Re: Command To Allow Safe Removal of Hard Drive?

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"Edwin vMierlo [MVP]" <EdwinvMierlo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message news:eytZkeGdIHA.4196@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For what it's worth, I found that with Symantec Storage Foundation there
are
command lines to detach a disk to prepare it for power off, and commands
to
later attach and reactivate the disk and volume(s).

And still you need hardware which is designed for "hot-swap"
If not you might risk physical/electrical damage to your equipment

1) ensure your hardware supports "hot-swap"

Right, but we are only using hotswap SCSI and SAS, drives all mounted in
hotswap trays. So electrical disconnect is not the issue. Moreover the
Symantec commands I mentioned would let you power off a disk device that is
*not* hotswappable.


2) ensure your software (e.g. drivers) supports "hot-swap"

No, I think you are missing the point. Veritas / Symantec implemented a
low level driver that flushes all information to the disk, prepares it for
power off, and then stops the OS from writing anything else to it from the
point that the disk is "detached". The very nice thing about that is it
allows you to power off even drives that are NOT hot swappable while the OS
runs hot. Of course reacquiring a device later that is not designed for
hot reconnection might or might not work and would be hit and miss.
Certainly it works beautifully with SCSI and SAS.

This all assumes that

a) you installed Symantec's Storage Foundation for Windows

b) before power off you issue Symantec "vxdisk detach ...."

c) after power on you issue Symantec command "vxdisk attach ...." and
volume reattach command(s).

I have tested it, recovered the drive hot - all without booting - and ran
CHKDSK /R to verify no damage, and the drives survive the power off and
power on sequence with no errors.

--
Will


.

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