How to correct the "foreign configuration" error reported from a SAS PERC controller

This article provides information on how to clear the foreign configuration on a Dell server with a SAS PowerEdge Raid Controller (PERC).
 

To correct the "foreign configuration" error reported from a SAS PERC controller perform the following steps:

1. Ensure all of the controllers installed in the system are detected.
2. Ensure all of the SATA hard drives installed in the system have interposers.***
3. Verify All SAS Cable(s) Are Routed Correctly and Connected Securely.
4. Ensure the foreign drives are from a SAS PERC controller and not from a SAS i/R adapter.
5. Reboot and go into the SAS PERC BIOS.
6. Import the Foreign Configuration of the SAS PERC 6 Controller in the BIOS.
7. Reboot and go into the SAS PERC BIOS.
8. Select the correct bootable Virtual Disk in the Controller Management view of the SAS PERC BIOS.
9. Verify the boot order settings in the system BIOS.
10. Run the Consistency Check on the Virtual Disk in the SAS PERC BIOS.

*** Step 2 is a requirement only for large capacity SATA drives and drives on an MD1000. Small capacity SATA HDDs (<500GB) on the PowerEdge server do not need interposers.


The Dell Community Web Site has more information on clearing this error. This articles expresses the steps as it applies to a PERC 6/i and a Dell PowerEdge 2900 Server. From this article:


"You can also clear it from OMSA.  Whenever the controller finds the RAID configuration to not match or to be out of synch with the rest of the array, it marks it as foreign.  This is most common when moving a drive to another machine, but can also happen if the drive goes offline.  The drive may have gone offline because it has failed or is failing or it may be a firmware fluke.
Clear the foreign config, then test it using Online Diagnostics from the OS (or boot to 32-bit Diagnostics).  If it fails, replace it.  If it passes, assign it as a hot-spare to begin rebuilding it.  Once rebuilt, make sure the system firmware (BIOS, ESM, RAID (driver first), and HDD) are up to date".