[Windows-based NVRs] How do I replace a failed drive and rebuild a degraded RAID on my NR device?

Question

How do I replace a failed drive and rebuild a degraded RAID on my NR device?

Answer

When a RAID array shows as degraded, it means one or more drives have failed, compromising the redundancy and performance of the entire system. Replacing the failed drive is crucial to restore full functionality and ensure data integrity. Failure to replace a degraded drive can lead to total data loss if another drive fails simultaneously. Follow these detailed steps to replace the failed drive and rebuild the RAID:

1. Identify which drive is presenting issues. The damaged drive should show an orange LED indicator, you can also check the slot number in the MegaRaid interface.

2. Replace the faulty HDD with a new one, be sure to use one with the same specifications for maximum compatibility. 

Note: Generally, the RAID starts rebuilding automatically unless the replacement drive has pre-existing data.
3. Access RAID Configuration by clicking on the "RAID Config" icon in the Control Center.

4. Navigate the MegaRaid manager interface and click on the "IP address". Then, enter the Windows username and password.

If you are not sure what is the NR default password, please check the following article:

• [Windows-based NVRs][NR9X8X/NR9X8X-v2] What is the default Windows username and password set for the NR devices?

5. To configure the new drive, click on the logical tab. If the replacement drive shows as "Unconfigured bad," right-click and change it to "Unconfigured good".

6. If the drive has a "foreign configuration," right-click on Avago and select "scan foreign configuration".
Choose "clear foreign configuration".

Note: This will erase any data on the replacement drive.

7. Once the new drive change to the "Unconfigured good" status, right click on it and select "replace missing drive".

It should automatically select the missing drive slot.

If more than one row index appears when you click, it indicates that more than one drive is missing.

8. Right-click the replaced drive and select "start rebuild".

Note: This process can take approximately 24 hours.

8. Monitor the rebuild progress by clicking on the "Dashboard" tab. Then, select "drive operations in progress" and click "more details".

This will open a popup window showing the drive rebuild estimated completion time.

By adhering to these steps, you can efficiently handle a failed drive and ensure your RAID system's integrity and performance are restored.