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  • 1.  How to install driver for a Raid card.

    Posted Jul 20, 2010 06:21 AM

    I hope this question finds you and yours well.

    I have:

    ESXi 4.1 up and running on a Dell 1950. It has a basic raid card that is functioning. That is where the operating and VM are stored.

    I have installed a 1212 4 port Areca Raid card. I have attached two Intel SSD in a raid 1.

    My Bios sees both the original and the 1212 raid cards and disks.

    Areca utility on boot up says that all is swell.

    ESXi can not see the 1212. I went to Areca site and downloaded the driver for ESXi 4.X.

    I have followed instructions for set up using the CLI. It starts to apply the patch but then I am told that a file, meta.zip is missing and things are aborted.

    I went to vmWare site and downloaded their solution. Again using the CLI things start to upload but then I am told that there is no applicable update or bundle. Nothing to do.

    Here is the link to Areca drivers. The install instructions are great but for the meta.zip file.

    ftp://ftp.areca.com.tw/RaidCards/AP_Drivers/VMware/ESXi_4/

    Any ideas? Thanks for help.

    John Ullom



  • 2.  RE: How to install driver for a Raid card.
    Best Answer

    Posted Jul 24, 2010 04:04 AM

    I had a similar issue with the Areca 1222 (8 port version of yours).

    I was able to fix it by modifying the zip archive from Areca. In the offline-bundle folder, you will find ARC-arcmsr-1.20.00.15.vmk.100202-offline_bundle-262812.zip. Inside that zip you will find metadata.zip. Inside that zip, locate vmware.xml. Edit the file as follows:

    Find the following:

    You should now be able to install from the CLI.



  • 3.  RE: How to install driver for a Raid card.

    Posted Jul 24, 2010 09:06 AM

    Thanks for info. I ended up reinstalling 4.0, added the driver, then upgraded to 4.1.

    Your way is better. I was worried about crashing ver 4.2 or 5.3 and then having to dig up 4.0 and starting over.

    Next time I'll open the zip archive and see if I can figure it out.

    Thanks again!

    John Ullom



  • 4.  RE: How to install driver for a Raid card.

    Posted Dec 18, 2012 10:06 AM

    I got the same problem but my card is a 1220 Areca running Esxi 5 ive never installed a driver into a wmware system before i guess there is my problem.

    i tryed some update tool i did find on wmware site but it crashed! ;(  the raid is working fine the problem is to get wmware to see it... when im booting instalation! ore after so i culd use it as a storage!

    kind regrets