How to Add Datastore without Loosing Data?

[denis9]

Hi,

We had ESXi 3.5 installed on 1 HDD and Datastore was on another HDD.

Now the HDD with ESXi host got crashed and I had to replace with another HDD and do fresh ESXi installation on new HDD.

Now after fresh installation of ESXi on new HDD, it is not detecting the datastore on the second HDD. It is however detecting the LUN of the second HDD.

Now, how do I make it detect the Datastore on second HDD? Or is there anyway I can add the datastore on second HDD to new ESXi host?

Thanks in Advance.

Regards,

Denis

[mcowger · Accepted solution]

You'll need to enable lun resignaturing and snapshot LUNs, mount and rename the datastore back to its original name, and then disable them.

--Matt

VCP, vExpert, Unix Geek

[denis9]

Hi Matt,

Thanks for your valued and prompt reply.

Can you help me to do that? B'coz I'm pretty new to VMWare.

Thanks in Advance.

Regards,

Denis

[AndreTheGiant]

See on this page:

http://www.shocknetwork.com/forum/vmware-discussion-f20/how-resignature-vmfs3-volumes-that-are-not-s...

http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2008/12/11/enableresignature-andor-disallowsnapshotlun/

Resignature is necessary to see existing old datastore.

Andre

[denis9]

Hi Andre & Matt,

Thanks A Ton To Both Of You!!

You people have made my day!! I was wandering for solution since 2 days and today finally you people have solved my problem.

A Bow Down to you guys!!

[AndreTheGiant]

You're welcome.

Andre

[J1mbo]

That's weird, I did a reinstall and ESXi picked up both a PERC 5i connected and an SATA connected existing datastore no problem.