Installing Server 2008 R2 with S2600CP2 using onboard esrt2 RAID

[BPoes]

I am trying to install Server 2008 R2 onto a new server. The server is using an S2600CP2 motherboard, and I have configured it in BIOS to use the esrt2 onboard RAID. I was then able to get into the RAID BIOS and configure 3 of my 4 drives to run as a RAID5 virtual drive. the last drive has been marked as a hot spare.

the problem I am having is that I can't seem to find a driver during the windows installation that will allow me to recognize the virtual drive. I have even gone so far as to remove the virtual drive and boot to 4 blank drives, and have yet to have the option to install even onto a single drive.

For adddtional information, I am using the RKSATA8R5 upgrade key for RAID5 support in the esrt2 configuration. The sata ports being used by the drives are SATA0-3, and the SAS/SATA ports 0-7 are not being used. Also, strangely, the DVD drive is not being recognized by the Windows installer, either... it is using the SATA5 port.

Can anyone point me in the direction of the right drivers for installation of Server 2008 R2, or offer ideas on what might be wrong with my configuration?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Ben

[Daniel_O_Intel]

Did you already try this driver?

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=22120&lang=eng&OSVersion=Windows%20%20Server%202008%20*&DownloadType=Drivers https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=22120&lang=eng&OSVersion=Windows%20%20Server%202008%20*&DownloadType=Drivers

[BPoes]

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/CS-033453.htm http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/CS-033453.htm

See above link for Intel technical document pertaining to this known problem. I have used the drivers referenced in this document successfully. Apparently, this is a known issue only to s2600cp2 and s2600cp2j motherboards.