[CentOS] Upgrade then sudden death..

>> I recently put Cent 5.2 (64 bit) on a new server using a Supermicro
>> pdsbm-ln2+ sys board. I did the original installation at home using the
>> 5.2 dvd I got via torrent.
>
>
> Try a software-RAID.
> (I just assume you used the built-in RAID, which is more likely than 
> not a cheap pseudo-RAID - there's a reason why even Microsoft doesn't 
> use it in their home-server product....)

indeed, a quick lookup of that board says its ICH7R 'intel matrix' raid, 
which is indeed pseudo-raid, implemented in the BIOS and drivers.
http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Xeon3000/946/PDSBM-LN2+.cfm