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Installing the Device Driver

Dell™ PowerEdge™ Expandable RAID Controller 3/Di INSTALLATION GUIDE

  Windows Environment

  NetWare Environment

  Linux Environment

  Additional Operating Systems


Note: You must install the Windows NT or NetWare driver for your controller before you install the controller management software. If you want to use a container as the boot container, first create the boot container as described in Using the BIOS Container Configuration Utility. Then, install the driver as you install the operating system. The operating system will then reside on the boot container and has the redundancy and performance features of that container.
Note: If you are upgrading your controller's software and firmware from an earlier version, see Performing an Upgrade Installation before installing the device drivers.

Windows Environment

To install the driver while installing Windows NT see Installing the Driver During a Fresh Install of Windows NT. To update or install the driver when Windows NT is already installed see Installing the Driver When Windows NT is Already Installed.

If you are installing the driver while upgrading from Windows NT to Windows 2000, see Installing the Driver When Upgrading From NT to Windows 2000. If you are installing the driver during a fresh installation of Windows 2000, see Installing the Driver During a Fresh Install of Windows 2000.

Installing the Driver During a Fresh Install of Windows NT

Follow these instructions to install the Windows NT drivers while you are installing Windows NT. Windows NT will be installed on a boot container if you created a boot container with the Container Configuration Utility. (For information on creating a boot container, see Using the BIOS Container Configuration Utility.)

Note: Microsoft has acknowledged that Windows NT 4.0 has a known 1 GByte maximum partition creation limitation when NT 4.0 is installed on a drive connected to a SCSI controller that contains two or more drives. We recommend, therefore, that prior to installing NT 4.0, you should create only one container using the BIOS Container Configuration Utility (refer to Using the BIOS Container Configuration Utility for information about container creation). Following the installation, you can then use the controller management software to create multiple containers.

For more information about the Windows NT partition size limitation, see the Microsoft Web site, www.microsoft.com.

Installing Windows NT from CD-ROM

  1. Start your system with the Windows NT boot CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive and proceed with the Windows NT installation.

Note: To install Windows NT from a bootable CD-ROM, the CD-ROM drive must be connected to another SCSI controller or an IDE controller (not the PERC 3/Di).
  1. When the Windows NT CD-ROM starts to boot it will display the following message:

Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware configuration...

Press F6 immediately.

  1. A few seconds later a screen will be displayed asking you to specify additional controllers.

  2. Press S to select additional hardware.

  3. A menu with several items will be displayed. Be sure that Other is highlighted and then press Enter to load the device driver.

  4. You will be prompted to insert a disk into the diskette drive. Insert the diskette labeled Dell PERC 2, 2/Si, 3/Si, 3Di NT Device Drivers Disk 1 of 1.

  5. Press Enter to start the load of the driver.

  6. Select the following Dell driver: PERC 2, 2/Si, 3/Si, 3Di.

  7. If you have no other drivers that you need to install, press Enter to continue with the installation. Follow the instructions on-screen and in the Windows NT documentation to complete the installation.

Installing Windows NT from Diskette

  1. Start your system with the Windows NT boot diskette in the diskette drive and proceed with the Windows NT installation.

  2. At the message Setup has recognized the following mass storage devices, press S.

  3. Insert the diskette labeled Dell PERC 2, 2/Si, 3/Si, 3Di NT Device Drivers Disk 1 of 1 and press Enter.

  4. Press Enter to select the following Dell driver:
    PERC 2, 2/Si, 3/Si, 3Di

  5. Press Enter at the message Setup has recognized the following mass storage devices to continue with the Windows NT operating system setup. Follow the online instructions and in the Windows NT documentation to complete the installation.

Note: During the final phase of the Windows NT installation you will be prompted to reinsert the drivers diskette.

Installing the Driver When Windows NT is Already Installed

To install the driver when Windows NT is already installed on your system:

  1. Go to the Control Panel and double-click SCSI Adapters.

  2. In the SCSI Adapters dialog box, select the Drivers tab and click Add.

  3. Click Have Disk.

Insert the diskette labeled Dell PERC 2, 2/Si, 3/Si, 3Di NT Device Drivers Disk 1 of 1.

