Jump to content

Windows installation does not detect SAS Drive (System X3400 M3)

Hi,

I don't know where else I can find help. I have very old IBM System X. I am new to server as well.

 

My Sas drive somehow doesn't show up on windows server 2008 r2 installation. I'm trying to install a new windows. But no drives show up on the windows installation. Also, it does not show up on BIOS as well.

What could be the problem here ?

It does detect the drive on Megaraid controller software. I could see the sas drive there. but when i try to boot up. it failed. It's been A WEEK now, I've been trying to solve the problem. Could someone please help me. What is the problem here ?

 

 

bios.gif

raid.gif

win installation.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

You need to download the RAID card drivers and put them on a USB, then in the Windows install screen (second image you posted) click 'Load Driver' and browse to the USB drive and select the RAID card driver. The RAID array will show in the list after you do this and you'll be able to install Windows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Also I just noticed in your RAID bios picture you have not actually configured an array, you must do this first.

 

Click configuration wizard and create a single disk RAID 1 array.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

WOW. Thank you so much for replying so fast. 

 

I'm new to this and honestly I have no idea how to download the right RAID card drivers. What should I do to ensure that I download the right driver for raid card ? Should I check it on BIOS ? on the physical raid card ? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

So here's the full story. 

I got this System x3400 M3, 7379 from my friend. It is not been used. I powered up the machine, it could still boot to WINDOWS. But every time I put in the windows (server 2008 r2) , it logged in, then it constantly reboots by itself. It was all working fine. So, I thought the WINDOWS system needs repair. I tried to boot from bootable USB DRIVE with windows in it, but it doesn't show up the drives. So i thought there must be some setting I need to do in BIOS. I went on to BIOS , check the BOOT ORDER, I saw "WINDOWS BOOT MANAGER" listed there. I decided to delete it. Then after that, I could not boot to the installed windows before. Then again, I thought it must be the SATA setting on bios. I went there but I only find configure SATA as IDE, the only option is IDE. No AHCI or UEFI.

AGAIN, I thought maybe I should update the BIOS. But I reset the BIOS first , by taking out the CMOS battery. Then, I went to download BOMC from LENOVO's website. I tried to update everything but it failed. I tried plugging other HDDs but nothing work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

I want to repair the windows. So I could backup the data inside the SAS drive. I don't wanna lose the data inside it.

 

I've tried to download RAID CARD driver. Tried to load it. But it didn't recognise it. I may have downloaded the wrong driver. 

 

PLEASE Help me . 

 

driver load.jpeg

driver load not found.jpeg

raid con.jpeg

raid controller.jpeg

boot pro.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

You need to put the drive in a raid array. You can make a raid 0 with one drive. A unconfigured good drive won't show up to the os.

Doing this will erase all the data inside the SAS Drive ? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Mario90 said:

Doing this will erase all the data inside the SAS Drive ? 

Yes it most likely will, if you want to keep existing data you need to change the disk to JBOD mode.

 

10 hours ago, Mario90 said:

I'm new to this and honestly I have no idea how to download the right RAID card drivers. What should I do to ensure that I download the right driver for raid card ? Should I check it on BIOS ? on the physical raid card ? 

The RAID card is an M1015 so just google that for drivers and pick the latest version for the required OS. However I don't think that RAID card requires any drivers, it's very basic and Lenovo/IBM don't actually have any drivers for it. Just sort out the disk configuration and it should show up in the Windows installer

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

On 2/16/2018 at 5:06 AM, leadeater said:

Yes it most likely will, if you want to keep existing data you need to change the disk to JBOD mode.

 

The RAID card is an M1015 so just google that for drivers and pick the latest version for the required OS. However I don't think that RAID card requires any drivers, it's very basic and Lenovo/IBM don't actually have any drivers for it. Just sort out the disk configuration and it should show up in the Windows installer

I've tried your suggestion. But failed. I might be downloading the wrong drive. I'm confused and really frustrated. :( 

 

a) Browse driver from USB

5a87cafaa1d76_drivefolder.jpeg.a5fa1e614e8c6c1d314bec58ac9ecda1.jpeg

b) List of loaded drivers

5a87caa1cefaa_loadeddrive(1).jpeg.e5cbd9f2365cc985028f3ef2481a842c.jpeg

 

c) Loaded the driver

5a87cb1ad7138_loadingdrive.jpeg.13da86a7bda6aa80cc447440d61b0abe.jpeg

 

c) Blank result. (driver maybe not compatible) 

5a87cb2cd1c03_blankresultloadeddrive.jpeg.2d1bb7e028e82fc3e81affb216888212.jpeg

 

I even tried to use the repair option. But failed too.

5a87cbb15ecb3_repairnotavailable.jpeg.6af6e093a5ce401c739d7cacf85b0473.jpeg

 

PLEASE HELP ME :( 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, Mario90 said:

I've tried your suggestion. But failed. I might be downloading the wrong drive. I'm confused and really frustrated. :( 

 

a) Browse driver from USB

 

b) List of loaded drivers

5a87caa1cefaa_loadeddrive(1).jpeg.e5cbd9f2365cc985028f3ef2481a842c.jpeg

 

c) Loaded the driver

 

 

c) Blank result. (driver maybe not compatible) 

 

 

I even tried to use the repair option. But failed too.

 

 

PLEASE HELP ME :( 

That's correct but you still need to configure the disk in the RAID card bios before trying anything OS install related. An unconfigured disk is quite literally the same as it being unplugged as far as the OS is concerned, it doesn't exist.

 

If you want to keep the data like you said you did go in to the RAID bios and go to the properties of the disk and I think there is a selection option to put the disk in to JBOD mode. If there is no JBOD mode option create a RAID 0 array and select do not initialize option.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

On 2/16/2018 at 11:19 PM, leadeater said:

That's correct but you still need to configure the disk in the RAID card bios before trying anything OS install related. An unconfigured disk is quite literally the same as it being unplugged as far as the OS is concerned, it doesn't exist.

 

If you want to keep the data like you said you did go in to the RAID bios and go to the properties of the disk and I think there is a selection option to put the disk in to JBOD mode. If there is no JBOD mode option create a RAID 0 array and select do not initialize option.

Hi, 

 

Thank you so much for the help.

 

I've managed to load the driver and the win installation detected it. I can now see the drive there. But the thing is i cannot do the repair.

 

Is there any other way of recovering/repairing windows boot or perhaps bootable software to backup the data first ? 

 

5a89452bcfa50_drivedetected.jpeg.6e850085a33439d6cfeb3f0c502fcbb5.jpeg

 

5a89453e0ba18_winreaprir.jpeg.33a3e20543db8935cf81ad8f9782b16a.jpeg

 

I just wanna back up the data inside it first. 

 

Thank you again for putting up with me (newbie)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Mario90 said:

Hi, 

 

Thank you so much for the help.

 

I've managed to load the driver and the win installation detected it. I can now see the drive there. But the thing is i cannot do the repair.

 

Is there any other way of recovering/repairing windows boot or perhaps bootable software to backup the data first ? 

 

I just wanna back up the data inside it first. 

 

Thank you again for putting up with me (newbie)

Looking at that there is no active partitions/data on the disk. I'd advise installing Windows on a temporary HDD if you can then use a tool like Recover My Files to scan the SAS disk and see what it finds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, leadeater said:

Looking at that there is no active partitions/data on the disk. I'd advise installing Windows on a temporary HDD if you can then use a tool like Recover My Files to scan the SAS disk and see what it finds.

Thank you. 

 

Will do. Thank you so much. Thank you . 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×