Azure Local Deployment Failure: PhysicalDisk CIM Validation (BusType SATA Bypass)

Question

Azure Local Deployment Failure: PhysicalDisk CIM Validation (BusType SATA Bypass)

 I am deploying Azure Local (HCI) 24H2 (AzureLocal24H2.26100.1742.LCM.12.2601.0.3137.x64.en-us)on a single-node Cisco Rack Server. The deployment is blocked by the Hardware Validator error: AzStackHci_Hardware_Test_PhysicalDisk.

Technical Details:

• Error: BusTypeIsSupported=False (CIM data check).
• Hardware: Cisco HBA in pass-through mode; Data disks are Micron 5200 SATA SSDs.
• Current State: Disks report CanPool=True and HealthStatus=Healthy.

Specific Question: "The Windows Storage subsystem accepts these disks, but the Cloud Deployment Orchestrator does not.

Specific Question: "The Windows Storage subsystem accepts these disks, but the Cloud Deployment Orchestrator does not. How can I force the Environment Validator to honor the S2DAllowSATA registry override so the CIM data check passes?"

Answer 1

Hello Simranjit,

Thank you for reaching out Q/A. Based on information regarding the deployment failure.

Based on the behavior observed in Azure Local 24H2, the S2DAllowSATA registry key only affects how Windows Storage Spaces Direct handles SATA devices after disks are discovered. The Azure Local Environment Validator, which runs as part of the Cloud Deployment Orchestrator workflow, performs an independent hardware compliance check based on CIM‑reported disk properties.

The BusTypeIsSupported = False result is derived from the disk BusType and related properties as reported through CIM. This validation step does not honor the S2DAllowSATA registry override and cannot be bypassed through registry modification.

Additionally, the PhysicalDisk API (CIM data) check returning Null, along with Get‑PhysicalDiskSupport reporting HCISupported = False, indicates that the validator is unable to confirm the disks as supported data disks in their current presentation. This validation is enforced as part of Azure Stack HCI hardware supportability requirements.

This behavior is commonly related to how the storage controller firmware and driver expose disks to Windows at the CIM layer, even when the disks appear healthy and poolable within Storage Spaces.

At this point, the recommended next steps are:

• Confirm that the Cisco HBA model and firmware are supported for Azure Local 24H2 and that the Cisco‑supported Windows driver is installed.
• Verify whether the Micron 5200 SATA SSDs, in combination with this controller and driver, are exposed correctly via CIM for Azure Local validation.

If the current configuration cannot be validated as supported by the Environment Validator, the likely resolution would involve using a supported controller configuration or validated disk types (for example, SAS or NVMe devices) that enumerate correctly through CIM.

Please find below reference links:

https://github.com/Azure/AzureLocal-Supportability/blob/main/TSG/EnvironmentValidator/Troubleshooting-Test-PhysicalDisk-API.md

Azure Stack HCI: Unable to retrieve data for PhysicalDisk

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/storage-spaces/storage-spaces-direct-hardware-requirements#drives

Answer 2

The Environment Checker and Cloud Deployment Orchestrator use their own hardware validation logic and supported BusType list. The context only documents how to run the validators and interpret their results; it does not provide any mechanism to override or bypass a failing PhysicalDisk BusType check, nor any way to make the validator honor an S2DAllowSATA registry setting.

From the provided information, critical hardware validation failures are blocking issues that must be fixed rather than overridden. The documented guidance is:

1. Use Invoke-AzStackHciHardwareValidation to confirm the failure and review the generated JSON report under the documented report path.
2. Treat “Storage | PhysicalDisk for desired properties” and related “PhysicalDisk” critical issues as non‑overridable blockers.
3. If the hardware cannot be brought into a supported state for Azure Local (for example, due to unsupported BusType), open a Microsoft support ticket for Azure Local deployment issues so support can review the validator logs and advise on supported configurations.

There is no supported method in the documentation to force the Environment Checker to accept unsupported SATA disks or to make it honor S2DAllowSATA for the CIM-based BusType validation.

The only supported path in this situation is:

1. Verify the hardware with the Environment Checker:
   • Run on the node (or remotely):

          Invoke-AzStackHciHardwareValidation
     

   • Review the report at the documented location for the exact PhysicalDisk failures.
2. If the disks remain flagged as unsupported (BusType SATA) and the deployment is blocked, collect the Environment Checker report and deployment logs.
3. Contact Microsoft support for Azure Local deployment issues and provide those logs so they can confirm whether the specific HBA/SATA combination is supported or recommend hardware changes.

The documentation does not expose any supported registry or configuration override to bypass this check.

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References:

• Evaluate the deployment readiness of your environment for Azure Local
• Get support for Azure Local deployment issues
• Troubleshoot Storage Spaces Direct