Question : RAID 10 array keeps failing on HP P410i

On the new HP server, there isn't an RAID Bios screen, so I am forced to run the array management CD.  Once I am in, I create an array with all 8 SATA 1TB drives.  After that I create two logical RAID 10 drives of 1.8TB each to stay under the vmware limit of 2TB drive.  Once I reboot the system and bootup esxi 4.0, it can't see the drives.  I again run the array management cd and it shows that both logical drives failed.  I can re-enable the drives, but when I reboot it fails again.  The controllers on are firmware 3.0. A 512 BBWC was added as well.

Answer : RAID 10 array keeps failing on HP P410i

There is an option to configure during POST, but the stupid splash screen gets in the way. Press any key during POST and it will show the normal startup - iLO config first which you can ignore, then P410 initialisation where you can press F8 to enter ORCA, then the rest of the cards. If you've got a USB keyboard though it takes too long sometimes to see initial keystroke and it's gone past the option to enter ORCA config. I hate that splash screen.

You really shouldn't be using SATA disks in a production environment with ESX though, they don't have the performance unless you're using them for archive/backup which you're not by the sound of it.