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Hard drives are not detected on R410
My company recently purchased a Dell R410 server, and I encountered an issue where my SATA drives are not recognized by the BIOS. I entered the BIOS setup, set the SATA mode to AHCI, and disabled RAID because I don't intend to use it. The hard drives can blink, indicating power and activity.
I verified that all SATA data and power cables are securely connected and tried connecting the drives to different SATA ports on the motherboard.
Despite these efforts, the BIOS still does not recognize the SATA drives. The physical drives are listed as unknown in the BIOS when AHCI is chosen, and I receive a message indicating "AHCI BIOS not installed," suggesting that the drives are not being detected. I have double-checked the physical connections and BIOS settings multiple times to ensure everything is configured correctly.
Dell-Martin S
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June 7th, 2024 14:45
Hi,
### 1. Verify BIOS Settings
- **Ensure SATA Mode is Correct**: You have already set the SATA mode to AHCI, which is correct for non-RAID configurations. However, ensure that this setting is saved properly in the BIOS.
- **Check Drive Enablement**: Verify that the SATA ports are enabled in the BIOS. Some motherboards disable unused ports by default, so you need to manually enable them[1].
### 2. Update Drivers
- **Update Storage Controller Drivers**: If you are installing an older version of Windows, you might need to update the drivers for your storage controller. These drivers are typically provided by the motherboard manufacturer, not Seagate[1].
### 3. Check Physical Connections
- **Inspect Cables**: Ensure that all SATA data and power cables are securely connected. Try switching the power cables with those of another device like a CDROM or DVDROM drive to rule out faulty power cables[1].
- **Test with Different Ports**: You have already tried connecting the drives to different SATA ports, which is a good step. Ensure that none of the ports are physically damaged or have bent pins[1].
### 4. Test the Drives
- **Listen for Drive Activity**: Boot the computer and listen for the drives to spin up. If they do not spin, it could indicate a power issue or a faulty drive[1].
- **Use a Different System**: If possible, connect the drives to another computer or use a SATA-USB enclosure to see if they are recognized there. This can help determine if the issue is with the drives or the server[1].
### 5. Additional Troubleshooting
- **BIOS Update**: Ensure that your BIOS is up to date. Sometimes, BIOS updates can resolve compatibility issues with newer hardware.
- **Check for AHCI BIOS Installation**: The message "AHCI BIOS not installed" suggests that the AHCI mode might not be fully supported or enabled. Ensure that the AHCI option is correctly configured and that the BIOS supports it.
### 6. Community and Support
- **Consult Forums**: Similar issues have been discussed in various forums. For instance, users on Dell's community forums have faced similar problems with the R420 not detecting SAS/SATA drives and have shared their troubleshooting steps[3][4][5].
If after following these steps the drives are still not detected, it might be necessary to contact Dell support for further assistance or consider a warranty replacement if the drives are found to be faulty.
Citations:
[1] https://dell.to/3X9zyZ7
[2] https://dell.to/45mlr4D
[3] https://dell.to/3XcMflF
[4] https://dell.to/3Xd7own
[5] https://dell.to/3XapBKL
DELL-Young E
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June 7th, 2024 04:56
Hello thanks for choosing Dell and welcome to our community.
According to page 26, it looks feasible. https://dell.to/3RfuUoB
Just one question though- were you using SATA already before the change or was the goal to change to SATA? If the latter, you would need extra part components to get since it will be different from SAS.
Wish you a good weekend. Let us know if you have any further questions.
Respectfully,
(edited)
Antonio Lombardo
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June 7th, 2024 11:57
@DELL-Young E
Hi, I apologize for the confusion in my previous post. I mentioned that the server was a Dell R410, but it's actually a Dell R420. Thank you for your understanding, and I appreciate any assistance you can provide regarding the issue with the SATA drives not being recognized by the BIOS.
Thank you!
(edited)