Click OK.

  1. Select the listed driver — PERC 2, 2/Si, 3/Si, 3Di — and click OK.

  2. At the message Do you want to restart the computer now?, remove the diskette from the diskette drive and click Yes to reboot the system.

Note: Instead of rebooting now, you may elect to install the controller management software first and then reboot. For instructions on how to install the controller management software, see Installing the Controller Management Software.

Installing the Driver When Upgrading From NT to Windows 2000

To install the PERC 3/Di driver during an upgrade to Windows 2000:

  1. If appropriate, uninstall the controller management software. For instructions, see Uninstalling the Controller Management Software on Windows.

  2. Insert the diskette labeled PERC 2, 2/Si, 3/Si, 3Di Windows 2000 Drivers Diskette into the diskette drive and do not remove it from the drive. The diskette contains the following:

  3. From the command prompt, change your working directory to the diskette drive, and execute the following command:

A:\w2ksetup.bat

The w2ksetup.bat script prepares your system for the upgrade to the new PERC 3/Di driver for Windows 2000.

Caution: During the upgrade to Windows 2000, the PERC 3/Di device driver for Windows NT that is currently installed on your system is replaced with PERC 3/Di driver for Windows 2000.

If, for whatever reason, you execute the script w2ksetup.bat but do not complete the upgrade to Windows 2000, you must re-install the PERC 3/Di device driver for Windows NT, because—among other things— w2ksetup.bat removes the PERC 3/Di driver for Windows NT from your system.

If you do not reinstall the PERC 3/Di driver for Windows NT, you will not be able to manage the controller, and if the operating system is on a boot container, the server will not boot.

To reinstall the PERC 3/Di driver for Windows NT, go to the Control Panel and double-click SCSI Adapters. Select the Drivers tab, then select the Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller 3/Di and press Add. Select Have Disk, then when prompted, insert the diskette that contains the PERC 3/Di driver for Windows NT.

After the original NT driver is installed, reboot and you will be able to manage your PERC 3/Di controller.
  1. Insert the Windows 2000 CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.

  2. When the upgrade dialog box appears, select the option to Upgrade to Windows 2000.

Follow the on-screen instructions to begin the upgrade to Windows 2000.

A popup message is displayed, asking if you want to continue installing an unassigned driver. Select Yes.

The upgrade then continues to completion.

  1. After the upgrade completes, reinstall the controller management software. For instructions on how to perform the installation, see Installing the Controller Management Software on Windows.

Installing the Driver During a Fresh Install of Windows 2000

These instructions describe installing the Windows 2000 driver while you are installing Windows 2000. If you create a boot container with the Container Configuration Utility, Windows 2000 will be installed on a boot container. (For information on creating a boot container, see Using the BIOS Container Configuration Utility.)

To install the Windows 2000 driver while installing Windows 2000:

  1. Start your system with the Windows 2000 boot CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive and proceed with the Windows 2000 installation.

Note: To install Windows 2000 from a bootable CD-ROM, the CD- ROM drive must be connected to another SCSI controller or an IDE controller (not the PERC 3/Di).
  1. When the Windows 2000 CD-ROM starts to boot, it will display the following message:

Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware configuration....

Press F6 immediately.

  1. A few seconds later, a screen will be displayed asking you to specify additional adapters.

  2. Press S to select additional hardware.

  3. A menu with several items will be displayed. Be sure that Other is highlighted and then press Enter to load the device driver.

  4. You will be prompted to insert a diskette into the diskette drive. Insert the diskette labeled PERC 2, 2/Si, 3/Si, 3Di Windows 2000 Drivers Diskette.

  5. Press Enter to start the load of the driver.

  6. You will be shown a list with one item on it. Press Enter to select the driver — PERC 2, 2/Si, 3/Si, 3Di.

  7. If you have no other drivers that you need to install, press Enter to continue with the installation. Follow the online instructions and in the Windows 2000 documentation to complete the installation.

  8. When the installation completes, the Found New Hardware wizard automatically runs. Ensure that the PERC 2, 2/Si, 3/Si, 3Di Windows 2000 Drivers Diskette is inserted in the diskette drive and make the necessary selection to install the Windows 2000 driver from the diskette.

