Configure PM8222/PM8204 Controllers with the Ctrl+A Legacy Utility
This archived OEM guide covers array creation, deletion, controller modes, spares, boot selection, controller properties and RAID 5 fault handling. All original English figures are retained unchanged. They include different controller/firmware examples and separate configuration cases, rather than one continuous verified installation. Protect required data and identify the exact controller, array and disks before a destructive operation. No BIOS, RAID or disk operation was executed while preparing this article.
1. RAID controller configuration
1.1 Enter the Legacy configuration utility
At the server logo, press Del to enter BIOS:
Open Advanced > CSM Configuration. The source selects Legacy Mode for Boot Mode and Legacy for the Network, Storage, Video OpROM Policy and Other PCI devices policies, then F10 to save and restart. This is the source’s Legacy option-ROM path; changing an existing UEFI installation’s boot mode can affect bootability, so first verify the intended installation/boot requirements:
When the controller POST displays the Ctrl+A prompt, press Ctrl+A. The POST example identifies PM8204-2GB, firmware 5.92-0, 2048 MiB and a 558.87 GiB RAID 1. The later menus include Adaptec and Microsemi branding; these are not evidence of one fixed PM8222 firmware build:
1.2 Inspect existing arrays and logical drives
Choose Array Configuration > Manage Arrays, select the intended array and press Enter to list its logical drives. Enter again displays details; in the logical-drive details view, Ctrl+D displays member drives. The source example lists Array-A with three physical drives, one RAID 5 logical drive of 14.5 TiB and status Ok:
1.3 Delete the intended array
Open Array Configuration > Manage Arrays. At the array list, Ctrl+D is Delete Array. The warning explicitly says deletion erases all array data; use Y only for an intended, backed-up destructive deletion. This shortcut has a different meaning in the logical-drive detail view, where it displays members:
The last image is the warning/confirmation, not a separate post-deletion result.
1.4 Create a RAID 0 logical drive
Open Array Configuration > Create Array. Use Insert or Space to select the intended drives, Delete to deselect, and Enter to submit. Set RAID Level to RAID 0 (Stripe), enter a name if needed, review capacity and supported policies, then Done only when correct:
This example selects one 558.8 GiB SEAGATE drive and shows size 558.878 GiB, 256 KiB/256 KiB strip/full stripe and acceleration None. It ends at the form; no distinct completed RAID 0 result is provided. RAID 0 supplies no member-failure redundancy.
| Parameter | Meaning / recorded values |
|---|---|
| RAID Level | Redundancy/striping level for the logical drive; choose only a level supported by the installed controller and selected members. |
| Logical Drive Name / Label | User-defined logical-drive name. |
| Strip Size / Full Stripe Size | Strip size is the per-member stripe unit; full stripe size is the combined data stripe across the logical drive. The source lists 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512 and 1024 KiB, with 256 KiB as its default. The utility calculates full stripe size after the strip size and layout are selected. |
| Size / Unit Size | Logical-drive capacity and its selected units. The source uses the maximum by default; allocate less if additional logical drives are to share the array. Preserve TiB/GiB versus decimal TB/GB as shown. |
| Acceleration Method | The source describes PM8222 as lacking an adjustable cache-acceleration policy; the shown value is None. This is not a statement that every controller named in the article has no memory or cache. |
| Parity Group Count | Number of parity subgroups for RAID 50/60 only. For example, two RAID 5 subgroups give a count of 2. Other levels show Not Applicable. |
| Build Method | For supported parity RAID 5/50/6/60, the source describes Default background initialization with OS visibility, or RPI foreground rapid initialization with OS visibility delayed until completion. RAID 0/1 examples show Not Applicable; do not assume every listed card supports every parity level or method. |
| SSD Overprovisioning | Source option for supported all-SSD groups: Enabled or Disabled. It concerns preparing/optimizing SSD blocks before data is written and can affect initialization time. Check the actual controller/drive support; this is not a setting to apply to HDD groups. |
1.5 Create RAID 1
Use Array Configuration > Create Array, select the two intended members with Insert, then choose RAID 1 (Mirror), the intended label/size and supported settings, and Done. The parameter meanings above also apply:
The selection/result pictures use 7.2 TiB ST8000NM disks, while the intermediate level-selection form displays 1.091 TiB. The final details show RAID 1, 7.2 TiB, status Ok and two member mirror groups. Those source values are preserved as mixed examples; the smaller intermediate size is not silently changed or presented as the final capacity.
1.6 Create RAID 5
Use Array Configuration > Create Array, select the three intended members, choose RAID 5, review name, strip/full stripe, size and initialization, and submit the intended form:
The shown three 7.2 TiB members appear beside a level menu where RAID 5 is highlighted; the displayed size is still 21.832 TiB and full stripe 768 KiB. This open selection form is not a completed parity-capacity result. It must not be used to claim RAID 5 exposes the raw sum of all three drives. No separate completion figure is supplied in this subsection.
