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Dell PowerEdge R350 - unable to create HW RAID (RAID 1)
Hi community,
we have PowerEdge R350, where I'm trying to create HW RAID (RAID 1) from 2x 480 SATA SSD. When I enter Lifecycle Controller's wizard to create RAID, I have two options to select - 1) HBA355i 2) PERC S150. Neither one works. It says "Insufficient physical disk space on selected RAID controller (STOR0507)" - as you can see in the attached screenshot. However, disks works fine - I managed to install there OS without any problems. Only RAID is problem.
Tried: firmware update, reset BIOS and everything that was possible to default, changing settings from AHCI to RAID, "refreshing disk topology" and "scan for disks" in the controllers settings, formatting drives, even swapped for some 2x 1TB HDD (not Dell ones though).
I read some documentation about these controllers and it is vague - there are 4 types of "H355" and two of them should be working.. Also there is this "PERC S150" that should be RAID controller...
I simply wonder - is it possible to create HW RAID with these two controllers/this PowerEdge R350 at all? If yes, what is wrong and how to solve this problem with "Insufficient physical disk space"?
DELL-Shine K
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June 8th, 2022 02:00
HBA 355i does not support creation of RAID. It is an non raid controller where every disk will be exposed to the host as independent drive. S150 is software RAID where you can create virtual disk. But looks like in your server disks are connected to HBA 355i.
Also R350 does not support software RAID configuration. Not supported does not mean it will not work. As it is not supported it is not validated, hence we can not guarantee that it will work. You can also wait for another Community member who tried this combination and share their experience.
Strezz
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June 8th, 2022 03:00
Thanks for reply. It makes sense. I have one question:
,,But looks like in your server disks are connected to HBA 355i." - I wonder, how can I connect those two disks to S150? I was searching for S150 controller on internet and haven't found any "physical appearance", how it should exactly look - so how I can connect disks from HBA 355 to S150.
Also to the second paragraph - it sounds quite contradictory - S150 software RAID works, but server R350 that contains this controller, does not. I would think, that controller is independent HW and it doesn't really matter in which server it is used. Moreover, I would expect that OS itself should manage software RAID, without need of any controller (I would think, the magic/the main feature of "SW RAID" is that it doesn't needs any controller). Why then even bother with some SW RAID controller, when I can just take HW RAID controller - the better option imho? - but that is maybe my lack of understanding in this field (it is my second server, so I'm pretty beginner)
DELL-Erman O
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June 8th, 2022 06:00
Hi, Could you try to create VD via BIOS configuration as below?
If the BIOS Configuration Utility does not appear and your system uses a PERC S150, press F2 to access the system BIOS. In the SATA Settings field, ensure that SATA controller is set to RAID Mode.
reference link: https://dell.to/3aEaAus.
Creating the virtual disks
Hope that helps!
Strezz
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June 8th, 2022 07:00
CTRL + R? Only F2 works for me to enter to BIOS/UEFI settings.
There aren't also anything about Virtual disks... Only "System BIOS", "iDRAC Settings", "Device Settings", but if I open "Device Settings" there is this "DELL EMC PERC S150 Configuration Utility". Main menu is "Controller Management", "Virtual Disk Management", "Physical Disk Management".. Okay, so I click on "Virtual Disk Management" - I see now "Create Virtual Disk", "Manage Virtual Disk Properties", "Select Virtual Disk Operations", "View Virtual Disk Properties", but everything is greyed out. Okay, when I return and click on "Controller Management", there is one interesting thing - "Rescan Disks" - so I click and the result is: Physical Disk(s): Virtual Disk(s): There are no Virtual Disks found in the system.
So I'm spinning around the same issue - PERC S150 can't detect any disk. Why, I don't know..
DELL-Shine K
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June 8th, 2022 08:00
Can you check whether backplane is connected to the motherboard or to the HBA 355i controller. If it is connected to the HBA355i then S150 can not see those drives
Strezz
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June 9th, 2022 03:00
I just took a photo of the server. I couldn't found any other connector than the one that is located on HBA355i card for the cable leading from backplane. What exactly you meant by saying "backplane is connected to motherboard"? I can't locate any suitable connector on the motherboard for connecting the other end of the cable leading from backplane.
Also I checked some documentation and that PERC module should be physically located near the backplane, actually right next to the connector on backplane. But why then, BIOS is showing me that PERC controller, when there is none present?
DELL-Shine K
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June 9th, 2022 04:00
You have backplane connected to HBa355 only. R350 does not support S150. If you want to create HW RAID you need replace HBA 355i with any of the below controllers. You can refer below link for more details
https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-us/poweredge-r350/r350_ts_ism_pub/storage-controller-specifications?guid=guid-31012766-d47d-4377-9f89-45e4eaa503a4&lang=en-us
Strezz
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June 9th, 2022 04:00
Okay, I understand. But still.. Why there in BIOS/UEFI is shown PERC S150 then, when it is not supported and not even located in the server? It is very confusing.
Eli Braga
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September 1st, 2022 06:00
Hello guys.
I have the same question as our friend @Strezz in my BIOS I have two options. HBA and S150
My server is an R750 and it says in the spec that the S150 is an internal controller.
Can someone from Dell clear this doubt? or we need to call support. we have more than 250 views on this topic and would be good to clarify.
My case is the same trying to make a RAID but without the HBA option.
Will it be possible to connect to the S150? and do it by SW?
DELL-Erman O
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September 1st, 2022 07:00
Hello, for R750 the software RAID S150 is supported on either SATA drives with chipset SATA only backplane or NVMe drives in universal slots with processor direct PCIe cable connected backplane. reference link https://dell.to/3RwQZwJ
You can check "Configuring RAID using software RAID" via this link pg42 https://dell.to/3e2l3BF
Hope that helps!
Strezz
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December 22nd, 2022 04:00
Hi a bit late, but I will reply anyway - at least for those people, that will read this thread..
1) HBA355i = controller card, physically located next to the power supplies. There should be connected cable that leads to the backbone of disks. This is the main that controls disks.
2) PERC S150 = build in controller in motherboard. This is inactive, you can't do anything with that, unless you connect some cables to the motherboard. So don't pay attention to this. (note: this is my understanding, it is not official neither comfirmed, I didn't tried it, just my theory)
Neither one supports RAIDs. You need to get some card (we bought PERC H755) and replace that HBA355i.
By the way, the cards looks exactly the same, there is not even some label that would describe one as HBA355i and one as H755. So when installing, label them with some paper, so you won't mistake them.
Also questions about SW RAID - you can always make software RAID.. It is on operating system layer.