StarWind Software

Environment...

1 - Win2k03 SP1 Server connected via Intel Dual GB NIC

to

2 - CORAID SR420's


Issue #1 -

We have created shares on the SR420's, but when we reboot the windows server it removes the shares and we have to recreate them.

Questions #1 -

We did set them up the SR420's as Dynamic disks. Why is this not recommened?


Any help is appreciated.

Thank you

mdoss wrote:Environment...
1 - Win2k03 SP1 Server connected via Intel Dual GB NIC
to
2 - CORAID SR420's

Issue #1 -
We have created shares on the SR420's, but when we reboot the windows server it removes the shares and we have to recreate them.

I suspect the Server service starts before the AoE disk is available.

You need to make the Lanmanserver service dependent on the StarPort Service to wait for the disk is ready.

Use the Microsoft Service Control utility (Sc.exe) to create service dependencies.
- Open the Command Prompt.
- Type and run the following command:
sc config Lanmanserver depend=StarPortService

After reboot the service will wait for all persistent disks are mounted by StarPort.

Questions #1 -
We did set them up the SR420's as Dynamic disks. Why is this not recommened?

The problem with dynamic disks is they work unreliably with remote storage. Microsoft ever removed support of dynamic disks in their software iSCSI initiator 2.x
System services that supporting dynamic disk features start early on system boot, so remote disk drives mounted after that with a software initiator must be reactivated.

Using of basic disks is the recommended way for remote AoE storage.

Great Thanks for the quick turnaround!!!

I will try it out.

Looking forward your feedback. Thanks!

mdoss wrote:Great Thanks for the quick turnaround!!!

I will try it out.

I'm also having the same problem with the Windows shares disappearing after rebooting.

I tried "sc config lanmanserver depends= StarPortService" but the shares are still missing.

The 2.72TB coraid disk array was formatted as dynamic disk under Windows 2003 SP2.

What am I missing? How can I fix this?

Same problem - same advice. Format disk as GPT to allow 2TB+ partitions or upgrade to 2008 Server. 2003 Server does not support dynamic disks on the SAN storage (iSCSI, FC or AoE).

How do you format disk as GPT?

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/st ... n-x64.mspx

However in your case it's not the main issue. Service load order is.

clawes wrote:How do you format disk as GPT?

I think I have the same problem here. My config:

Win2003 sp2
- latest starport
- broadcom netxtreme GB nic (current drivers)

coraid SR2461
- running version 20080613

I can add the AoE devices but on reboot they will not be connected and will no longer be listed in StarPort Control. They can be added agin and work fine until another reboot. I have "Force Set the Configuration String" and set "Automount the device". I have tried the service dependency and still it does not work. I have also made sure to create the disks as GPT partitions and a "Basic Disk".

Did you set service start dependencies?

SteveR wrote:I think I have the same problem here. My config:

Win2003 sp2
- latest starport
- broadcom netxtreme GB nic (current drivers)

coraid SR2461
- running version 20080613

I can add the AoE devices but on reboot they will not be connected and will no longer be listed in StarPort Control. They can be added agin and work fine until another reboot. I have "Force Set the Configuration String" and set "Automount the device". I have tried the service dependency and still it does not work. I have also made sure to create the disks as GPT partitions and a "Basic Disk".

I added an entry via regedit (DependOnService to lanmanserver) as sc wasn't working for me at the cmd prompt. I checked the status of the dependencies and here is what sc returns:

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>sc enumdepend starportservice

[SC] EnumDependentServices: entriesread = 3



SERVICE_NAME: Dfs

DISPLAY_NAME: Distributed File System

TYPE : 10 WIN32_OWN_PROCESS

STATE : 1 STOPPED

(NOT_STOPPABLE, NOT_PAUSABLE, IGNORES_SHUTDOWN))



WIN32_EXIT_CODE : 1077 (0x435)

SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)

CHECKPOINT : 0x0

WAIT_HINT : 0x0



SERVICE_NAME: Browser

DISPLAY_NAME: Computer Browser

TYPE : 20 WIN32_SHARE_PROCESS

STATE : 4 RUNNING

(STOPPABLE, NOT_PAUSABLE, IGNORES_SHUTDOWN))

WIN32_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)

SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)

CHECKPOINT : 0x0

WAIT_HINT : 0x0



SERVICE_NAME: lanmanserver

DISPLAY_NAME: Server

TYPE : 20 WIN32_SHARE_PROCESS

STATE : 4 RUNNING

(STOPPABLE, PAUSABLE, ACCEPTS_SHUTDOWN)

WIN32_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)

SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)

CHECKPOINT : 0x0

WAIT_HINT : 0x0

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is for lanmanserver:

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>sc enumdepend lanmanserver

[SC] EnumDependentServices: entriesread = 2



SERVICE_NAME: Dfs

DISPLAY_NAME: Distributed File System

TYPE : 10 WIN32_OWN_PROCESS

STATE : 1 STOPPED

(NOT_STOPPABLE, NOT_PAUSABLE, IGNORES_SHUTDOWN))



WIN32_EXIT_CODE : 1077 (0x435)

SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)

CHECKPOINT : 0x0

WAIT_HINT : 0x0



SERVICE_NAME: Browser

DISPLAY_NAME: Computer Browser

TYPE : 20 WIN32_SHARE_PROCESS

STATE : 4 RUNNING

(STOPPABLE, NOT_PAUSABLE, IGNORES_SHUTDOWN))

WIN32_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)

SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)

CHECKPOINT : 0x0

WAIT_HINT : 0x0

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Based on the ouput, it looks like starportservice has a dependency of lanmanserver dfs and brosers. lanmanserver has a dependency of dfs and browser. Not sure if this is what needs to be set or not.

Lanmanserver must be dependent on StarPortService.

http://www.rocketdivision.com/faq.html?pr_id=3#q_33