1.7 Create RAID 10
Repeat Create Array with the four intended members and select RAID 1+0. Review the same creation fields before Done:
The intermediate level menu still displays 29.109 TiB and 256 KiB/1024 KiB, while the final recorded RAID 10 details show 14.5 TiB, status Ok and 256 KiB/512 KiB. The open-menu values and final values are different source states, not equivalent usable-capacity calculations.
1.8 Pass-through / JBOD controller modes
The source names PM8204 for this discussion. Use Configure Controller Settings > Configure Controller Port Mode and distinguish these modes:
| Parameter | Meaning / recorded values |
|---|---|
| RAID | Expose configured RAID logical drives to the OS, rather than unconfigured pass-through disks. |
| Mixed | Expose both configured RAID logical drives and eligible pass-through disks. |
| HBA | Expose physical disks as pass-through devices and disable array creation. Existing arrays can prevent selecting this mode. |
The example shows CN0 and CN1 in Mixed, with an open list offering RAID and Mixed. HBA is not visible in that specific list. The source says ports connected to the same expander must use the same mode; independently connected direct-attach backplanes can permit different modes. An existing array can restrict HBA selection. Verify the actual backplane and controller support; do not delete arrays just to expose another mode.
1.9 Assign an eligible hot spare
Open Array Configuration > Manage Arrays, select the array and use Ctrl+S (Add Spare Drives) at that list. Select the intended unused drive with Insert and confirm the reviewed change with Y. Choose Dedicated Spare Drive or Auto replace drives as intended, then Done:
Use the utility’s actual spare-type names. The source equates Dedicated with global and Auto Replace with local, which is misleading. A dedicated spare protects its assigned array or arrays; it is not automatically available to every array. An auto-replace spare is assigned to a particular array and becomes a permanent member after rebuilding a failed member. Confirm the actual associations and controller support. The Microchip maxView guide, sections 6.3–6.4, documents these meanings; its desktop wizard is a terminology reference, not a replacement for these OEM firmware menus.
The source says the spare is added, but its final picture is the spare-type selection menu, not a separate confirmed association/result screen. Verify the resulting spare membership in the actual utility.
1.10 Remove a spare association
In Array Configuration > Manage Arrays, the array-list footer maps Delete to Delete Spare Drive. Select the intended spare with Insert in the following form, Enter and review the Y confirmation. This removes spare protection; do not confuse it with deleting an array or physically pulling a member:
The final figure is the change-confirmation prompt rather than a post-removal status check.
1.11 Select Legacy boot devices
For a logical drive, open the intended array/logical-drive list. Ctrl+P sets the primary boot logical drive; Ctrl+S sets the secondary boot logical drive at this screen. The recorded RAID 5 14.5 TiB row acquires the Primary Boot Logical Drive label:
For an eligible pass-through physical disk, open Select Boot Device. Ctrl+P selects the primary and Ctrl+S the secondary physical boot drive. The final source view uses CN0:01:03 as primary and CN0:01:00 as secondary:
These are controller boot preferences, not proof that an OS was installed or successfully booted. Read each screen’s shortcut legend; Ctrl+S has different meanings in other views.
1.12 Controller menus and properties
| Parameter | Meaning / recorded values |
|---|---|
| Controller Details | Controller model, bus/slot, hardware and firmware details, memory, supported/current modes and other status. |
| Configure Controller Settings | Controller policies, port mode, advanced settings, clearing configuration, backup-power status, power management and BMC settings. |
| Array Configuration | Create, inspect and delete arrays/logical drives, manage spares and boot selection. |
| Disk Utilities | Inspect physical devices, locate them and access supported disk operations. |
The details example shows PM8204-2GB, firmware 5.92, 2048 MiB and RAID mode. Its 0000 C temperature display is retained as source output, not accepted as a credible measured temperature. PM8222’s source description of no cache does not apply to this pictured 2 GB PM8204.
| Parameter | Meaning / recorded values |
|---|---|
| Modify Controller Settings | Rebuild/transformation and surface-scan policies, where supported. |
| Configure Controller Port Mode | Select supported RAID/Mixed/HBA operation. |
| Advanced Controller Settings | Advanced I/O and recovery-performance policies. |
| Clear Configuration | Destructive configuration and metadata-removal operations. |
| Backup Power Source | Backup-power/supercapacitor status, not a backup of customer data. |
| Manage Power Settings | Controller power/performance and survival policy. |
| BMC Settings | Management-side controller communication settings. |
Modify Controller Settings
| Parameter | Meaning / recorded values |
|---|---|
| Transformation Priority | Priority for array/logical-drive expansion, migration and related transformations. Source choices High / Medium / Low, default Medium. Higher priority competes with host I/O. |
| Rebuild Priority | Low / Medium / Medium High / High, trading rebuild urgency against other I/O. |
| Surface Scan Analysis Priority | The source lists 0–31, default 3. Treat 1–30 as idle-delay seconds, 0 as disabled and 31 as high priority; it is not simply a 31-second delay. Keep proactive media checks enabled unless the applicable procedure requires otherwise. |
| Current Parallel Surface Scan Count | Source range 1–16, default 1. The documentation describes 1 as disabling the parallel feature; do not infer that it independently disables every surface scan. Confirm the firmware’s scan-priority setting as well. |
| Spare Activation Mode | Failure SA activates an assigned spare following a failed/offline member. Predictive SA can activate on a reported predictive failure, subject to support and eligibility. |
Configure Controller Port Mode
RAID/Mixed/HBA semantics are described above. The second example shows both ports in RAID, rather than the earlier Mixed case.