  9. To load the Windows 2000 driver, remove the PERC 2, 2/Si, 3/Si, 3Di Windows 2000 Drivers diskette from the diskette drive and reboot the system.

Installing the Driver When Windows 2000 is Already Installed

To install the driver when Windows 2000 is already installed on your system:

  1. Ensure that the PERC 3/Di controller is installed in your system, then reboot your system so that the system can recognize the controller.

When the system is rebooted and the controller recognized, Windows 2000 automatically launches the Found New Hardware wizard, which you use to install the Windows 2000 driver for the PERC 3/Di controller.

  1. The Found New Hardware wizard displays a Files Needed dialog box, which prompts for the location on the diskette drive for the driver files for the PERC 3/Di controller. Insert the diskette labeled PERC 2, 2/Si, 3/Si, 3Di Windows 2000 Drivers Diskette in the diskette drive and click OK.

The system then installs the driver.

  1. When the driver finishes installing, click Finish to exit the Found New Hardware wizard.

  2. At the message Do you want to restart the computer now?, remove the diskette from the diskette drive and click Yes to reboot the system.


NetWare Environment

This section explains how to install the driver, perc2.ham, for Novell NetWare 5.0, 5.1, or 6.0. If you are performing a first time NetWare installation, see Installing the Driver During a Fresh Install of NetWare. If NetWare is already installed in your system, see Installing the Driver when NetWare is Already Installed.

Note: We recommend that you install your NetWare operating system on a container to take advantage of the redundancy and performance features of the container.

Installing the Driver During a Fresh Install of NetWare

Follow these instructions only if you are installing NetWare for the first time. If you want NetWare to reside on a container, first create a boot container, then install the driver and software on that container.

For information on creating a boot container, see Using the BIOS Container Configuration Utility.

To install the perc2.ham driver when installing NetWare for the first time:

  1. Begin installing NetWare on your server as instructed in your NetWare documentation.

  2. When the Detected Device Types screen appears, select Modify and press Enter. Then select Storage Adapters and press Enter.

  3. Select I2OPCI.NLM and press Delete.

If you choose to install I2OPCI, you can add the driver back after the perc2.ham driver is installed.

  1. Check that the proper driver for any embedded SCSI controllers is installed.

Note: If the embedded driver has not been installed, install it before installing the PERC 3/Di driver. Refer to your Dell server documentation for further information.
  1. Insert the PERC 3/Di driver diskette for NetWare into your diskette drive and press the Insert key.

  2. An explanatory screen appears. Press Enter to have the system scan the diskette for the PERC 3/Di driver.

  3. Select PERC 2.HAM Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller and press Enter. This will bring you to the PERC 3/Di Parameters screen.

  4. Select Return to driver list to accept the default slot number and press Enter.

  5. Press Esc.

  6. Select Return to driver summary and press Enter.

  7. If desired, select the I2OPCI.NLM driver and install it. You can enter the slot number as suggested in the Slot Number Help screen.

  8. Press Esc.

  9. To continue the NetWare installation, select Continue and press Enter.

  10. If necessary, install the NetWare Support Pack 6a or higher for NetWare 5.0 or the NetWare Support Pack 3 for NetWare 5.1.

Caution: Novell recommends installing the Support Pack on your server from a client. If installing the Support Pack from a diskette, mount the diskette as a NetWare volume and then install the software.

Installing the Driver when NetWare is Already Installed

To update or install the perc2.ham driver when NetWare is already installed, follow the instructions in this section. Before you begin, however, make a backup copy of the driver.

To install the perc2.ham driver:

  1. At the NetWare console prompt, type load nwconfig.

  2. Select Driver Options and press Enter.

  3. Select Configure disk and storage device drivers and press Enter.

  4. From the Additional Driver Action menu, choose Select an additional driver and press Enter.

  5. Check that the proper driver for any embedded SCSI controllers is installed.

Note: If the embedded driver has not been installed, install it before installing the PERC 3/Di driver. Refer to your Dell server documentation for further information.
  1. Insert the PERC 3/Di driver diskette for NetWare version 5.0 or version 5.1 into your diskette drive and press the Insert key.

