Moving or Removing Disks & Fault Tolerant Drive Configurations

ID: Q139820

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0

SUMMARY

If you remove any disks or members of a fault tolerant set from the computer without first deleting the information about them in Disk Administrator [ASCII 150] or if a member of a fault tolerant set fails, the following error message appears when you start Disk Administrator:

Disk Administrator has determined that one or more disks have been removed from your computer since Disk Administrator was last run, or that one or more disks are off-line.

Configuration information about the missing disk(s) will be retained.


In addition - Event viewer may post the following event messages:

Event ID: 12 Source: FTDISK Description: A stripe set or volume set member listed in the configuration information was missing.


Event ID: 14 Source: FTDISK Description: The FT set containing \Device\MissingMirror1Member0 cannot be used.


**NOTE: Actual device membership message for event ID: 14 may be different.

This article describes how to move the existing fault-tolerance registry information to the registry on a new computer where you install the disks or members of the fault tolerant set. This article also explains how to eliminate the error message above after moving an entire, fault-tolerant subsystem to another computer.


MORE INFORMATION

When you create fault tolerant volumes in Disk Administrator such as volume sets, stripe sets, or mirrored drives, this configuration information is stored in the registry in binary format that contains specific information such as number of disks attached to the system, disk signature strings, drive letter assignments, partition information, and fault tolerant memberships.

Moving a Disk or Member of a Fault-Tolerant Set

If you decide to move all the fault-tolerant arrays or drives from one computer to a different computer, intact with all data, you must save the configuration information to a floppy disk from Disk Administrator:
  1. Run Disk Administrator.


  2. From the Partition menu, choose Configuration, then choose Save.


  3. Insert a formatted floppy disk in drive A when prompted.


  4. Install the moved hardware on the new computer.


  5. Insert the floppy created in step 3 in the floppy drive of the new computer.


  6. Run Disk Administrator on the new computer.


  7. From the Partition menu, choose Configuration, and then choose Restore.


NOTE: When the saved configuration information is restored to the new computer, the saved configuration information replaces the existing drive configuration information by overwriting the registry key. Because of this, it is not possible to move a fault tolerant subsystem to another system that has a fault tolerant subsystem already installed. In addition, if you separate multiple fault tolerant subsystems by moving them to separate computers and restoring the configuration information you receive the message stated above because the restored key contains Rogue entries about the missing fault tolerant subsystem.

Eliminating the Error Msg after Moving an Entire, Fault-Tolerant Subsystem

If you move the entire, fault-tolerant subsystem to another computer, and no other volume sets, stripe sets, or mirrored drives exist on this system the error message above appears.

To elimate the error message:

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can be resolved. Use this tool at your own risk.
  1. Run the Registry Editor.


  2. Delete the \System\DISK key under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree.


  3. Run Disk Administrator to re-create the DISK key with the current information.


Any reassigned drive or CD-ROM drive letters need to be reassigned again. In addition, the FTDISK device must be set to "disabled" in Control Panel devices.

NOTE: If you only moved portions of a fault tolerant subsystem to another computer and you want to eliminate the error message, do not delete the DISK key, instead, please call Microsoft Product Support services for Assistance using the NT Resource Kit utility called FTEDIT.

Additional query words: prodnt 3.10

Keywords : ntfault
Version : 3.10 3.50 3.51
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :


Last Reviewed: January 28, 1999
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