How to direct access a disk connected to serveraid 8k

ibmwindows-server-2008-r2

I have a working IBM serveraid-8k .

My problem is that I need to read files from a HDD taken from another machine (not raid).

ServeRAID Manager sees the disk, but I found no way to access it from windows.

If I ask to create a new Logical Volume so I can see it on windows, will the controller erase the disk?

Thanks in advance.

UPDATE: To clarify the question, let me explain that, although Windows Disk Manager doesn't see the disk, the ServeRaid Manager (software to control the raid controller) sees it.

What I need to know (and haven't found yet) is how one makes the serveraid 8k controller expose a drive to Windows 2008 R2 without erasing all data already in the disk.

Best Answer

This is a constant problem with raid controllers. They normally don't provide any way to expose a drive without it being part of an array.

I've had loads of fun recently with a couple of lower end hostraid (adaptec) sata controllers on small servers. The array suddenly 'disappears'. You then cannot access the disk through the controller but both disks (mirror raid) are valid images.

Three solutions: 1) buy a low end controller to let you access the disk while attached to the system in question 2) Put the disk into an old server and copy the data accross 3) USB adapter which lets you see the disk as a usb disk.

With scsi disks I done 1 and 2 in the past. USB adaptors should exist out there.

Ian