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NetApp ONTAP 9 Factory Reset

Complete procedure for factory resetting NetApp storage systems running ONTAP 9, including disk ownership removal, unpartitioning, and configuration wipe.

Prerequisites

Item Details
Console Cables Serial cables for both controllers (A and B)
Terminal Software PuTTY, TeraTerm, or similar
Console Settings 9600 baud (default), 8-N-1
Access Physical access to power switches

Data Loss Warning

This procedure permanently destroys all data on the storage system. Ensure all data has been backed up or is no longer needed before proceeding.

Understanding the Boot Menu

When the system boots, press Ctrl+C at the "Press Ctrl-C" prompt to access the boot menu.

Option Name Purpose
1 Normal Boot Standard system boot
2 Boot without /etc/rc Boot without running startup scripts
3 Change password Reset admin password
4 Wipeconfig Clean config and initialize all disks
5 Maintenance mode Boot to maintenance shell
6 Update flash Update from backup config
7 Install new software Install new ONTAP version
8 Reboot node Restart the node
9 Advanced Drive Partitioning ADP configuration menu

Use this method for systems with Advanced Drive Partitioning (ADP).

Part 1: Reset Controller A

  1. Connect console cable to Controller A
  2. Power on the storage system
  3. Press Ctrl+C when prompted to enter boot menu
  4. Select Option 9 (Advanced Drive Partitioning)

Part 2: Advanced Drive Partitioning Submenu

Option Name Action
9a Destroy aggregates Unpartition disks and remove ownership
9b Initialize with partitioned disks Reinitialize with ADP
9c Initialize with whole disks Reinitialize without partitioning
9d Reboot node Restart
9e Return to main menu Go back
9f Remove disk ownership Remove ownership only

Part 3: Execute Reset Sequence

Order is Critical

You must run 9a first on both controllers before running 9b or 9c on either.

On Controller A: 

Selection (1-9)? 9

# Select 9a first
Selection (9a-9f)? 9a
# Confirm with "yes" when prompted
# Wait for completion

On Controller B (simultaneously or after): 

Selection (1-9)? 9
Selection (9a-9f)? 9a
# Confirm with "yes" when prompted
# Wait for completion

Part 4: Reinitialize

After 9a completes on both controllers:

On Controller A: 

Selection (9a-9f)? 9b    # For ADP (partitioned)
# OR
Selection (9a-9f)? 9c    # For whole disks

On Controller B: 

Selection (9a-9f)? 9b    # For ADP (partitioned)
# OR
Selection (9a-9f)? 9c    # For whole disks

Method 2: Manual Reset (Maintenance Mode + Option 4)

Use this method for older ONTAP versions or more control over the process.

Part 1: Enter Maintenance Mode

On both controllers:

  1. Power on and press Ctrl+C at the boot menu prompt
  2. Select Option 5 (Maintenance mode boot)
  3. Wait for the *> prompt

Part 2: Check Current Disk Configuration

# Show system ID (note this for reference)
*> sysconfig
# Look for: System ID: 0537414354

# Show disk ownership
*> disk show

# Show disks assigned to specific controller
*> disk show -s 0537414354

# Show unowned disks
*> disk show -n

Part 3: Remove Disk Ownership

On both controllers:

# Remove ownership from all disks
*> disk remove_ownership all

# Unpartition all disks (if ADP was used)
*> disk unpartition all

# Verify disks are now unowned
*> disk show -n

Part 4: Exit Maintenance Mode

# Return to boot menu
*> halt

You'll return to the Loader> prompt.

Part 5: Initialize Configuration

# Boot back to menu
Loader> autoboot
# Press Ctrl+C when prompted

# Select wipeconfig
Selection (1-9)? 4
# Confirm with "yes"

Do this on both controllers.

Disk Shelf Procedures

Adding External Disk Shelf

When connecting an external disk shelf to be reset:

  1. Cable the shelf to the controller(s)
  2. Power on the shelf first, then the controller
  3. Enter maintenance mode (Option 5)
  4. Disks in the shelf must be assigned to a controller before reset

Clear Disk Shelf for Reuse

If preparing a disk shelf for use with a different system:

# Enter maintenance mode
*> # at the maintenance prompt

# Remove ownership from shelf disks
*> disk remove_ownership all
# OR specific disks:
*> disk remove_ownership 0a.29 0a.28 0a.27

# Unpartition if needed
*> disk unpartition all

# After system reset, remove ownership again
# so shelf has no association with this controller

Command Reference

Maintenance Mode Commands

Command Description
sysconfig Display system configuration and ID
disk show Show all disks and ownership
disk show -n Show unowned disks
disk show -s <id> Show disks owned by specific system ID
disk remove_ownership all Remove ownership from all disks
disk remove_ownership <disk> Remove ownership from specific disk
disk unpartition all Remove partitioning from all disks
disk assign <disk> -s <id> Assign disk to specific controller
halt Return to Loader prompt

Loader Commands

Command Description
autoboot Continue normal boot sequence
boot_ontap Boot ONTAP
printenv Show environment variables
setenv Set environment variable

Post-Reset Steps

After successful reset:

  1. System boots to Cluster Setup Wizard
  2. Power off the storage using rear power switches
  3. Disconnect console cables
  4. System is ready for new deployment or shipping

Troubleshooting

Disks Still Show Ownership After Reset

# Force remove ownership
*> disk remove_ownership all -force

Option 9b/9c Fails with Warning

The error "It is mandatory to perform 9a before choosing 9b or 9c" means: - Run 9a on the partner node first - Both controllers must have 9a completed before either can run 9b/9c

Cannot See Disks in Maintenance Mode

  • Check disk shelf power and cabling
  • Verify SAS/FC connections
  • Run sasadmin shelf to check shelf connectivity
  • Run storage show disk for detailed disk status

Boot Menu Not Appearing

  • Ensure console speed is 9600 baud
  • Try pressing Ctrl+C repeatedly during boot
  • Check console cable connection

HA Partner Takeover Warning

If you see "do not run this option on a HA node that has been taken over": - Ensure both controllers are operating independently - Do not run wipeconfig on a node that is currently serving data for its partner

References