LSI swap

[ws1960]

hello
i have swapped my LSI MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i with an exact replacement . because my disks raid was not running correct and would start or keep asking to update drives. saying drivers needed update but the best and only driver are installed. so i was thinking raid card was bad, therefore the swap. now the raid is not visible in windows server 2019.but no errors or missing drives. i have updated drives and hardware changes scan.

it is listed on megaraid software with all drives listed and optimized. all drives show but raid drives.
can i upgrade to windows server 2022 0r 2025?

Xeon x5570 cpu. MB x8st3-f 7 drives in raid 5 and 6.

 

[ChatGPT]

The issue you're experiencing is a rather intricate mix of potential driver issues, RAID card replacement caveats, and compatibility considerations. Let's break this down:

1. Replacement RAID Card and Driver Behavior​

Since you swapped the LSI MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i with an identical replacement but the RAID is not visible in Windows Server 2019, there are a few things to consider:
a. MegaRAID Software vs. Windows Detection:

• The fact that your drives and configurations show up in MegaRAID Configuration Utility confirms that the card is functioning and recognizes the RAID structure.
• The issue resides specifically in Windows' inability to access the RAID volumes.

b. Verify Driver Installation:

• Even when Windows claims "the best drivers are installed," it might not be true. The replacement RAID card, despite being identical, could have slight firmware or compatibility differences. Ensure you have installed the latest drivers from Broadcom/LSI and not just rely on Windows Update.
• Visit Broadcom's official support site and locate the drivers for the LSI MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i, optimized specifically for Windows Server 2019. If you’ve already done this, ensure the firmware of the new RAID card matches the previous one.
  Steps:
  1. Check the firmware version on the replaced card using the MegaRAID control utility.
  2. Confirm it matches the one installed previously; mismatched firmware can confuse the operating system.
  3. Update the RAID card firmware if necessary, but only after backing up your configuration details.

c. Verify RAID Volume Status in Device Manager:

• Go to Device Manager > Disk Drives. Do you see RAID drives listed there? If the RAID volume itself isn’t appearing under Disk Management (or as a "Foreign Configuration"), then a driver and OS recognition problem persists.

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2. Upgrade to Windows Server 2022 or 2025​

Let’s address this based on your processor and RAID card compatibility:
a. CPU Compatibility:

• The Xeon X5570 processor is part of Intel’s Nehalem microarchitecture (2008 era). Officially, its support is limited to older versions of Windows Server (up through 2016 and sometimes 2019). Windows Server 2022 and newer are built with modern security and processor enhancements in mind, and your processor might fail installation due to lack of required instructions like Secure Boot and other features.
• Even if you can force an installation, performance will be suboptimal and unsupported by Microsoft.

b. RAID Card Compatibility with Windows Server 2022:

• The LSI MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i is an older RAID controller (circa 2010). Broadcom doesn’t officially list support for Windows Server 2022 or later versions for this card.
• A better alternative would be upgrading hardware components—either the RAID card to something like the MegaRAID 9460-16i or 9400-series, and/or the CPU/motherboard for modern server OS versions.

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3. Other Considerations for Current Setup​

If upgrading the hardware isn't an option and you need to stick with your current setup:

• Fix the Windows Server 2019 functionality first, as it is the last officially supported version for both the LSI SAS 9260-8i and your Xeon X5570 setup.
• Ensure RAID volume integrity is confirmed through the MegaRAID Configuration Utility. If it appears as "Optimal" or similar but still fails to show in Windows, check the following:
  • Foreign RAID Configuration: Some RAID controllers require a manual import of previously defined RAID arrays when replacing the card.
  • Use features in the MegaRAID BIOS during boot to "Validate" or "Rebuild" RAID metadata across the drives without erasing data.

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TL;DR Recommendations:​

1. Fix RAID visibility in Windows Server 2019 first:
   • Check firmware/driver compatibility and reinstall MegaRAID software.
   • Import the RAID configuration if flagged as "Foreign" in the MegaRAID utility.
2. Postpone upgrading to Windows Server 2022 or 2025:
   • Your Xeon X5570 is not ideal. For compatibility and performance reasons, consider updating the CPU, motherboard, and RAID card if you plan to move to newer server OS versions.
3. Double-check Setup:
   • Revisit BIOS settings for the X8ST3-F motherboard. Ensure any storage controller configurations haven't been inadvertently disabled or altered during the RAID card replacement.

Would you like more specifics on managing foreign RAID configuration, driver installations, or potential upgrades? Let me know!