C220 M3 LSI MegaRAID 9266-8i Virtual Drives Disappear

[Matthew Kopp]

Hi, I hope somebody can help me with this. I've had this server powered down for about two months and it was working fine. I powered it on to install VMware ESXi 5.5 or 6. When I checked the RAID controller there were not any virtual drives created which is not out of the ordinary because another engineer was using this prior to me. I created the virtual drives and every time the server reboots they disappear.

I can boot to the VMware CD and while it is starting up I am able to setup a new virtual drive through the CIMC. At that point, I can install VMware with out an issues but as soon as I reboot at the end of the installation the virtual drive disappears. I've run the latest version of the Host Update Utility and everything went well and is at the latest version of code. I disabled everything in the Option ROM except for the RAID controller. Does anybody have any suggestions on what the issue could be? Please let me know.

Matt

[Keny Perez]

After the reboot, when it goes through POST, can you see the disks and virtual drive listed?

Should look like this: http://keepingitclassless.net/assets/2012/09/4.png (One virtual drive(s) found on...)

-Kenny

[Matthew Kopp]

Hi Keny,

When it goes through POST we are able to see the physical disks but the virtual drive count is at 0. As soon as we reboot  the server the virtual drive is gone. Also, I called LSI support yesterday because I don't currently have SmartNet on this server. They said it sounds like the RAID controller is going bad. I ordered a new one yesterday, same model and the same thing is happening.

Thanks,

Matt

[Keny Perez]

Matthew,

Are you creating the VD from CIMC or you reboot the server, press Ctrl+H and get to the WebBIOS to configure that?

What is the RAID volume you are configuring and how many disks are being used for the boot VD?

-Kenny

[Matthew Kopp]

Hi Kenny,

I've done it both ways. When I reboot the server, press Ctrl + H and add it there everything goes well and it shows the VD0 and says it is optimal. I have done both  a fast and slow initialization, checked the consistency and set it as the boot drive. As soon as I exit and the server reboots the configuration is gone.  I've manually configured RAID 5 with 4 x 300GB 15K  drives. We also tried a RAID 1 with 2 of the 300GB drives.  I also did the automatic option which set it up in RAID 6 with the 4 drives and all came back the same after a reboot.

I did set it up in the CIMC as well in RAID 5 with the 4 drives. I was able to then install VMware on it but as soon as it rebooted after the VMware installation was complete, the virtual drive was gone.

[Keny Perez]

What is the CIMC version you are running?

-Kenny

[Matthew Kopp]

I have to double check the exact number but I believe it was 2.06. It was the newest recommended version and I just downloaded and installed it two days ago. 

[Matthew Kopp]

Hi Kenny, any other ideas?

[Keny Perez]

Did you confirm the version you are running?

-Kenny

[Matthew Kopp]

Hi Kenny,

I updated the firmware on the CIMC to the latest version using the Host Upgrade Utility Release 2.0(6d). 

So the RAID Controller is at 23.33.0-0023. The CIMC is 2.0(6d).

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/release/notes/Release_Notes_for_Cisco_C-Series_SW_2_0_6.html#pgfId-963621

Matt

[isaac anish]

Hi,

strange problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

After installation done Are u able to logged in to the exsi server....?

[Matthew Kopp]

I am not. After installation is done it asks me to reboot the server and when I do that the virtual drives are gone and it says it can't find a boot drive.

[isaac anish]

Hi,

Was all the disk are showing online..?

Install the ESX with one hard drive i mean remove the rest of the hard drive and check...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhhwPn12sC8

[Keny Perez]

You best option right now is to open a case with TAC... we need to confirm if this a misconfig somewhere or if this is a bug that needs to be filed or what...

Please open a case; you can do it based on this thread.

-Kenny

[JasonOlsen]

Were you able to fix this issue?  I am having the same problem a LSI 9266-8i installed in a C220.  No matter what I do to create the raid array it is gone on next reboot.

-Jason