best cheap/free scores 1.1

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I think ya missed the point. PCI2.2 compliant. The 9550 isn't. These work in older stuff. Compared to ATA33/66/100, these scream, especially with Velociraptors, and have OS support all the way back to Win2k. These don't even have a BBU option, they're a pretty basic controller (good for what I'm using them for). Has a soDIMM slot on it for it's cache...I remember some of the scsi raid controllers had a full length SDRAM or DDR memory module slot on them.

I've scoured looking for a PCI2.2 complaint SAS controller....sadly, there's no such animal...

^Yes they do have a BBU option... I used to run them, and I still have a couple 9500s-4LP's with BBUs somewhere (minus the batteries themselves, they were stolen to fix 9550's). Want them?

Note that if these were dell OEM ones, the header for the BBU is probably missing, but the correct SMD pin header can be purchased from digikey and soldered on (as is one of mine, no issues)

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I don't see the BBU in that shot, the card wasn't shown much in that post....I don't know if they're Dell OEM, they dont have dell branded firmware....but that's not to say someone flashed them. I don't think they have headers...but I'll look closer next time I'm in the office.

I lab ratted one of these on an asus P2L97-DS, slow old 66FSB P2 motherboard with a pair of P2 333's. Functioned nice, considering it was probably bottlenecking @ the PCI data width of 133mb/s. U2 SCSI is about half that. Keyed for 3.3v and 5v slots....

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I don't see the BBU in that shot, the card wasn't shown much in that post....I don't know if they're Dell OEM, they dont have dell branded firmware....but that's not to say someone flashed them. I don't think they have headers...but I'll look closer next time I'm in the office.

I lab ratted one of these on an asus P2L97-DS, slow old 66FSB P2 motherboard with a pair of P2 333's. Functioned nice, considering it was probably bottlenecking @ the PCI data width of 133mb/s. U2 SCSI is about half that. Keyed for 3.3v and 5v slots....

It's there... look for black plastic and the the white battery. I'll see if I can find one of my 9500's and send a pic.

The dell OEM ones had normal firmware... just no header.

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Found one. The other is at my parent's house somewhere.

The header is a 14 position SMD FEMALE header below the SODIMM slot.

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Got some more free stuff:

Gigabyte 8SIML - NEC OEM - this has to be the most idiotic combination ever - Choyo with Panasonic FL on low side and GSC on high side. Does POST though, and uses AMI BIOS as opposed to GB's stock Award BIOS. Came with two PQI DDR266 sticks, one 256 one 128MB.

Epox EP-8K9A - works fine - caps are mostly Sanyo and Rubycon with a few Teapo in the mix, and two absolutely lone Lelon caps. And somebody was cheap enough to steal the CMOS jumper

Seagate ST2000DM001 - spins up fine, and health looks suspiciously okay (almost like my main drive), bar a bunch of reallocated sectors (in the 100 range) but it is absolutely slow (38MB/s), and most of the times it won't show up in the POST. Any ideas? Drive looks pretty good.

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

scored 11x scsi (sca) 300gb 15k cheetahs and 18x 2.5" 36gb 15k SAS HDD's.

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Small update on the 8SIML:

Recapped it with OST caps since it's not so important, and successfully flashed the retail Award BIOS. Now it can overclock!

Still haven't figured out what to do with the 2TB drive - supposedly there is a firmware update for it, but it didn't work (due to slow response), and then there's a Nokia cable-based guide to fix it.

[dragos2009]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

remove the logic board from the hdd and check the contact points on where it connects to the drive reading heads most of the time the contacts on the board are corroded and dont make good electrical contact like you can see in the picture here https://imgur.com/a/TGgsdDl

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

^
I've fixed a LOT of western digital drives that way!

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

remove the logic board from the hdd and check the contact points on where it connects to the drive reading heads most of the time the contacts on the board are corroded and dont make good electrical contact like you can see in the picture here https://imgur.com/a/TGgsdDl

Turns out it wasn't that - yes, they were corroded - cleaned with rubber head from a pencil and then again with 99% IPA.

Instead, it might very well be the dreaded BSY problem. Problem is, I need a Nokia CA-42/DKU-5 cable, which are as rare as hen's teeth here.

That won't stop me from finding one though lol. I'd be more than happy to see this drive working at normal speed with new FW installed.

[goontron]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

^ Its just a 3v3 serial UART cable. Ive used a Bus Pirate on this fix before.

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

^ Its just a 3v3 serial UART cable. Ive used a Bus Pirate on this fix before.

I try to stick to the conventional ways, so USB to TTL it's gonna be.

Wonder if the PL2303HX works.

[jiroy]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Right after the 4000$ custom build i'm still under pressure and working now on another customer 2500$ desktop . Built on Asus TUF gaming and Intel CPU 8700K , Nvidia Asus 8gb rams , and 32 GB of memory .
And here some pictures :

[jiroy]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

..And to ease the pressure , I had fun building this 6x fan with 100 laptop batteries , lool ..

[stj]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

that's an IED waiting to happen!!
you need fuses and other safety stuff or the good cells will interact with the poor ones!!

[jiroy]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

that's an IED waiting to happen!!
you need fuses and other safety stuff or the good cells will interact with the poor ones!!

Yes stj; Bad and risky batteries were already isolated , deep tests , no way to take risks in my shop ..
Everything is double fused , even raw electricity , lol ..
38 batteries are ready for disposal now ..

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Right after the 4000$ custom build i'm still under pressure and working now on another customer 2500$ desktop . Built on Asus TUF gaming and Intel CPU 8700K , Nvidia Asus 8gb rams , and 32 GB of memory .
And here some pictures :

I miss those days.... Today in the US, getting some cheapass to pay $400 for a system is a miracle.....$4000, forget it! Back when I started, most wouldn't bat an eyelash @ a $4000 system.

What power supply is that?! It looks 18" long!

[jiroy]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I miss those days.... Today in the US, getting some cheapass to pay $400 for a system is a miracle.....$4000, forget it! Back when I started, most wouldn't bat an eyelash @ a $4000 system.

What power supply is that?! It looks 18" long!

What if i tell you a third one is on the way and it will be an I9 based , hehe ..Another 4000$ i suppose . I deal mostly with famous Lebanese directors and artists , photographers and similar , so the key is , i think , Topcat , is Music and arts .. Always rich people they are , the ones that don't nag a lot (you know what i mean ) ..

This is a cover hiding the 650W power supply and the optional harddisks..

[ChaosLegionnaire]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

working now on another customer 2500$ desktop . Built on Asus TUF gaming and Intel CPU 8700K , Nvidia Asus 8gb rams , and 32 GB of memory.

oh my goodness... is the hard drive i see a wd blue 1tb ezex? u know, those drives drop like flies. i'd rather see a wd re series drive go in there...

[jiroy]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

oh my goodness... is the hard drive i see a wd blue 1tb ezex? u know, those drives drop like flies. i'd rather see a wd re series drive go in there...

No ChaosLegionnaire , This one is 4TB Blue WD , but it's not the booting device , you can see in another shot , a close picture on the M2 Kingston 480 GB .