  2. An explanatory screen appears. Press Enter to have the system scan the diskette for the PERC 3/Di driver.

  3. Select PERC 2.HAM Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller and press Enter. This will bring you to the PERC 3/Di Parameters screen.

  4. Answer Yes to the prompt Do you want to copy driver perc2.ham?

  5. Specify the path where you want the perc2.ham driver installed or press Enter to accept the default.

  6. You will be prompted to save the existing driver and its attendant files. Answer Yes to these prompts.

  7. Choose Select/Modify driver Parameters and press Enter.

  8. Press Ctrl-Esc, and from the next menu choose the option to return to the System Console.

  9. At the console prompt, type load a:\v5.X\perc2.ham.

  10. Write down the HIN value displayed on the screen and select 0 to continue. Ignore the message regarding the perc2.ham not being loaded. Do not press Enter.

  11. At the console prompt, press Alt-Esc to return to the nwconfig screen.

  12. Enter the HIN value recorded in step 15, and press Enter.

  13. Select Save parameters and load driver and press Enter.

  14. Respond No to the prompt Do you want to select an additional Disk driver?

  15. Press Esc until you return to the Installation Options menu. If necessary, modify the load command line in the startup.ncf file so that the proper path to the driver and all appropriate command line options are specified. See Loading the NetWare Driver at Server Bootup. Otherwise, exit the nwconfig program.

  16. If necessary, install the Novell NetWare Support Pack 6a or higher for NetWare 5.0 or the Novell NetWare Support Pack 1 for NetWare 5.1.

Caution: Novell recommends installing the Support Pack on your server from a client. If installing the Support Pack from a diskette, mount the diskette as a NetWare volume and then install the software.

Loading the NetWare Driver at Server Bootup

To automatically load the perc2.ham driver at server bootup, the startup.ncf file (usually located in your server's startup directory) must contain a load command line that specifies the location of the driver and any appropriate command line options. For additional information on the startup.ncf file, refer to your NetWare documentation.

The correct syntax to load the driver is:

load [pathname]PERC 2 [options]

For example, the command line to load the driver from the c:\nwserver directory, with the verbose option on is:

load c:\nwserver\PERC 2 verbose=y

Command line options are not case sensitive. Placing commas between command line options is optional.

You can use the following procedure or a DOS text editor to modify the startup.ncf file.

To modify the startup.ncf file:

  1. At the NetWare prompt, type load nwconfig and press Enter.

  2. Select the appropriate menu option that allows you to edit the startup.ncf file.

  3. Make the necessary changes. When done, press Esc.


Linux Environment

The following sections explain how to install the Linux driver on a boot container during an operating system installation and after an installation, on a data container for all supported Linux operating systems.

The Linux driver for your controller may be delivered on a CD-ROM or on diskette or may be obtained from an Open Source provider.

Installing the Linux Driver on a Boot Container

Note: The percraid.img driver is intended only for use with a boot container. It will not work correctly on a data container.

The Linux driver is now part of the standard Open Source distribution. Obtain the Linux operating system from an Open Source provider. For example, download the operating system from an Open Source Web site such as www.redhat.com and follow their instructions for loading the driver for the PERC 3/Di controller, which on the Open Source distribution is called the aacraid driver.

Installing the Linux Driver on a Data Container

To install the Linux driver on a data container:

  1. Log on as root or become superuser.

  2. Check to see if the percraid driver already exists on your system, and if it does, remove it.

The Linux driver is now part of the standard Open Source distribution. Obtain the Linux operating system from an Open Source provider. For example, download the operating system from an Open Source Web site such as www.redhat.com and follow their instructions for removing the working driver for the PERC 3/Di controller, which on the Open Source distribution is called the aacraid driver.

  1. Install the percraid driver on the data container.

The Linux driver is now part of the standard Open Source distribution. Obtain the Linux operating system from an Open Source provider. For example, download the operating system from an Open Source Web site such as www.redhat.com and follow their instructions for loading the driver for the controller, which on the Open Source distribution is called aacraid.


Additional Operating Systems

If you are installing the driver on an operating system not listed in this chapter, please refer to the driver kit that shipped with your controller for instructions on how to perform the driver installation.


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