DL140 RAID and SATA confusion

[woball]

Have a new Dl140 with 2 x 80Gb SATA HDD and cannot get HP RAID Util to see them as Int 13 drives under any circumstances.
Have been round this one about 20 times now and getting really sick of lack of clear and plain english and assumption that everything only ever works as it should!

Annoyingly, the LSI util(why is it there? because it works!?) sees them every time and can format, verify and create and delete with consumate ease.

BIOS doesnt see them as SATA drives but can always see them as hard drives in boot order screen

Enhanced, Compatible, RAID or not, nothing puts the discs in a visible mode such that I can use the HP util and get on and put w2k3 on it with an appropriate driver.
Should I just use the LSI util and forget the embedded HP Util on the HP Server with the HP Discs?
Never had these problems with Dell kit!!

Hopefully, sarcasm is apparent and a solution is soon to come.
Second attempt at posting this which hasnt helped my mood either, HP!

[James ~ Happy Dude]

Hello,
Refer:
http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1147521

Or nLite from www.nliteos.com

Regards.

[KarloChacon]

hi

fisrt

which DL140 server? generation 1? g2? g3?

OK SATA

which controller does the server have?
HP Embedded SATA????

regards

[sanesh vig]

Hi,

First of all, please give the information asked for by Karlo as that will help us to get to the root cause.

Secondly, if server LSI controller then use the driver attached.

Make sure you are using a HP floppy drive or Nlite can also work.

[Jimmy Vance]

The DL140 does NOT use an HP Smart Array controller, so the standard ProLiant utilities won't work. The RAID in this system is controlled by a driver and is basically software RAID as it is controlled by a driver not true hardware RAID.

To use RAID you need to go into the BIOS and enable RAID, then use the controller utility that displays during POST to configure the drives.

You will need to download the driver for whatever OS your using for the RAID to function. Without the driver the OS will see the drives as 2 single drives. The driver is not included in any shipping OS.

[woball]

Hi hi hi

Thanks for all of your replies.
To answer some of your queries and add a tad more detail,

Its a brand new DL140 so it must be G3.

I am not overly bothered about the detail of installing drivers from USB Floppy or other at this moment as I am not yet able to see the drives in BIOS(other than in boot order screen) for the included HP util to see them and am confident I can conquer that one when I get to it.
My base problem is getting the hardware to recognise it has any HDD attached to it at all!

The HP Util becomes an Intel iSrc Util when changed from enhanced to compatible in BIOS and this util doesn't see them either.

Setting RAID as disabled still doesnt give me a view of the drives in BIOS and therefore doesnt see them as attatched drives at any point beyond that other than by the LSI util.

Using the ultra reliable LSI util looks like my best route forward even tho I would prefer to use the disks as normal SATA drives in a non-RAID config.

Oh well, potentially only half the capacity I wanted and not at all setup as described in the short-hand, all going to plan documentation!
Perhaps a Smartstart CD wopuld have been of some help here.

[woball]

Ah, well, it would seem I am the one eyed man in a kingdom of blind people!

FYI, do not bother with the HP util or any of the included documentation, throw away the support CD and just use the LSI util that is not even hinted at in any docs.

No problems at all with non HP USB floppy drive so no worries there.

Dont try and upgrade the firmware or BIOS for said SAS IR as it comes unstuck with vendor info(!), just download and use their LSI_SAS1068 w2k3 drivers.

Not sure if you guys are HP employees playing at points grabbing but if you are you should know a bit more about your own product tho I would forgive you on this one as its about as clear as mud how to proceed!
If you are not then my apologies to you all.

As the comic guy in the Simpsons would say, 'Worst Server Install EVER!'

Now to find some NIC drivers that actually work with this lump of tin!