BUILD Final Hardware Confirmation before I buy

[freenasrast]

Hi all,

I'm building a Freenas system:

Important Particulars
Freenas: 8.3.0
Storage: 6 x 3 TB Hot swappable (ZFS RaidZ2)

After doing some research and trying to match back to the compatibility list I've come up with this.

Hardware Required (COMPATIBILITY LIST http://forums.freenas.org/showthrea...-or-is-recommended&p=6755&viewfull=1#post6755)

- System chassis
= LIAN LI PC-Z60
= http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/produc...574&cl_index=1&sc_index=25&ss_index=62&g=spec


- System Board
= Gigabyte GA-H61MA-D3V Intel H61 Micro ATX Intel N/A Micro ATX DDR3 1333 Intel LGA 1155 Motherboard
= http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4184#sp


- x64 multi-core CPU
= Intel G530 CPU 2.40 GHZ 2M CACHE 2.4 2 LGA 1155 Processor (BX80623G530)
= http://ark.intel.com/products/53414/Intel-Celeron-Processor-G530-2M-Cache-2_40-GHz


- SATA interface expansion card
= Syba PCI Express SATA II 4 x Ports RAID Controller Card SY-PEX40008


- 16GB RAM (2 x 8GB DIMMS)
= Corsair 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 1333 MHz (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory (CMV16GX3M2A1333C9)


- Power Supply (300W-400W)
= Diablotek 380-Watt Micro ATX Power Supply PHD380M
= http://diablotek.com/v2.0/index.php...oduct_details&product_id=30&vmcchk=1&Itemid=2


- 2 x 4GB SanDisk Cruzer USB thumb drive
= http://www.sandisk.com/products/usb/drives/cruzer/


- 6 x 3TB HDD
= Western Digital Caviar Green 3 TB SATA III 64 MB Cache Bare/OEM Desktop Hard Drive - WD30EZRX
= http://www.wdc.com/global/products/specs/?driveID=927&language=1#top


I have tried to stick as close to the compatibility list as possible while trying to maintain where I can source these from.

I have two concerns.

1) The SATA interface card in which I understand that I will not know what I have got until I get it. I understand that this SATA card now comes with some sort of winbond chip as opposed to the SIL chip. Will that make a difference, will it break compatibility.

2) The mother board is based on the Intel H61 chipset, which I tried to match back to the Biostar in the compatibility list. The concerning thing is though about this board is the UEFI. Will this interfere with using freenas on this motherboard.

Well, if you can, let me know if I am good to go with this Hardware configuration.

Thanks! :)

 

[neilpeel]

Can I ask why you're getting a separate Sata Raid card? The one you have listed is probably software RAID, rather than hardware. I have never found an advantage that add-in software RAID card's have over motherboard software raid and have wasted a bit of money over the years discovering this. If you're using ZFS you probably wont use it anyway (or your RAID set 'might' be detected as individual disks).

Caviar Green disks are low power and I think they run at only 5400rpm, not 7200..

I prefer the Patriot (Rage XT drives or above); as they are faster than Sandisk.

Have fun with the build! :)

NP

 

[freenasrast]

Can I ask why you're getting a separate Sata Raid card? The one you have listed is probably software RAID, rather than hardware. I have never found an advantage that add-in software RAID card's have over motherboard software raid and have wasted a bit of money over the years discovering this. If you're using ZFS you probably wont use it anyway (or your RAID set 'might' be detected as individual disks).

Initially, I could only find a board I liked with 4 SATA connectors, and was going to use this card and reflash the firmware on it so it operates in it's base mode as opposed to raid, and use it simply for the extra two ports I needed. Also I wanted the most economical and I don't think this could be beat? Since then I've found a new board (Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H) I like that has 6 SATA ports on it, so I don't really need the card any more, but I will get it anyway to experiment with. I'm depending on Freenas for total software raid support in a ZFS RAID2Z configuration.

Caviar Green disks are low power and I think they run at only 5400rpm, not 7200..

Yes I've decided to specifically have low powered drives running at 5400 rpm's because in my scenario I'm not doing anything intensive. Just moving/reading large files (up to 3TB in size maybe) to/from the nas, reading smaller files from it and so on. I don't think I will need the 7200's maybe?

I prefer the Patriot (Rage XT drives or above); as they are faster than Sandisk.

