I was upgrading the OS [c:] on a DELL Poweredge 840 server from Win2k3 server to Win2k8 R2 server using the Dell SMTD DVD to prep the install. This has always worked in the past without destroying the data partitions. (I have now found out this only works properly if the OS is on a RAID 1/0/10 and the data on a RAID 5)
In this case the OS & Data were both on RAID 5 & the Dell tool reformatted (quickly) or maybe reset the partition table so that it looks like one big drive. I noticed this once I got to the install screen for Windows 2008 R2 and shut down the system.
Are there any utilities that can be run from a bootable CD/DVD that can undo the format on the RAID 5 set or else let me browse & recover the data on the various partitions?
(Yes I know always backup first. This was not a production server and I am interested in gaining the knowledge of how recover data from an event like this.)
In this case the OS & Data were both on RAID 5 & the Dell tool reformatted (quickly) or maybe reset the partition table so that it looks like one big drive. I noticed this once I got to the install screen for Windows 2008 R2 and shut down the system.
Are there any utilities that can be run from a bootable CD/DVD that can undo the format on the RAID 5 set or else let me browse & recover the data on the various partitions?
(Yes I know always backup first. This was not a production server and I am interested in gaining the knowledge of how recover data from an event like this.)