Advanced Controller Settings
| Parameter | Meaning / recorded values |
|---|---|
| Degraded Mode Performance Optimization | Source value Disabled. This tunes performance when a supported array is already degraded; it does not enable fault tolerance or authorize loss of additional members. |
| Physical Drive Request Elevator Sort | I/O scheduling/elevator-sort policy; source value Enabled. |
| RAID 6/60 Alternate Inconsistency Repair Policy | Alternative inconsistency repair policy for those supported parity layouts; source value Disabled. |
| Maximum Drive Request Queue Depth | Source choices 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 or Automatic; example Automatic. |
| Monitor and Performance Analysis Delay | The source screen literally displays 1-120, whereas its prose separately gives range 0–1440 minutes and default 60. Preserve this discrepancy; do not treat the screen string as a verified 60-minute setting. Microchip’s ARCCONF guide documents the 0–1440-minute parameter for that interface. |
| HDD Flexible Latency Optimization | Prioritizes requests that reach the configured latency threshold. Source choices Disabled, Low, Middle (100 ms), High, Very High (30 ms), Very High (10 ms); example/default stated as Disabled. Support and exact behavior depend on firmware. |
Clear Configuration
| Parameter | Meaning / recorded values |
|---|---|
| Delete All Array Configurations | Remove all array configuration; this makes existing array data inaccessible and is not a recovery step. |
| Delete RIS on All Physical drives | Remove on-disk RAID identification/configuration information as supported. Do not apply to disks required for recovery merely because an array is incomplete. |
Backup Power Source
The source lists Charging, Charged and Not Present for backup-power/supercapacitor state; the captured value is Not Present. The source spelling “changing” means charging here. Presence of a menu does not prove that backup hardware is fitted or healthy.
Manage Power Settings
| Parameter | Meaning / recorded values |
|---|---|
| Power Mode | Source choices Min Power, Balanced and Max Performance, respectively favoring minimum static power, configuration-dependent balance and maximum performance. The example is Max Performance. |
| Survival Mode | When enabled and supported, permits reduced-power/performance operation after the relevant temperature threshold is reached. Enabled/Disabled are policy choices; the captured value is Disabled. It is not a substitute for fixing a thermal fault. |
BMC Settings
The source shows I2C Interface address 0xde. Preserve the platform’s documented value; this is an internal management-bus setting, not an Ethernet IP address.
Array Configuration and Disk Utilities
Device Information displays model, sector sizes, link rates, cache state, temperature and array association. The final TOSHIBA SAS HDD details are a different example from the preceding SEAGATE/HGST lists. Identify Device lights the locator where supported. Secure Erase is a destructive operation on eligible unconfigured drives; opening its menu does not mean an erase was performed.
2. Fault recovery and limits
2.1 One failed RAID 5 member
The source describes RAID 5 entering a degraded state after a single member goes offline and rebuilding after an appropriate healthy replacement is recognized. Inspect the fault, connection, exact member and current redundancy before replacement; reseating a drive is not a universal first action. Monitor the actual rebuild and final logical-drive state. Remaining accessibility and successful recovery depend on the other members and the fault; no fault/rebuild result screenshots are supplied in this section.
2.2 Multiple failed RAID 5 members
The source describes two or more failed members in the same RAID 5 set causing an offline/unavailable logical drive. Preserve the fault evidence and obtain qualified recovery assistance if required; do not force a failed array online, initialize it, clear metadata or recreate its layout as a recovery shortcut. A spare does not increase the RAID level’s simultaneous-failure tolerance.
References
- https://www.ieisystem.com/qa/raid/14533.html
- https://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/aemDocuments/documents/adaptec/documents/msm_smart_7_24_users_guide.pdf
- https://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/aemDocuments/documents/adaptec/documents/adaptec_smarthba_smartraid_x200_iug_7_2023.pdf
- https://storage.microsemi.com/pdfs/user_guides/adaptec_cli_smarthba_smartraid_11_23_ug.pdf
The original OEM article is the source for its menu path, examples and model-specific claims. The linked English Microchip materials support terminology and related behavior; they cover different product/management versions and are not a claim of exact PM8222/PM8204 firmware equivalence. Check the installed OEM version’s documentation for actual support and defaults.