Ratdude's main rig V5.0

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Windows took a shit.

That's typical of Windows when you let Windows Update apply security fixes!

Especially Windows 10, it's common to get a message telling you that it's undoing changes and then Windows hangs at that message!

As soon as I see that message, I know I must reboot to Linux, wipe the drive and reinstall Windows. It means Windows fucked itself in the ass!

WSUS Offline, FTW! Because even Windows 7 fucks up too!

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

so far so good... installing drivers and the like...

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

also check the seating & slot conditions. Heating & cooling of the actual slot can cause this too.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

I have 32gb worth left over from my 64gb upgrade if needed. DDR2 FB memory will never get used here.

Ok. IDK if they have thermal protection... if they do I should be OK. I shall see... powering it back up now.

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Shit, went to activate windows, and saw the "28GB usable" message of doom. Shut her down to cool off. It likes to do that right after a fresh install... IDK why.

I hope I don't have fried ram...

I have 32gb worth left over from my 64gb upgrade if needed. DDR2 FB memory will never get used here.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Shit, went to activate windows, and saw the "28GB usable" message of doom. Shut her down to cool off. It likes to do that right after a fresh install... IDK why.

I hope I don't have fried ram...

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

All 4 tested good. Likewise, my windows 7 dvd showed the RAID 10 array no problem. Son of a bitch.

---

speaking of drives, with an 8 drive backplane coming, I may keep my eyes open for a deal on more SAS drives. Why run 4 when I can run 8... imagine a raid 0 with that

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

My clean install is working just fine.... When a box shows up with a certain item in it, I'll finish it off.

yeah you should be getting it any time now... hopefully by Saturday?

---

3 drives tested good, the 4th is being tested now.

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Windows took a shit. Boot device not found soon after bootup... I'm going to re-install (and see if RAID 10 will show up this time) and in the mean time I'm using Adaptec's disk check tool to make sure my drives are good.

My clean install is working just fine.... When a box shows up with a certain item in it, I'll finish it off.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Windows took a shit. Boot device not found soon after bootup... I'm going to re-install (and see if RAID 10 will show up this time) and in the mean time I'm using Adaptec's disk check tool to make sure my drives are good.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

My paxville box has an Ablecom PSU in it. Had a lot of UCC caps in it as well. KY series IIRC, not known to be problematic.

That's what the 5VSB uses. KY's are great PSU caps IMHO. I used them for a coupel of linear supply projects in college at least... also done some PSU recapping with them (along with nichicon HE).

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

My paxville box has an Ablecom PSU in it. Had a lot of UCC caps in it as well. KY series IIRC, not known to be problematic.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Ok, I did a dry run today......set up the RAID10, and a mock-up w7u install. I had no issues with it recognizing my raid10 with either your driver or the embedded driver. It installed just fine.

What management software are you using? My only gripe with this controller so far is the miserable slow post time. It fumbles around for a good 30 secodns booting the controller, detecting arrays and otherwise fumbling around....I guess I should be used to this after decades of the same thing with adaptec SCSI controllers.

Go figure. I couldn't get it to work for me... I'll look into it. I'd be curious to see what crystaldiskbenchmark has to say about your speeds.

I'm not using any right now, but when I was I used the stuff from Adaptec directly.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

SAS cables and PSUs came in today.

Bad news: the SAS cables are too short... I used V4.1 as a test jig and found that my cables aren't going to cut it. Then again, they're also 1' long... I've since ordered the next longest cable I can get with the sideband connector, at 18". The case is slated to arrive Tuesday, as are the 2nd pair of cables.

Good news: the PSUs are in and look good... I decided to open one to see what's inside. First, the spec label:



Yup, 900W. 75A on the 12V... although the PSU backplane uses that 12V to generate the other non-5VSB voltages too. Speaking of stickers, the warranty sticker is kinda funny:



No, I don't wish to keep warranty. Here's what's inside:



It has a beefy primary:



And a decent looking secondary:





The 12V uses solid caps, which is nice. While the silicon looks a bit skimpy at first, keep in mind that's 6 of them in a well cooled case.

The fans (2 in series) are very loud, and that's when ramped down. IDK if that is less when in a system, or if the initial ramp down is all I get (I could see either case, as in a failure you'd want more cooling, not less).

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

My only gripe with this controller so far is the miserable slow post time. It fumbles around for a good 30 secodns booting the controller, detecting arrays and otherwise fumbling around....I guess I should be used to this after decades of the same thing with adaptec SCSI controllers.

Sounds just like my socket 775 motherboards, especially my Asus P5QL Pro. (2008)

It looks like my Maximus II Gene (2009) likes to be similar, if not the same thing, too!

It looks like recent Gigabyte AMD motherboards do the same type of thing too and it can make folks panic that it failed to boot at all! LOL.

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Warning for topcat:

https://community.spiceworks.com/top...vers-are-loade

Having that issue here (switching to RAID 10)... I'll try again with fresh drivers (the ones I sent you may not be the latest after all?). edit- found some that ill try, they're attached.

edit- right driver, no bueno. Looks like Raid 10 + this controller + Win 7 is a fail...

Ok, I did a dry run today......set up the RAID10, and a mock-up w7u install. I had no issues with it recognizing my raid10 with either your driver or the embedded driver. It installed just fine.

What management software are you using? My only gripe with this controller so far is the miserable slow post time. It fumbles around for a good 30 secodns booting the controller, detecting arrays and otherwise fumbling around....I guess I should be used to this after decades of the same thing with adaptec SCSI controllers.

[TechGeek]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Yeah, this SAS/SCSI stuff IS confusing... ?
(confused person but happy)

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Question:

I know that besides the SATA(SAS) connections to the backplane, there is also sideband connections that are required. I have mini-SAS cables (supermicro brand) that have the sideband connectors needed for my backplane.

However, I also see I2C/SGPIO headers on the backplane and the case comes with those cables. I also have SGPIO headers on my motherboard.

My question is do/should I connect both the sideband and SGPIO connectors, or just the sideband connectors? I'm confused as I've read that the sideband is SGPIO, which makes me think connecting both is asking for collisions/interference. However, it's as clear as mud and I'm scratching my head.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

With the new case I'm calling it V5.2, as it went to V5.1 with the SAS upgrade.

I already have made and installed the first part of V5.2:



It's a dual headed power cable. Before somebody asks "why not just two power cords", here's why:



See, no free switch locations. Also, I wanted it all on one switch.

I don't know if I'll run it on both supplies... I figure the idle power isn't a whole lot and running both means I have more peak power available. I bought two just so I have the option... I don't need the redundancy, that's for sure. Nice to have though.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Agreed on the case... $155USD after shipping. He says he'll throw in caddies for $5 a pop ($3.96USD) but I didn't get that till after accepting the offer. Worst case, I can get caddies here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SuperMicro-0...oAAOSwDNdV1LU7

Or:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLACK-SUPER-...QAAOSwHnFV5go0


EDIT- Invoice edited, 8 caddies, $187USD total. For a newer case not bad IMHO.

Power supply wise, the best bang for buck was a pair of 900W units:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/182178418721...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Everything indicates that they'll fit. The newer 80+ platinum 920W units cost a lot ($80 a pop), so I think these are a better deal. I bought two, because why not? I have room for 2...

Also for SAS cables I put an offer on two of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Supermicro-C...torefresh=true