migrate a Windows Server 2016 system from a hardware RAID to one disk with acronis
Posted by Legal_Honey_6249@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 18 comments
Trying to migrate a Windows Server 2016 system from a hardware RAID (MegaRAID 9361-8i, RAID 0) to a single disk using Acronis True Image 2021.
Backup was created successfully (.tibx), and restore completes without errors. However, the system consistently fails to boot afterward with INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE.
What I've already tried:
- Acronis Universal Restore (no success)
- Forcing generic storage drivers (storahci / pciide)
- Rebuilding BCD and marking partition active
- Testing in a VM (Hyper-V Gen1, IDE)
The source system is a Dell Precision T7820 using an Avago MegaRAID controller.
My assumption is that the issue is related to storage driver transition from hardware RAID to standard disk, but I haven’t been able to fully detach the system from the RAID dependency.
Has anyone successfully migrated a system like this?
Any insight into what might still be binding the OS to the RAID controller?
Aggravating-Sock1098@reddit
If your target system and source system are not the same, it is possible that your target system is UEFI. In that case, you must first create an EFI partition, then an MSR. Next, restore the image to the available disk space. Only the System and Data partitions. Then start via WindowsPE and use bcdboot to populate the EFI partition with the boot files.
Legal_Honey_6249@reddit (OP)
Intenté esto pero no hubo caso, inyecte drivers, use bcdboot y nada. No se en que fallé De todas formas este sistema ests en mbr y el problema principal es no tiene system recovery pro partición separada, está todo en el C como los mbr antiguos
Aggravating-Sock1098@reddit
If the target system does not support legacy boot but only UEFI, then you must first create an EFI partition on the target system. First, start WinPE on the target computer.
Then start 'diskpart'.
Type 'list disk' to determine the ID of the target disk.
Example if disk ID is 0:
select disk 0
create part efi size=500
format fs=fat32 quick
create part msr size=16
Next, clone the source partitions back to the unconfigured disk space of the target computer.
Then after cloning start WinPE again on target system. Start Diskpart again.
Type 'list vol' to determine the volumes. Note the drive letter of your Windows partition. In this example, 'c' is assigned. Note the ID of your EFI partition. In this example, ID is '0'.
select vol 0
assign
list vol
Note the drive letter of your EFI partition. Drive letter ‘d’ in this example.
Exit diskpart with 'exit'.
Type 'bcdboot c:\windows /s d:’
Restart the computer.
Jawshee_pdx@reddit
Depending on the size of the server you may be overcomplicating this. Just make a new server and migrate the data over. Share permissions can be copied from the registry.
Legal_Honey_6249@reddit (OP)
El problema es que preciso de mantener las aplicaciones. Es un montón de trabajo empezar sin esas aplicaciones y sobre todo, dinero... Por eso me voy por el camino rocoso
Jawshee_pdx@reddit
Migrate them.
xqwizard@reddit
You need to offline mount the system HIVE and disable the megaraid, or megasas service. I did this a few years back so have forgotten full steps now.
It will live somewhere in this hive
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\
Legal_Honey_6249@reddit (OP)
Mi consulta con respecto a esto es: luego no podré inicializar el sistema original que se encuentra con el raid? Mi idea es mantener el original funcionando hasta que pueda hacer funcionar una copia virtualizados o que pueda usarla en otro equipo con distinto hardware
xqwizard@reddit
You do this on the vm not on the physical :)
vermyx@reddit
The easiest way I have done this is with Veeam backup. The restore disk allows you to inject a new disk controller during the restore. The manual way is to mount the existing offline windows image and inject the driver using dism (I haven't done this in about a decade or so but that was the general idea)
Legal_Honey_6249@reddit (OP)
I'll try this one. I think this is better option, the problem is I'll keep the original system (raid) this copy is for emergency cases
BoringLime@reddit
I haven't done this type of backup and restore in a very long time. I have always made sure to preload all the drivers for the new system on the current one, so you don't run into these types of issues. Missing nic or storage controller driver that is needed. They have worked for me in the past. Depending on the age of the system, make sure you are restoring to like for like restore. So if the source is using mbr bios legacy boot, do so on the new hardware. Once the new device is operational, you can go through the headache to convert it to uefi boot. There are better things available now for physical to virtual or bare metal and allowing slip streaming of drivers. My guess is you are running into a chipset or storage controller driver issue on the new hardware.
St0nywall@reddit
Try doing a Bare-Metal restore. This allows Acronis to restore to different hardware.
Absolute_Bob@reddit
Download a trial of Veeam, it's very good at this.
MilkSupreme@reddit
cat /dev/sda > /dev/sdb
Adam_Kearn@reddit
Would windows P2V not work best for this?
bluecollarbiker@reddit
Not explicitly stated in your list, have you don’t the safe mode dance already?
https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/xps/switching-from-raid-to-achi/647f9b7af4ccf8a8def5ff19
Reboot in safe mode, shutdown and backup system, restore to new disk, boot into safe mode, reboot into normal mode.
Far_Gift6173@reddit
It's been some time since I last did this, and I simply created a VM
And while this is being frowned upon, but I will say it nonethless:
Just ask chatgpt with your initial query. Once you have exhausted it and it still does not work, we can look at other solutions