When deploying Windows Server 2022 on HPE ProLiant Gen10 or Gen10 Plus servers, one of the most common yet critical points of friction is storage controller recognition. Specifically, the HPE Smart Array S100i SR Gen10 SW RAID driver is a frequent source of confusion. Is it a hardware RAID controller? Why do you need a driver during installation? And where do you find the correct, signed version for Windows Server 2022?
This comprehensive guide dives deep into everything you need to know about the S100i driver—from its architecture and use cases to step-by-step installation, verification, and troubleshooting. Before discussing the driver, it is essential to understand what the S100i actually is—and what it is not .
| Feature | S100i SW RAID | Hardware RAID (e.g., P408i) | |--------|----------------|------------------------------| | Cost | Free (embedded) | $300–$800+ | | CPU Overhead | 5–15% | 0–2% | | Max Drives | 10 SATA | 40+ SAS/SATA | | RAID 5/6 Performance | Poor (software XOR) | Excellent (hardware XOR) | | Cache | None (system RAM) | 2GB FBWC | | Hot Spare Support | Yes (global only) | Yes (dedicated/global) | When deploying Windows Server 2022 on HPE ProLiant
ssacli controller slot=0 config file="C:\S100i_backup.cfg" save This helps recover RAID metadata if the motherboard battery loses settings. The S100i is often criticized for its lack of cache and CPU dependency. However, it has valid use cases under Windows Server 2022:
ssacli controller all show Output should list: Why do you need a driver during installation
HPE provides a dedicated driver package: (also known as the HPE Dynamic Smart Array B100i/S100i driver).
Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Where-Object $_.DeviceName -like "*S100i*" | Format-List DeviceName, DriverVersion, IsSigned Expected output: Before discussing the driver, it is essential to
DeviceName : HPE Dynamic Smart Array S100i SR Gen10 DriverVersion : 10.10.0.22 IsSigned : True Install HPE SSA CLI or GUI:
