6 Creating a Bootable ArrayThis chapter explains how to set your Adaptec controller to be the boot controller, and how to createa bootable array.Note: If you are completing a standard installation onto an existing operating system,you don’t have to complete this task. Skip to Installing the Driver on an ExistingOperating System on page 50.Setting the Boot ControllerNote: If your system won’t contain more than one bootable controller, skip to thenext section, Creating an Array on page 35.Your Adaptec RAID controller supports bootable disk drives and bootable arrays. To enable your systemto boot from either a disk drive or an array connected to your controller:1. Enter the system setup.2. Navigate to the drive boot sequence.3. Move the boot controller to the top of the list.For more information, refer to your computer documentation.Creating an ArrayThis section explains how to create an array.A RAID 5 array is created in the examples shown in this section because RAID 5 provides the most securityand best performance with a minimum of three disk drives. However, you can choose to create an arraywith a different RAID level; you can also change array level later, after the operating system is installed.You can create an array using any of these tools:• Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility (ARC)—BIOS-based menus and keyboard navigation (see thefollowing section).• maxView Storage Manager—Graphical software application (running from a bootable installationDVD) that you can navigate with your mouse (see About maxView Storage Manager on page 54).• ARCCONF—Command line utility. For instructions, refer to the Adaptec RAID Controller CommandLine Utility User’s Guide.You can use any of these tools, but the ARC utility is the quickest and easiest tool for this task.Note: We recommend that you do not combine SAS and SATA disk drives within thesame array. maxView Storage Manager displays a warning if you try to create a logicaldrive using a combination of SAS and SATA disk drives. See What is SAS? on page 59for more information.Creating an Array with the ARC UtilityThe ARC utility is menu-based. Instructions for completing tasks appear on-screen. Menus can benavigated using the arrows, Enter, Esc, and other keys on your keyboard.To create a RAID 5 array:1. Power on your computer. When prompted, press Ctrl+A to enter the ARC utility.Note: On servers that support the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, or uEFI,ARC utility options are presented with a uEFI/HII interface rather than the AdaptecCtrl-A interface described below. To begin using the ARC utility with the uEFI/HIIinterface, see Ctrl-A or uEFI/HII? on page 71.2. If you have more than one controller of the same model or family in your computer, select yourcontroller, then press Enter .35Proprietary and Confidential to PMC-Sierra, Inc.Document No.: CDP-00277-01-A Rev. A, Issue:Serial Attached SCSI RAID Controllers Installation and User's Guide