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Date: Fri, 18 May 2012 18:59:09 -0500 (CDT)
From: Robert Bonomi <bonomi@mail.r-bonomi.com>
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To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org, tesla@sunset.tx.net
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Cc: 
Subject: Re: Optiplex 755 RAID 1 logical drive configuration ignored by
	FreeBSD 9.0-R installation
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> From owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org  Fri May 18 15:12:56 2012
> Date: Fri, 18 May 2012 14:58:26 -0500 (CDT)
> From: tess lamont <tesla@sunset.tx.net>
> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
> Subject: Optiplex 755 RAID 1 logical drive configuration ignored by FreeBSD
>  9.0-R installation
>
> I created a RAID 1 drive in a Dell Optiplex 755, using the internal RAID 
> controller and two 160GB drives, naming the logical drive "freebsd90". 
> Within the system setup menu, the boot menu shows that "freebsd90" is the 
> first (and only) bootable hard drive.
>
> Yet when I try to install FreeBSD 9.0-R, FreeBSD ignores the hardware RAID 
> and sees the two separate drives, instead of seeing a single logical 
> drive.

FreeBSD will use a hardware RAID device -only- if the particular type of
RAID chip/chipset/controller is known to the included device drivers.

>From some casual searching on the 'net, I can't find anything that indicates
-what- RAID controller is in the Optiplex 755.

IF you know, or can find that info, check: 
  <http://www.freebsd.org/releases/9.0R/hardware.html#DISK>
to see if that disk controller is listed. 

If yes, it should 'just work'.  If it is not listed, you're out of luck.

If you can't in the controller informtion, you'll need to post something
that includes the boot-up messages showing what FreeBSD found for disks
and disk controllers.