Dell Perc s100 Raid Partitions

[Chrisjmuk]

Server

• FOG Version: 1.3.2
• OS: CentOS 7

Client

• Service Version: r210
• OS: Windows Server 2012R2

Description

Hello,

I am having a lot of issues with capturing an image of just the MBR and C:/ partition it doesn’t seem to find any partitions.

I am using the latest kernel “Kernel - 4.9.1 TomElliott” but doesnt seem to have a perc s100 drivers on it, is there a premade kernel that does?

Kind Regards,
Chris

[Chrisjmuk]

I have managed to resolve this now, i needed to reinstall Windows on the server and choose New to create the partitions on the installation instead of just next for some reason.

I have now been able to image server 2012r2 and server 2016 without issues.

[Chrisjmuk]

@Tom-Elliott Yes that is correct, just are just controllers and not actually in a RAID. but when i capture it just captures the whole disk without the partitions, i did the same setup on my hyper-v and was able to grab them.

I am going to try another windows install on the physical tomorrow and see what happens then.

[Chrisjmuk]

I am having getting it to boot when i restore an install from hyper-v, it all goes into the hdd fine and restores ok and the partitions are fine but just doesnt load at all and skips the hard drive.

[Chrisjmuk]

@Tom-Elliott It would only show the 2 disks as in /dev/sda and /dev/sdb, i am trying a few different bits as i said making the image on hyper-v with the raid drivers and then deploying.

[Tom Elliott]

@george1421 But that’s just it, I’m pretty sure linux can install on these systems without an issue.

So about this posting? https://forums.fogproject.org/topic/9333/dell-perc-s100-raid-partitions/9# He states it’s now showing partitions. But what partitions are showing? It’s obviously able to read something now.

[george1421]

@Tom-Elliott From what I seen (web searches) if you disable the raid functions in bios then it will present the disks as JOBD. But then raid is disabled. If the system used windows raid (or apparently intel “fake raid”) then mdraid would see the disks.

The issue is that the S100 and S300 driver specs are closed source so no one has been able to reverse construct the drivers.

[Tom Elliott]

@george1421 Is it possible the Perc s100 raid is presenting as a sata disk to the system?

For example, it’s not using a software layout but actually presenting the disk in /dev/sda format?

[george1421]

@Chrisjmuk How many of these systems are you going to deploy?

If its more than 2, you might want to consider using MDT for image capture and deployment. It surely won’t be as fast as FOG, BUT you can load the windows only RAID drivers in the deployment.

[Chrisjmuk]

I have another idea i am trying, i am making a hyper-v VM up and adding installing the raid drivers once installed and then image that and try and deploy it to a physical, not sure if that will work but will give it a go.

[george1421]

@george1421 Sorry no joy for you. There isn’t (at least what I can find) ANY raid controller driver for the S100/S300 dell raid cards.

I feel FOG is not a good solution for this cloning task. You may want to look into solutions that are WinPE based where at least you can inject the needed driver into the WinPE environment. All linux based imaging solutions will have the same issue as FOG.

[george1421]

@Chrisjmuk That is what I’m looking for. If we could find a driver it could be added to the FOS engine.

[Chrisjmuk]

Is there a known kernel that would have ps100 drivers?

[george1421]

@Chrisjmuk ok if mdstat returns nothing then the mdraid driver is not able to see the S100 raid controller.

There may be no joy for you then.
https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/dell-poweredge-s100-s300-linux-driver-raid/

I’m going to still keep digging.

[Chrisjmuk]

I have tried a few times and its now showing the partitions.

I have followed your guide here

https://forums.fogproject.org/topic/7882/capture-deploy-to-target-computers-using-intel-rapid-storage-onboard-raid/2

But when i do the cat /proc/mdstat it doesnt show any devices at all, any ideas?

[Tom Elliott]

@Chrisjmuk Correct. We don’t know what that device is currently, but that is only relevant to FOS.

[Chrisjmuk]

@george1421 Ok, according to Tom, that isnt needed for Windows?

[george1421]

@Chrisjmuk We need you to get to the FOS command prompt to figure that part out ( /dev/md126 ). Since we don’t have that hardware available, guessing is our best path forward.

[Tom Elliott]

@Chrisjmuk The host device is only relevant to the FOS engine which IS linux.

[Chrisjmuk]

@george1421 as thats for linux, on the “Host Primary Disk: /dev/md126” on Windows any idea what would be?