Confused about that LSI card? Join the crowd ...

[indy]

Actually I did read your post. ;)
However using the newer firmware of a standard LSI card has some appeal to me.
Not looking to brick my controller either however, hence my question if this can be done.

 

[jyavenard]

Actually I did read your post. ;)
However using the newer firmware of a standard LSI card has some appeal to me.
Not looking to brick my controller either however, hence my question if this can be done.

The instructions to flash remain the same no matter the firmware version. Just the firmware file name is changing.

Keep in mind however, that the lsi driver version in freenas is still at P14, having mismatched firmware and drivers is usually not recommended. And there were plenty of issues reported with P17. Not sure how P18 is going now, but you may want to wait a bit instead of being on if the guinea pig.

 

[Richman]

its starting to get harder to find one that is not from china now. I guess I may just have to buy new then.

I thought they were ALL made in China .......... just that some were FAKE cards made in China and the other IBM or LSI cards that were genuine were also made in China. Isn't everything made in China?

 

[indy]

The instructions to flash remain the same no matter the firmware version. Just the firmware file name is changing.

But does the X10SL7-F controller work with the 9207 firmware?
Personally I would rather go for the newer firmware since I dont think I will update it again once the system is out of testing.

 

[no_connection]

Is there any info on IBM 90Y4579?
The spec from one vendor caught my eye "4 x SAS 6Gb/s - 36 pin 4i Mini MultiLane SAS (SFF-8087) ( internal )
1 x SAS 6Gb/s - 26-pin 4x shielded Mini MultiLane SAS (SFF-808) ( external ) "
But I don't find any spec sheet or anything to back it up. So it could be a typo as SFF-808 should probably be SFF-8088.
It is also cheaper than 46M0907. And only a bit more expensive than M1015.

I found a ton on 46M0907 http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/Redbooks.nsf/RedbookAbstracts/tips0776.html
Which seems like it's sister card

And of course, is it a good match for FreeNAS?
The ability to hook up external storage chassis could potentially be useful for some users.

Both cards would probably work great with port multipliers due to the higher endpoint count(512) than M1015 (16). Not that you are likely to hit that anyway.
Although it does bring up the question of port multipliers. I have read posts that they work fine, and posts that you should never use them, ever.
So what is right, and any info on a good and inexpensive multiplier?

 

[jgreco]

My "it's-your-money-do-your-own-research-too" best guess is that it is fine; OEM's typically have a variety of custom HBA's designed to solve specific problems and to fit into strategic spots in their product lineup.

You do not want to use port multipliers. However, SAS expanders are usually fine.

Port multipliers are cruddy chips that use a poorly tested SATA feature that is known to not be implemented correctly in many SATA chipsets and/or their drivers. You can find specific combinations of these that'll work, and some people have documented those combinations. However the typical port multiplier takes a single SATA channel and splits it five ways. You can flood a SATA link easily. And they may not work with an SAS controller ... like at all.

SAS expanders, on the other hand, were built as part of the SAS spec. They're enterprise-grade hardware, designed by server manufacturers whose customers expect it to Just Work Right. They're typically connected via a multilane cable to the controller, meaning that congestion on a single lane is less likely.

As for the M1015, I believe that the crossflash to IT mode rids it of the pesky 16 target count.

 

[cyberjock]

Let's keep this on-topic.. keep getting sidetracked. If you aren't talking about LSI controllers explicitly you shouldn't be posting in this thread! I will start moderating if I have to. I don't want to though..

 

[othnin]

Hi all,
I am trying to load the latest FreeNAS using the USB stick method. I have played with this before but now I am trying to build a stable box for it. I have a LSI 9208-8i card flashed to the latest P18 BIOS and FW:

Controller: SAS2308_2(D1)
FW Ver: 18.00.00.00
NVDATA: 11.00.00.05
x86-BIOS: 7.35.00.00
Board Name: 9207-8i
After I boot to the FreeNAS I start getting the following errors:

(probe11:mps0:0:11:0): INQUIRY. CDB: 12 00 00 00 24 00 length 36 SMID 430 terminated ioc 804b scsi 0 state c xfer 0

I then tried to load the mpslsi.ko (I think this is from the LSI site) by going to the boot loader and running the following: load disk1s1:mpslsi.ko.
Getting: disk1s1:mpslsi.ko size 0x3a148 at 0x160a000
However after the boot it still doesn't appear to work with the same error. I saw on the thread that elementalwindx was getting the same error just not on boot and it was suggested to use the P14 drivers:

FW Ver: 14.00.01.00
BIOS Ver: 7.27.00.00
NVDATA: 0e.03.00.02

I tried that and still no go. Any suggestions on how to get this guy to load?

Thanks

 

[cyberjock]

Your controller firmware and driver should always match. In your case, unless I'm mistaken, your card is v18 and the driver is v14. And FYI, the driver in 9.2.1 is now 15 or 16 I think. Keep them in lock and step or you can have problems that may cause a loss of data.

 

[othnin]

Ok, so first a typo I have a 9207-8i not a 9208-8i.
Also, I am getting the drivers from the LSI site: http://www.lsi.com/products/host-bus-adapters/pages/lsi-sas-9207-8i.aspx
When you say the firmware and drivers should always match are you referring to the FW Version and the BIOS ver? I was getting using the9207_8i_Package_P18_IT_Firmware_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows for P18.
Thanks!

