This guide is to help with the creation of a hardware RAID using a LSI 9271-4i Controller.  The LSI Web BIOS is similar on most brands of 6Gb/s LSI Hardware controllers. HBA's are not covered in this guide.

1. During POST when the LSI MegaRAID info screen is displayed, hit Ctrl+H or Ctrl+C depending on the controller version.  For the 9271-4i use Ctrl+H.

2. The main screen shows the controller type as well as the current Firmware that is on the controller.  The 'Start' button should be highlighted, if not hit 'Alt-S' to highlight it and hit either 'Space' or 'Enter" to go to the next page.

3. From the 'Physcial View' screen hit 'Alt+O' to highlight the 'Configuration Wizard then hit ‘Space’ or ‘Enter’ on your keyboard.

4. From the Configuration Wizard screen hit 'Alt+E’ to highlight the 'New Configuration' radio button then hit ‘Space’ to select it. Then hit 'Alt+N' then 'Space' to go to the next screen.

5. Next hit 'Alt+Y' to highlight the 'Yes' button to start your configuration.

6. Leave it at its default of 'Manual Configuration' and hit 'Alt+N’ to highlight 'Next' and hit 'Space' to go to next screen.

7. Hit 'Alt+D' to select the Drives and arrow down once to highlight the first drive then hold 'Shift’ and then arrow down to select all of your drives in the list. 

*Make sure the 'Backplane' is not in your selected items to 'Add to Array' or you will get an error.

8. Hit 'Alt-A' to add the selected drives to the array then hit 'Space' to add them. Then hit 'Alt-P' to 'Accept DG' and hit 'Space'.  Now hit 'Alt-N' to select 'Next' and hit 'Space' too go to the next page.

9. From the Span Definition screen hit 'Alt+A’ to ‘Add to SPAN’ then hit ‘Space’.

10. Now hit 'Alt+N' then 'Space' to go to the RAID Creation Page.

11. At the Virtual Drive Definition page you can configure what RAID level is available for the drives you added to the SPAN, your Strip Size, Access Policy, Read/Write/IO Policy, Drive Cache, BGI and Size of your RAID.  

*By default Silicon Mechanics leaves all settings at default unless otherwise notated by the customer to change.

12. On some controllers you have the option to hit 'Alt+U' to update the size of the array automatically. This will auto fill the ‘Select Size’ box.  If not, you will need to look at the green text that gives possible options for your RAID level and size and input the size by hand.  Once this is set, hit ‘Alt+A’ to Accept. Then 'Alt+N' to go to the next screen.

13. At the BBU screen if you have a BBU attached it should give you a default message about having the controller in Write Back with BBU enabled if you have a BBU.  Even if you selected the correct option, you will get this screen. Select 'Yes' and continue.

14. You should be back at the RAID screen and it will look like you have a RAID 0.  Not to worry, this is normal.  Hit 'Alt+N' and then ‘Space’ to go to the next screen.

15. Next you will be at the Config Wizard - Preview page.  Hit 'Alt-A' to accept.

16. Hit 'Alt+Y' to Save the configuration.

17. Hit 'Alt+Y' to Initialize the new Array.

18.  Wait for the Fast Initialize to finish and you should see your RAID/Size and it should say Optimal. If this is going to be a boot partion then hit 'Alt+t' to highlight the 'Set Boot Drive' option and hit 'Space' to select it then 'Alt+G' to set it.

19. At this point you may hit 'Alt+H' to go to the home screen and exit the controller BIOS if you are done.