Symptom:
System powers back on, but your logical/virtual drive is missing in the HP SmartArray BIOS or OS.
What It Means:
HP SmartArray controllers sometimes fail to recognize virtual arrays after abrupt shutdowns, especially if cache wasn’t flushed.
This can be caused by:
- Write-back cache corruption
- Battery-backed cache failure
- Partial drive dropout during boot
In many cases, the physical disks are fine — but the controller fails to reconstruct the map.
What NOT to Do:
- Don’t force-create a new logical drive — this wipes metadata.
- Don’t assume all drives are healthy just because they’re detected.
- Don’t “initialize” anything unless advised — that’s destructive.
What To Do Instead:
✅ Check for missing cache module or expired cache battery alerts.
✅ Use JeannieLite to scan SmartArray metadata safely.
✅ Review drive order — HP controllers are very picky about this.
Escalate When:
- All physical drives show “OK” but logical volume won’t mount
- Controller offers to create a new volume with existing disks
- Bootable volume disappears from BIOS after rebuild attempt