LSI Logic RAID Controllers

Question

I keep getting install failures (BSOD) for a computer running RAID 5 on LSI SCSI Controller 9271-8i when I try to upgrade Windows 10 to version 2004

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NF6TKY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

After the BSOD, I'm reverted back to version 1909.

Windows Update said I was ready for the new version on 9/1/2020, but now I've had three failures.

Answer 1

Having the exact same problems with an LSI / MegaRAID SAS 9271-8i controller card too.
Windows Update is forcing me off 1909 but I'm hard stuck on 1909! Unable to upgrade in place to 2004 or 20H2. It will always reboot and rollback to 1909.

Tried the workaround of installing the latest (2017 lol) driver 6.714.18.0, uninstalling (not deleting the driver) shutdown, reinserting the card and booting up - but it always reboots.

Thinking it might have something to do with the BCD or a corrupt Windows installation, I tried a fresh install with the latest ISO from Microsoft, "Win10_20H2_v2_EnglishInternational_x64.iso". I'm unable to boot from the USB for a clean install because the controller will always trigger the storport.sys BSOD!

Contacted Broadcom and they've said,
"Interesting that someone was having the same issue with the storport.sys which 9271 does not use which leads back to MS disk.sys issue

If you are upgrading while the boot volume is on the 9271, perhaps you can install to a single drive attached to the onboard SATA port with the RAID controller out of the system.
Let Windows fully update, shut down and put the card in and see if it blue screens.
If not, you can clone the onboard SATA to the boot RAID on the controller if applicable.

What is unusual is that I recall last year, there were about 15 cases but the issue went cold until now so I would assume one of the workarounds works.
I have no feedback from customers stating what fixed the issue."

So I managed to install 20H2 without the controller installed, but when I tried to shutdown and re-install it again, the same BSOD appears after BIOS POST. Even tried to manually install the newer drivers but it's not helped.

Had to rollback to 1909 because after a week of wasted time... I need to actually use the PC. But now Windows Update keeps downloading and trying to force 20H2 on me :/

Answer 2

I've got bad news:
In 2017 microsoft stopped supporting hardware when the manufacturer would officially stop supporting it. In their own words:
“Recognizing that a combination of hardware, driver and firmware support is required to have a good Windows 10 experience, we updated our support lifecycle policy to align with the hardware support period for a given device. If a hardware partner stops supporting a given device or one of its key components and stops providing driver updates, firmware updates, or fixes, it may mean that device will not be able to properly run a future Windows 10 feature update.”
https://twinfinite.net/2017/07/windows-10-stop-support-certain-older-cpus/

And in 2020 Broadcom did just that. They stopped officially supporting a number of older Raid controllers and other hardware. There's a list right here:
https://www.broadcom.com/support/knowledgebase/1211256067298/broadcom-out-of-warranty-statement

So either Broadcom and Microsoft had some kind of meeting and shook hands on this. Or Microsoft is just following their own policy of excluding old hardware from their updates once official support ends and perhaps Broadcom is even unaware of this (their customer support seems to be unaware judging by the above post)

But I also have some good news: this kind of shady business practice is slowly but surely becoming illegal. Just recently the EU acquired a law that will force companies to extend their warranties to at least 10 years. It ranges from consumer electronics like washing machines but also includes hardware and servers.
https://www.euronews.com/2021/03/01/eu-law-requires-companies-to-fix-electronic-goods-for-up-to-10-years

The UK recently introduced similar laws:
https://news.sky.com/story/new-law-aims-to-make-electrical-appliances-last-longer-and-save-energy-12241464

In America and Canada the right-to-repair movements are growing too so that's promising. That's the only good news though. You're still stuck with a Raid controller that microsoft (or broadcom) refuses to provide the necessary updates to. Just like me and a growing list of people with older hardware. Windows 10 is the first windows to do this by the way, older Windows would not have broken support for functioning hardware. So I find it understandable if people are confused or upset. I am too. You buy hardware and it says "compatible with windows 10" but then they break that promise.