 

[Blade Runner]

Ok, so first a typo I have a 9207-8i not a 9208-8i.
Also, I am getting the drivers from the LSI site: http://www.lsi.com/products/host-bus-adapters/pages/lsi-sas-9207-8i.aspx
When you say the firmware and drivers should always match are you referring to the FW Version and the BIOS ver? I was getting using the9207_8i_Package_P18_IT_Firmware_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows for P18.
Thanks!

I have a similar issue.

One solution seems to be upgrade to FreeNAS 9.2.1 and LSI 6 Gbps HBA driver (mps) to version 16. Please update the firmware of any mps HBAs to phase 16.

Perhaps version 9.2 is compatible with LSI firmware version 15.

 

[cyberjock]

Ok, so first a typo I have a 9207-8i not a 9208-8i.
Also, I am getting the drivers from the LSI site: http://www.lsi.com/products/host-bus-adapters/pages/lsi-sas-9207-8i.aspx
When you say the firmware and drivers should always match are you referring to the FW Version and the BIOS ver? I was getting using the9207_8i_Package_P18_IT_Firmware_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows for P18.
Thanks!

No, I meant exactly what I said.. the controller firmware and the driver.

 

[indy]

Code:

Note SAS controller ID from MB sticker
Download/Unpack 9207_8i_Package_P18_IT_Firmware_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows.zip
Boot into FreeDos
	sas2flsh -o -e 7
	sas2flsh -f 9207-8.bin
	sas2flsh -o -sasadd id_from_mb_sticker

Tried it and it seems like you can crossflash the X10SL7-F controller to the 9207 firmware just fine.
Although I did it from the EFI shell instead of DOS.
The controller is working well so far, although I have not really tested it too much yet.

 

[no_connection]

Is there any info on IBM 90Y4579?
It is cheaper than 46M0907. And only a bit more expensive than M1015.

I found a ton on 46M0907 http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/Redbooks.nsf/RedbookAbstracts/tips0776.html

I sort of got a reply from IBM. Apparantly they are the same card but one PN is older.
No answer if it can be flashed to IT mode.
It is using the same controller as M1015 so it might be flashable if it accepts the same FW.
Using an adapter you could get the same functionality with the M1015 though.

 

[Richman]

I'v been seeing a lot of LSI 9240 cards. Anyone know anything about these off hand, of the top of your heads, off the cuff, ............ off ......... anything else

 

[sivabalan]

Hello freenas friends,

I am using freenas 8.0.4 for last 2 years. It is solving the purpose sofar.
But i could not upgrade my operating system version anymore.

When i tried at the time of Freenas 8.2 release, Only one hardisk was recognised in Freenas interface. Thought to wait for quite sometime and tried again when 9.2 released. Still the same problem. Since my server is in production environment, I would like to create a clearcut plan if any firmware upgradation needed. but im not sure which of my hardware's firmware should be upgraded. because there are 3 things involved in my architecture ( Motherboard, SaS Expander card, 24 bay frontplane)

Please guide me what should i do to upgrade my OS further.

My server architecture for your reference.

1) Mother board - Supermicro x8s16f
2) One of its SAS ports is connected to Astek A33606-PCI-01 card (It has 7 sas connector ports)
3) 6 sas ports from the card connects the frontplane(24 bays).

Pranam
Siva Balan

 

[Richman]

Hello freenas friends,

I am using freenas 8.0.4 for last 2 years. It is solving the purpose sofar.
But i could not upgrade my operating system version anymore.

Please guide me what should i do to upgrade my OS further.

My server architecture for your reference.

1) Mother board - Supermicro x8s16f
2) One of its SAS ports is connected to Astek A33606-PCI-01 card (It has 7 sas connector ports)
3) 6 sas ports from the card connects the frontplane(24 bays).

Pranam
Siva Balan

I think your in the wrong thread. This one is about LSI Confusions, deconfusion, misconfusion, reconfusions, misconceptions, misunderstandings, misalignments, misconstrusions, misdirections or any other Mises or Fusions you can think of ....... but I am pretty sure it isn't about upgrading your hardware and FreeNAS version. You would probably get a better response if you started a new thread on your subject.

 

[sivabalan]

Hello Richman,

Thanks for your valuable suggestion. I have created new thread. Earlier i thought the same but dint want to create the duplicate again. But now with your recommendation.
Below is the link.

http://forums.freenas.org/index.php...version-does-not-detect-my-hard-drives.20270/

Pranam
Siva Balan

 

[Richman]

Great, I did't erally ahve a solution but I know from being on this site since last year that you would get better results that way. If you pipher a thread you tend to get ignored. Not always, like when it is an active thread but almost always if it is an old thread but you will usually always have some one or a moderator like cyberdog tell you what I essentially told you. Sometimes you eve get ignored if you start a new thread and ask a really stupid or ridiculous question. I even had a thread deleted once

 

[Equinox]

Greetings all. I'm currently in the process of assembling the parts for my first FreeNAS box, following some of the stickies here. The part I am most unsure about is the controller card, but I understand the M1015 is the way to go in general. I wanted to minimize the risk of buying a fake, and so I picked up two of these units refurbed from what looks like a reputable vendor. Two questions:

1) any issues that you can see with these? http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-SERVERA...D-CONTROLLER-CARD-46M0861-LOW-P-/191189468183?

2) can someone give me the link to the proper breakout cables for SATA drives?

Many thanks.