Win2k3 Standard File Server - Missing Data

  • Thread starter Thread starter Fred Orcutt
  • Start date Start date
F

Fred Orcutt

Guest
Hello all,

I've got a Win2k3 Std SP2 file/member server in an SBS2k3 domain. This file
server developed an issue where it would not connect itself to the domain.
This was fixed easily with a repair reinstall, but an important issue remains:

The file server uses 2 HDD which are mirrored. The HDD is partitioned into
the normal system/boot partition, with a logical D drive where user data are
staged.

Following the OS repair/reinstall, data files for about a 6-month chunk of
time simply no longer appeared on the data partition. Also lost was any kind
of data file on the boot partition, such as app license files, for example.

Nothing was done to attempt to restore the file server to a previous date
checkpoint, or LNG, or anything of that nature. Simply the OS
repair/reinstall. Of note is that VSS was not enabled for any of the
partitions at this time, or previously. I have combed the drives for the MIA
files with no joy. Also have run forensic data recovery on the partitions,
with absolutely nothing showing up as deleted or similar for the chunk of
time in question.

Am at a bit of a loss right now as to how to proceed from here to find and
restore the missing files. I tend to think they must be somewhere. Am I
wrong? Any advice or assistance in how to proceed would be much appreciated.

TIA,

Fred Orcutt
 
Re: Win2k3 Standard File Server - Missing Data

The mirrored drives was this through software or hardware?

"Fred Orcutt" <FredOrcutt@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D451C5B7-B9E3-46AF-885C-6628378CB90B@microsoft.com...
> Hello all,
>
> I've got a Win2k3 Std SP2 file/member server in an SBS2k3 domain. This
> file
> server developed an issue where it would not connect itself to the domain.
> This was fixed easily with a repair reinstall, but an important issue
> remains:
>
> The file server uses 2 HDD which are mirrored. The HDD is partitioned
> into
> the normal system/boot partition, with a logical D drive where user data
> are
> staged.
>
> Following the OS repair/reinstall, data files for about a 6-month chunk of
> time simply no longer appeared on the data partition. Also lost was any
> kind
> of data file on the boot partition, such as app license files, for
> example.
>
> Nothing was done to attempt to restore the file server to a previous date
> checkpoint, or LNG, or anything of that nature. Simply the OS
> repair/reinstall. Of note is that VSS was not enabled for any of the
> partitions at this time, or previously. I have combed the drives for the
> MIA
> files with no joy. Also have run forensic data recovery on the
> partitions,
> with absolutely nothing showing up as deleted or similar for the chunk of
> time in question.
>
> Am at a bit of a loss right now as to how to proceed from here to find and
> restore the missing files. I tend to think they must be somewhere. Am I
> wrong? Any advice or assistance in how to proceed would be much
> appreciated.
>
> TIA,
>
> Fred Orcutt
 
Re: Win2k3 Standard File Server - Missing Data

Rick,

The mirroring is through an Intel ICH7 chip on a SuperMicro PDSMi mainboard.

"Rick V" wrote:

> The mirrored drives was this through software or hardware?
>
> "Fred Orcutt" <FredOrcutt@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:D451C5B7-B9E3-46AF-885C-6628378CB90B@microsoft.com...
> > Hello all,
> >
> > I've got a Win2k3 Std SP2 file/member server in an SBS2k3 domain. This
> > file
> > server developed an issue where it would not connect itself to the domain.
> > This was fixed easily with a repair reinstall, but an important issue
> > remains:
> >
> > The file server uses 2 HDD which are mirrored. The HDD is partitioned
> > into
> > the normal system/boot partition, with a logical D drive where user data
> > are
> > staged.
> >
> > Following the OS repair/reinstall, data files for about a 6-month chunk of
> > time simply no longer appeared on the data partition. Also lost was any
> > kind
> > of data file on the boot partition, such as app license files, for
> > example.
> >
> > Nothing was done to attempt to restore the file server to a previous date
> > checkpoint, or LNG, or anything of that nature. Simply the OS
> > repair/reinstall. Of note is that VSS was not enabled for any of the
> > partitions at this time, or previously. I have combed the drives for the
> > MIA
> > files with no joy. Also have run forensic data recovery on the
> > partitions,
> > with absolutely nothing showing up as deleted or similar for the chunk of
> > time in question.
> >
> > Am at a bit of a loss right now as to how to proceed from here to find and
> > restore the missing files. I tend to think they must be somewhere. Am I
> > wrong? Any advice or assistance in how to proceed would be much
> > appreciated.
> >
> > TIA,
> >
> > Fred Orcutt
>
 
Re: Win2k3 Standard File Server - Missing Data

So the OS just sees one drive then. You did not loose all the data just some
of it right?
I wish I had an idea for you but I do not. Maybe someone else has some
insight.

"Fred Orcutt" <FredOrcutt@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1958F6FF-7549-4CEE-BD6D-593456D6DB39@microsoft.com...
> Rick,
>
> The mirroring is through an Intel ICH7 chip on a SuperMicro PDSMi
> mainboard.
>
> "Rick V" wrote:
>
>> The mirrored drives was this through software or hardware?
>>
>> "Fred Orcutt" <FredOrcutt@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:D451C5B7-B9E3-46AF-885C-6628378CB90B@microsoft.com...
>> > Hello all,
>> >
>> > I've got a Win2k3 Std SP2 file/member server in an SBS2k3 domain. This
>> > file
>> > server developed an issue where it would not connect itself to the
>> > domain.
>> > This was fixed easily with a repair reinstall, but an important issue
>> > remains:
>> >
>> > The file server uses 2 HDD which are mirrored. The HDD is partitioned
>> > into
>> > the normal system/boot partition, with a logical D drive where user
>> > data
>> > are
>> > staged.
>> >
>> > Following the OS repair/reinstall, data files for about a 6-month chunk
>> > of
>> > time simply no longer appeared on the data partition. Also lost was
>> > any
>> > kind
>> > of data file on the boot partition, such as app license files, for
>> > example.
>> >
>> > Nothing was done to attempt to restore the file server to a previous
>> > date
>> > checkpoint, or LNG, or anything of that nature. Simply the OS
>> > repair/reinstall. Of note is that VSS was not enabled for any of the
>> > partitions at this time, or previously. I have combed the drives for
>> > the
>> > MIA
>> > files with no joy. Also have run forensic data recovery on the
>> > partitions,
>> > with absolutely nothing showing up as deleted or similar for the chunk
>> > of
>> > time in question.
>> >
>> > Am at a bit of a loss right now as to how to proceed from here to find
>> > and
>> > restore the missing files. I tend to think they must be somewhere. Am
>> > I
>> > wrong? Any advice or assistance in how to proceed would be much
>> > appreciated.
>> >
>> > TIA,
>> >
>> > Fred Orcutt
>>
 
Back
Top