disks should your
first attempt fail and you have to revert to the non-RAID controller
to get the system back up while you determine what went wrong.

Next, boot the RE2 media with the string: "defbootstr Sdsk=ciss(0,0,0,0)."
(That's the Smart Array 641 driver, use whatever driver is specific
for your hardware.) From the RE2 menu, choose ”Automatic” to begin
automatic setup of the hard disk fdisk partitions and UNIX division
tables. Automatic will mount the newly created partitions and
restore the full system backup.

I have had the "Automatic" recovery fail when the disk geometry of
the new disk (RAID) is different or available disk space is smaller
on the new array. In that case, you will need to be able to
manually create your divvy table entries as required to fit your
file systems on the new hardware. The tools to do this exist on
the RE2 media. Good luck.

--
Steve Fabac
S.M. Fabac & Associates
816/765-1670

I normally use UnixWare and use the emergency recovery diskettes and tapes
for that. Can't see the same thing in Open Server.

"Bill Vermillion" wrote in message news:Jq0Jr6.1pDo@wjv.com...
> In article , Ron Kirschner wrote:
>>I am putting a raid controller into an existing HP ML370 server that
>>currently has a non raid controller and 3 hard drives. Is there any way
>>to
>>copy an image of the current root drive to tape, and then restore it to a
>>disc array of the same size after the new controller and discs are
>>installed. I'm trying to avoid a full OS re-install.
>>
>>HP has some backup and restore software that does this, but only for
>>windows.
>>
>>
>>
>
> BackupEdge and LoneTar will both do this. You can start at the
> lowest level and have it recognize the new controller and then just
> restore the backup. You don't have to install any of the OS to do
> this.
>
> Check the docs for both programs. I'm surprised you don't have one
> or the other and haven't seen this.
>
> Bill
> --
> Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com

The old fashioned way is the best way to do.
Just make a backup with cpio to tape for each filesystem.
Use root boot disk to start your system.
Then read the tape and set your backup back into the system.

But in your case it doesn't work, because the harware is different.
The boot/root disk has no intention to find your drives, because it's
has an different driver. Therefor you have tot reinstall your system at
minimum requirements. When your drives are found, you can make a restore
to the rest of your system.
Be carefull, don't restore your old diskdriver. Then all work is for
nothing.

Regards,
John


Ron Kirschner wrote:
> I am putting a raid controller into an existing HP ML370 server that
> currently has a non raid controller and 3 hard drives. Is there any way to
> copy an image of the current root drive to tape, and then restore it to a
> disc array of the same size after the new controller and discs are
> installed. I'm trying to avoid a full OS re-install.
>
> HP has some backup and restore software that does this, but only for
> windows.
>
>
>