Unable to setup my raid on a IBM XSeries 346

This is because the Hard disks are connected to Raid Controller . So you need the Raid controller driver in order to Install Windows 2003 OS. You can download the driver cd from below link .

http://www-947.ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=migr-5072250

Download image file > Burn to Disk > Boot Server from it > Follow the Wizard

That's all

I have a problem with x346 server i need raid drivers for windows server 2008 32 bit please if some one can help/

i have the exact same problem. i bought this server in an auction and i can not install any os on it. have tried ubuntu and centos but neither can find the hard drives.

You need to use download, boot from and use the ServeRAID Support CD and the RAID controller tools on that disc. You cannot modify RAID controller features on the 7k while it is operational and/or in use.
See ServeRAID support page at http://www-947.ibm.com/systems/support/supportsite.wss/docdisplay?brandind=5000008&lndocid=MIGR-62462

See page 60 of the Configuration manual for that model located at http://www.abchost.cz/download/262-4/installation-guide-serveru-ibm-xseries-346-2u-s-cpu-intel-xeon.pdf

Hi
While running the windows 2003 setup (winnt.exe), it will ask for SASI driver, you have to add the scsi driver... then windows 2003 os will detect the HDD.. then it will install..

I"t says one logical drive is offline and two physical drives are defunct."


sounds like RAID. Try booting up off of one drive. If there is no OS, try keeping one drive in the drive bay and see if you get a orange light then. like dereknewland said, could be the backplane.

You can add drives to the array through the scsi management software, then you can extend any dynamic partitions that don't have the OS on them. I don't think you can extend the array if it contains the OS. You may need to use the disk management utility in windows to make the partitions 'dynamic disks' before you can extend the data partitions

You don't say whether or not your os is on the RAID 5 partition. Assuming that it is (for performance reasons, this is not recommended) then you should check to see if you have the option of configuring a separate raid configuration on your raid card (e.g. do you have a card with more then one RAID channel?) If this is so, I would create a separate RAID 1 array and install the OS just on that. Then you can mount the RAID 5 array with your data intact. Once you're up and running, you can remove the old OS partition, as it's no longer needed.

First create a floppy disk with your RAID driver for W2K3 Server. Next boot the server with the W2K3 Server CD, and hit F6 when prompted, and S to add the specific driver for your RAID and using the floppy to get the driver installed.

Next boot to the recovery console of W2K3 Server. If it finds your hard disk, it will even ask for your Administrator's Password to continue. If this works, then you are probably home free.

Get to the command line of the W2K3 Server Repair console and perform some directory searches to see if the data is there and intact. You can also perform a CHKDSK from that console.

Once you have made sure your data is there and intact, type these two commands: FIXMBR and FIXBOOT

This should solve the problem and when you EXIT out of the console, it should reboot. Remove the CD and it "should" re-boot from the hard disk.

If you still have problems, let me know with how far you got with the steps above. I have another solution but need to know your RAID controller's model (ServeRAID 5i, 6i, etc).

-Chip