Two-Node Clusters

If lost interconnects occur in a two-node cluster, both nodes attempt to start the cluster reconfiguration process with only the local node in the cluster membership (because each has lost the heartbeat from the other node). The first node that succeeds in reserving the configured quorum device remains as the sole surviving member of the cluster. The node that failed to reserve the quorum device aborts.

If you try to start up the aborted node without repairing the faulty interconnect, the aborted node (which is still unable to contact the surviving node) attempts to reserve the quorum device, because it sees itself as the only node in the cluster. This attempt will fail because the reservation on the quorum device is held by the other node. This action effectively prevents a partitioned node from forming its own cluster.