Hard drive not detected when switching from the onboard Intel Controller to a PERC H310 SAS controller

The hard drive may not be detected when switching from the onboard Intel Controller to a PERC H310 SAS controller. This article provides more information about this issue and steps to take to resolve it.

Hard drive not detected

When changing the drive configuration in a Precision Workstation T3600, T5600 or T7600 from the Intel onboard SAS controller to a PREC H310, the hard drive may fail to detect.

Ensure that the Data cable connection on the H310 is properly seated in the card connector.

The most often duplicated failure seen when the SAS controller is changed from the Intel Onboard SAS controller to a PERC H310 is improper connection of the data cable to the controller card (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Data cable used to connect to PERC H310 controller card

Unlike most connections, the SAS data cable can be plugged into the data port on the H310 BACKWARDS. When installing the H310, ensure that the cable clip on the cable points to the bottom in a tower or to the left as viewed from the front of the chassis.

When correctly inserted there is an audible CLICK and the cable cannot be removed when pulled and the retention clip is not depressed (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Proper connection of the data cable to PERC H310 controller card

If incorrectly inserted, the cable will easily pull from the connection without depressing the clip (the clip faces away from the back side of the card when the cable is correctly installed) (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Improper connection of data cable to PERC H310 controller card