Add Additional Drive to Megaraid Server For New OS Install

by | Aug 12, 2025 | Misc | 0 comments

If your intention is to add a new drive to your MegaRAID system specifically for installing a new operating system (OS), then the approach is different from just assigning the drive as a global or hot spare.

Key points for adding a new drive to install a new OS:

  • You do NOT assign the new drive as a global or dedicated hot spare if you plan to use it for a new OS installation.
  • Instead, you would create a new virtual drive (RAID volume) on the new drive or drives through the MegaRAID BIOS or management utility.
  • This new virtual drive will then be the target where you install the OS.
  • The process involves creating a RAID array (which could be RAID 0 if it’s a single disk or any RAID level you prefer) using the new drive in the MegaRAID configuration utility, before starting the OS installation.
  • The OS installer will only recognize the drive if it’s configured as a virtual disk in the RAID controller.
  • Assigning a drive as a global or hot spare is used for redundancy and failover, not for hosting an OS or active data.

In summary:
If your goal is to add a new physical drive to install and run a new OS, you should create a new virtual disk/volume in the MegaRAID utility with that drive rather than assigning it as a hot spare. The hot spare role is for failover purposes to automatically replace a failed drive in an existing RAID array, not for primary use like an OS installation.

Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide for powering on your IBM x3650 M3 server and setting up a new virtual drive (volume D) using the MegaRAID BIOS configuration utility to prepare it for installing a new operating system:

Step 1: Power On and Access MegaRAID BIOS Utility

  1. Power On your IBM x3650 M3 server.
  2. During the startup POST process, watch the screen closely.
  3. When the prompt for the RAID controller appears, press Ctrl + H quickly to enter the MegaRAID BIOS (WebBIOS) utility.

Step 2: Navigate MegaRAID BIOS Utility

  1. In the MegaRAID BIOS utility, find and enter the menu called “Create Virtual Drive” or sometimes labeled under “Virtual Drives” or “Drive Management.”
  2. If this is a fresh drive or unconfigured disk, it will be visible in the list of available physical drives.

Step 3: Create a New Virtual Drive (RAID Volume)

  1. Select the new SSD physical drive(s) you want to use for the new virtual drive. If it’s a single disk for OS installation, select just that drive.
  2. Choose the RAID level suitable for your OS volume. For a single drive, choose RAID 0 (striping or no redundancy, just a simple disk volume).
  3. If you want redundancy or multiple drives, choose the appropriate RAID level depending on your disk count (e.g., RAID 1 for mirroring two disks).
  4. Assign the disks to a new virtual drive by adding them to the array.
  5. Confirm the virtual drive creation, including size and RAID settings.
  6. You may be prompted to initialize the drive:
    • Choose Fast Initialization (recommended for quick setup).
    • Or Full Initialization for thorough setup (takes longer).

Step 4: Set the New Virtual Drive as Bootable

  1. In the MegaRAID utility, locate the option to set the new virtual drive as the boot drive if you want to boot the OS from it.
  2. Confirm the boot order if necessary.

Step 5: Save and Exit

  1. Save the changes in the MegaRAID BIOS utility.
  2. Exit the MegaRAID BIOS.
  3. The server will reboot automatically or prompt for reboot.

Step 6: Install the Operating System

  1. Boot the server using your OS installation media (USB/DVD).
  2. The OS installer will now see the new virtual drive as a single disk.
  3. Proceed with the normal OS installation process by selecting the new virtual drive (which will become drive D after installation, if you assign it so in OS).

Important Notes:

  • Creating a virtual drive from physical drives through MegaRAID BIOS is mandatory; the OS cannot see the raw physical drives otherwise.
  • If your server is currently running other RAID configurations, ensure you do not overwrite those during this process.
  • Make sure to backup any important data before modifying RAID configurations.
  • You can create multiple virtual drives on the same physical disks with certain size constraints, but for a new OS, a single dedicated virtual drive is preferable.

If you want a walkthrough on the screen-specific menu clicks or how to configure advanced options like stripe size or read/write policy, I can provide further guidance.

Would you like me to break down the RAID creation process with example screenshots or explain how to proceed with OS installation once the RAID virtual drive is ready?