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WS12, PE R610 and PERC H200I - is this even possible?
I've been whacking away at this for days and I'm out of ideas. The goal was to install Windows Server 2012 onto a PowerEdge R610 that has a single 1TB drive attached to the PERC H200I controller. I've tried two different sources for install media (MSDN download and another offered on a trial basis by Microsoft), and two different R610 boxes, same lack of success in all combinations.
It seems to boil down to a lack of a driver for this controller but I cannot find any definitive answer in Dell's collection of documents regarding support status. Booting from the OS media results in a quick demand for a 'media driver'. Dell does not offer a 2012 driver for this controller but they do have a 64 bit Server 2008 R2 for dowload that I've tried feeding it. No dice. I've tried installing via the lifecycle controller. No Server 2012 option, only up to Server 2008 R2. I've tried installing via the System Build and Update Utility ISO v7.2 which offers 2012 support, but upon inserting the OS install media and hitting 'Ok' it errors out with, 'The file 'autorun.dll' could not be loaded or is corrupt. Setup cannot continue. Error code is [0xC1]
I think I've updated everything there was to update. Anyone have any ideas or is this one combination just not going to work? Relevant bits from the DRAC inventory :
System Model PowerEdge R610
System Revision II
BIOS Version 6.3.0
Firmware Version 1.92 (Build 05)
Lifecycle Controller Firmware 1.5.5.27
RAID.Integrated.1-1 Type PERC H200I Firmware Version 07.03.05.00
TIA for any ideas/solutions/or confirmation that this is a dead end.
theflash1932
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December 27th, 2012 13:00
Well, Dell has stated that they will NOT be supporting 2012 on the H200, so will not be releasing any drivers for it:
en.community.dell.com/.../3872.dell-out-of-box-driver-support-for-windows-server-2012.aspx
Dell still sells the R610, but you cannot configure it online with Server 2012.
As you know, drivers can be a deal-breaker, but it is unusual for an older/similar driver (2008R2) NOT to work. There is nothing special about the onboard SATA in this system that should require a driver (like the old Broadcom SATA chipsets) and onboard RAID (S100) is not an option with the R610 (the S100 is not supported on 2012 either and, if turned on, would be the controller handling the SATA optical drive), so I believe the CD/DVD driver message to be bogus. The CD/DVD driver message in 7/2008 was a notorious sign that the media was corrupt and no actual driver was needed - the media just needed to be downloaded again, or downloaded using a download manager to ensure integrity (or check the hash), or needed to be burned with different software or even a different burner or brand/model of optical media. Acting under that assumption (again, as a last-ditch effort to install), I would look at the media you are using. I would also try installing via USB, to avoid the topic of optical drives altogether.
In the end, it is probably not going to work and you'd need a different controller. The PERC 6/i (3Gbps) and the H700 (6Gbps) are the better choices here.
DELL-Chris H
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December 27th, 2012 13:00
The latest release of the native OS media should of had the driver. What is the version of the 2012 download you have?
Also, is the disk being seen in the controller?
Let me know what you find.
GrumpyAdmin
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December 27th, 2012 14:00
Yep, disk is seen by the controller. I did a scratch install of RHEL5 onto the hardware to apply a number of firmware updates and to smoke test the hardware itself to make sure I wasn't dealing with a piece of bum kit. Everything checked out ok.
Windows SKU is en_windows_server_2012_x64_dvd_915478.iso - to the best of my knowledge that's .latest available via MSDN (although I have identical behavior with the trial ISO Dell/MS were offering). Thanks for the followup,
GrumpyAdmin
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December 27th, 2012 14:00
Well, that's just it - they don't say one way or the other on the OOB driver support page; that specific controller is not mentioned at all.
Additionally annoying is that Windows 7 64 bit and Windows 8 (32 and 64 bit versions) install on identical hardware without skipping a beat. W7 32 bit needs NIC drivers but it at least can talk to the disk controller.
GrumpyAdmin
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December 27th, 2012 14:00
The other WS12 image (trial download) came across as :
9200.16384.WIN8_RTM.120725-1247_X64FRE_SERVER_EVAL_EN-US-HRM_SSS_X64FREE_EN-US_DV5.ISO
GrumpyAdmin
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January 2nd, 2013 09:00
For whatever reason, this combination is not possible. There is no in or out of box support for the Perc H200I in WS2012 even though 2008R2 installs without a hitch.
Dell-Gobind V
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January 25th, 2013 02:00
Hi,
There is inbox driver support for PERC 7 family.
en.community.dell.com/.../3492.windows-server-2012-inbox-driver-support-on-dell-poweredge-servers.aspx
You must use the latest LC update for WS2012 support. Also try installing the OS manually and check if it works.