ML 150 G3 with HP 8 Internal Port SAS sync problem

[Mark Tobin]

Brand new server. Initially enterd the MPT SAS Bios config utility, set up a RAID 1 array, set the array active, and started synchronization. Then installed OS. Everything appeared to be fine, although I thought the system was slow. Noticed after several days that array had not synched so went back into the configuration utility to check. Synch shown as 0% and no matter what I do I cannot complete the synchronization. I can start the process in the utility and it gets to about 4% before the server restarts. If I let it continue after rebooting it contiues into Windows no problem. Then if I restart and go back into the utility it just shows synchronization back at 0% again. I think there is a problem with the HP 8 Internal Port SAS controller. Other components are OK I believe as I had previously set this server up using the embedded controller. Can someone help please?

[Marek Nelec]

Try upgrading firmware of the controller, it may resolve the problem. The latest version is available here:
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/storage/us/download/26612.html

BTW - you didn't have to synchronize the drives in the first place. Synchronization is required when you have OS installed on one of the drives. If they are empty, you can create RAID-1 without synchronization process.

[Mark Tobin]

Thanks Marek, I will upgrade the firmware and post the result.

[Mark Tobin]

I tried updating the firmware to the latest version - no change. Even tried the version before - the same. I have decided to delete the array, recreate and reistall the OS. I noticed as soon as I created the new array that its status was "optimal". I'm going to give HP a call about it, as it doesn't seem right to me. How could you ever replace a faulty disk and resync the array?

Any other suggestions welcomed.

Thanks for your help.