Z440: SAS via LSI SAS9217-4i4e installed. How to get to SATA RAID config?

[wny2016]

I am configuring a Z440. I installed a LSI SAS9217-4i4e SAS controller, and have a RAID1 array of 2 SAS drives running the OS.

I can't quite figure out how to get to the onboard SATA controller to set up a SATA RAID1 array with 2 SATA drives - which I will use for data only. The usual method of getting to the onboard controller is via Ctrl-C on startup, but this only gets me to the SAS controller and its settings. F10 doesn't yield anything useful, either. And although I can access the BIOS and related settings, the only SATA controls there are to set the onboard SATA controller mode (Set to RAID) and to enable/disable the SATA ports.

Is this a "timing" issue - i.e., do I have to Ctrl-C after the SAS controller has initialized (tried that)? Plan B might be to temporarily remove the SAS controller card, set up the SATA RAID, etc etc. - OR - is it that I need to install the Intel RST drivers for this machine?

TIA for your help!

[DGroves]

the manual covers raid one setup using the onboard sata

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/899901/Hp-Z440-Workstation-Series.html?page=120

because you have two HD controllers you need to pay attention to the startup sequence

the z440 should init the onboard sata controller first, (ctrl-C) and then the PCI-E SAS/SATA controller card unless you have mucked with the boot order

go into the z440 bios and change POST Messages To DETAILED (Enables or disables the splash screen during POST) this will allow you to see the HD controller prompts

[wny2016]

Thanks. I am trying to find the toggle for POST Messages in the BIOS. I looked at the manual, and it does mention this can be done - but it doesn't say WHERE.  It's not under Advanced/Boot Options, or BIOS/Power On. I looked through all of the other choicesin the menu tree, but did not find the toggle for POST Messages. Can you point me to where I can change this setting?

[SDH]

Is it this, from the technical and service manual, page 25, v4 of manual:

Select Post Messages Enabled or Disabled to change the display status of Power-On Self-Test (POST)
messages. Post Messages Disabled suppresses most POST messages, such as memory count, product
name, and other non-error text messages. If a POST error occurs, the error is displayed regardless of the
mode selected. To manually switch to Post Messages Enabled during POST, press any key (except F1
through F12).

So, pressing any key except a F key might be your answer.  

Some of these boot things go by fast... use the Pause key to stop and the Esc key to go, back and forth, if you're slow like me.

[wny2016]

Thank you. I saw that, but it seems so unintuitive and "random" - WHEN to hit the key? I tried a couple times and it doesn't seem to do anything. Still probably going to unplug the SAS drives and take out the controller card, then attempt to set up the RAID. Not entirely sure if that will work, either, but kind of "dead-simple" strategy.

[SDH]

Yeah... I agree.  DGroves may have the trick when he gets back.  RAID using matching SSDs might be worth a try.

[wny2016]

Well, that doesn't work, either/ I removed the LSI SAS card and disconnected the power to the SAS drives. No matter what keystrokes I attempt, all I can get to show up is the Boot Agent, which of course eventually fails, as there is now no bootable drive - just the two SATA drives hooked up to ports 0 and 1 on the MB. BootDevice not found is as far as I get.

I have an older workstation around somewhere running the onboard SATA RAID - a Z220, as I recall. Going to fire it up and see what prompts it spits out.

[DGroves · Accepted solution]

if the z440 AND the LSI HP sas card are set to defaults, then you will see the LSI card bios prompt, can you see this and enter the LSI card bios?

if so do a factory z440 cmos reset by removing the power cord, pressing the pwr button for 8 sec

now open case, remove cmos battery and then press cmos reset button for 5 sec

reinstall cmos batt, power cord and power on, enter bios and set time/date save and reboot back into bios

do the drives attached to the motherboard SATA ports show? if not that's your problem, raid options will not show unless a drive(s) are found

please post model info of your 2 drives, remember the onboard drive ports on the z440 are SATA only not SAS

[wny2016]

Yes, I can enter the LSI SAS card BIOS.

I am running that machine right now - have to get some work done first. Partial answers:

Drives show in Windows 10, initialized and formatted, no drive letters assigned at this point. Standard Seagate SATA drives, ES.2 Constellation - same drives I use in other machines, just newer.

[wny2016]

Did the CMOS reset - boy, is that battery difficult to get to in this machine - the nearest slot/socket makes it very difficult to gently get a small screwdriver in there and pry it up!

Anyhow, went into BIOS and reset time/date, now sort of stuck at POST Error: ME -Triggered Global Reset. 972 - Global Reset Cause: Host Requested via MEI Message. Need to get out of here for the day. But when the machine booted, I did see flash by in the upper right corner - I think - the prompt from the onboard SAS controller.

MORE: After clearing the CMOS per your excellent instructions, I watched for the POST prompt from the onboard SATA RAID controller - it was Ctrl-I. I hit it, and was able to enter the setup, and create a RAID 1 array with both of my new SATA drives. Upon reboot into Windows 10, this new SATA RAID is not seen. Disk management also does not show these drives. Device Manager shows a "RAID controller" which is not working due to lack of drivers. A re-check of the computer's BIOS shows that SATA controllers are set to RAID.

SOLVED!!!  Downloaded Enterprise version of Intel RST drivers, installed. No more error messages in Device Manager. Went to Disk Management, RAID array shows up as unallocated, unformatted. Formatted, created simple volume. Bingo!

I seriously doubt that I would have been able to figure this out without the great help I found here! Special kudos to DGroves!