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Date: Sat, 19 May 2012 07:25:59 -0500 (CDT)
From: Robert Bonomi <bonomi@mail.r-bonomi.com>
Message-Id: <201205191225.q4JCPxkH063784@mail.r-bonomi.com>
To: wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl
In-Reply-To: <alpine.BSF.2.00.1205191347450.39478@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl>
Cc: tesla@sunset.tx.net, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: Optiplex 755 RAID 1 logical drive configuration ignored by
	FreeBSD 9.0-R installation
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> From wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl  Sat May 19 06:51:00 2012
> Date: Sat, 19 May 2012 13:48:18 +0200 (CEST)
> From: User Wojtek <wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl>
> To: Robert Bonomi <bonomi@mail.r-bonomi.com>
> cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org, tesla@sunset.tx.net
> Subject: Re: Optiplex 755 RAID 1 logical drive configuration ignored by
>  FreeBSD 9.0-R installation
>
> > FreeBSD will use a hardware RAID device -only- if the particular type of
> > RAID chip/chipset/controller is known to the included device drivers.
>
> do not use "hardware RAID" for such things as this is nothing else
> than normal controller and BIOS/driver support.

'Male bovine excrement' applies.

I used 'hardware RAID' because that is -precisely- how the OP described
their equipment.  And Dell does offer at least one such controller.

That aside, my statement is entirely accurate, _as_written_, regardless of 
the hardwaare that the OP has.

Now, I'll grant it is possible that you know more about the OP's equipment
than I do, but _I_ will assume that the OP knows what they are talking
bout, with regard to -their- hardware configuration.

Further, I, personally, have a fairly similar Compaq machine, which has 
hardware RAID, with it's own BIOS (including configuration/setup screens).
Oh, yes, FreeBSD _does_ recognize the raid volumes -- with NO RAID support
whatsoever in the O/S itself.  I run full-custom kernels with no loadable
modules, I _know_ what capbilites are/aren't present.