ML150 G3 RAID1 problem

[gaborkarakas]

Dear support,

We recently bought a new ML150 G3 server with embedded sata raid controller. I installed 2 of the same HDDs to create a RAID1 array. I`ve set it up in the bios, got into the controller`s bios, created the array, initialized it (like with the other 50 servers I installed in the past years), so the controller said the array was healthy. Although when I started windows (2003 SBS Premium), it showed 2 hdds with the same capacity and the same content. But when I created a file on one hdd, it didn`t create on the other one, so the raid was not functional. I downloaded all the drivers I could get, but no luck. I downloaded all the utilities I could get (Intel Matrix storage manager, HP Storage Manager), but they didn`t help me. I called HP support, and they said, the raid controller the ML150 G3 has is a software raid, not a hardware one. Anyway it should still just work...

I agreed that we have to buy an additional controller card in our server. Because of the usability of the hp website (useless), I tried to contact our hp retailer, and they recommended the SC44Ge HBA. We bought it, I installed it today, downloaded the drivers, but HP Storage Manager still says no controller found. And when I restart the server I see 2 BIOSs: one for the embedded, and one for the new controller. But when I get into this new BIOS, it says that this controller is a SAS RAID controller, and it doesn`t recognize the sata drives. Also it`s weekend, so I can`t get ANY support from HP.

My questions are:

- Is the embedded controller capable of creating raid 1 arrays? So I could just see 1 hdd in windows instead of 2 different? If yes, please write me down how to create a working array.

- HP should let us pay them a lot of money, but then they should tell me which controller will work with hardware RAID1?

Thank you for your kind support!

Gabor Karakas

[e4services]

If you browse the posts here, I feel you will find more post about the controller in the ML100 series then any other subject. It must be a horrible implemented device. I have seen posts from users who seem to have it figured out. Search then out. If I remember it does have something to do with the driver and having the 'one' that works.

As far as I have seen, HP states the following that may be pertinent;
When a ProLiant ML110 G4, ProLiant ML115, or ProLiant ML150 G3 server is shipped, SATA RAID functionality is disabled by default. If SATA RAID remains disabled, no additional hardware is required to install Microsoft Windows Server 2003. However, if SATA RAID function is later enabled and will be utilized, a USB floppy disk drive is needed in order to load the SATA RAID driver during operating system installation because a boot disk must be created.

[Rien Nijland]

We also had this problem, what we do to fix it, whe have rebuild a clear raid 1. after that reinstall windows with the latest raid driver what i have downloaded from the hp site.

After that the problem does not exists any more.

It's not the most beautiful way, but it works.

Rien