Have fun with the build! :)

NP

I'll look up these patriots up. Thanks for the tips, and I intend to have some fun here :P
Thanks!

 

[neilpeel]

I wouldn't waste my money on a software RAID card..
It simply replaces the motherboard RAID; which doesn't have the (potential) PCIe bottlenecks that an add-in card can have, especially if you're considering SSD's.

You can't use software RAID with VMware (for example) and have them viewed as a proper RAID disk. They will show up as individual disks.

Your best best would be to spend some more and (according to some forums I have read) go for the IBM M1015 or M5014 (or 5015 if you can afford it). You'll need proper cables, so get one with them on Ebay! They are proper Hardware RAID controllers..

I wouldn't get any RAID card with 6 or more ports that had less than PCIe x8; but that's just me... :)

Cheers,

NP

 

[joeschmuck]

I would highly recommend you buy the WD Red drives as they have the proper NAS firmware and costs are not much more than the other drives you are looking at.

So you are looking at 12TB of data storage in general based on this setup. I agree, the Patriot USB flash drives are much faster than the Sandisk and I own both. The Sandisk ones I let my daughter use, the Patriot ones I use. If you are researching this then look at both write and read speeds not just the X rating, that is a selling rating. In this application they are not critical however there is a noticeable difference in boot times and build times. I would buy at least a 8GB flash but do not buy 32GB or higher unless you know it works with FreeNAS and you MB. Some of these larger capacities work fine for data but not so fine as a boot device.

And just one additional note... If you store important data on your NAS (any NAS), back it up frequently to another medium like DVD-R because you never know when the system will die (hardware failure) or you accidentally delete something. All too frequently problems occur when someone has to replace a failed hard drive. Don't let the RAIDZ2 make you feel like you are safe from a problem like total data loss, mistakes happen and they suck when they come. Save important data in more than one place.

Good Luck

 

[purduephotog]

For the money involved, you can pick up a Perc 6i for about 50$, and a set of cables for around 20$. 8 SATA ports then. (off of ebay). While I'm still working out how to get my system up and running, the percs have never given me any issues.

 

[neilpeel]

I'm mixing up my personal 'to do' tasks here.. :)
To clarify, I wouldn't get RAID for FreeNAS.. I am however considering getting a better one (than my current POS HW RAID cards) for VMware ESXi.

 

[paleoN]

I would buy at least a 8GB flash but do not buy 32GB or higher unless you know it works with FreeNAS and you MB. Some of these larger capacities work fine for data but not so fine as a boot device.

Given the price difference I usually pick up 8GB vs 4GB myself in case I reuse the key elsewhere.

Keep in mind any extra space is wasted on the FreeNAS boot key.

Save important data in more than one place.

+ 1

For the money involved, you can pick up a Perc 6i for about 50$, and a set of cables for around 20$. 8 SATA ports then. (off of ebay).

The IBM M1015 is only a few dollars more and it can be flashed to IT mode. For cables I'm a fan of monoprice.com.

 

[purduephotog]

I'm mixing up my personal 'to do' tasks here.. :)
To clarify, I wouldn't get RAID for FreeNAS.. I am however considering getting a better one (than my current POS HW RAID cards) for VMware ESXi.

Err, I'm not suggesting using the perc for raid, although it is still decent, but instead as a pass thru and 8 drive Sata card that's cheap.

 

[HolyK]

If you have few more bucks, go for Intel Pentium G2020. It is 55W max TDP and it ticks on 2.9Ghz, which is a bit better than 2.4. :]

 

[neilpeel]

Err, I'm not suggesting using the perc for raid, although it is still decent, but instead as a pass thru and 8 drive Sata card that's cheap.

I was just clarifying my position; not trying to do the same for anyone else.. :)

 

[freenasrast]

The IBM M1015 is only a few dollars more and it can be flashed to IT mode. For cables I'm a fan of monoprice.com.

It is time to expand "behemoth" by 6 sata drives.

I went on ebay looking for this card. Can you confirm this is what you meant?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-SERVERA...133?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4853f34cbd

And I want to flash it to IT mode so its just a regular card and it can present 6 more SATA ports/HD to Freennas, I see you say above this is possible with this card. I see the instructions here...
http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=12767.msg124393#msg124393

I see two connectors on this card, SAS I believe, and you are saying that I need these cables?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-SAS-SF...t=US_Drive_Cables_dapters&hash=item53f765261f

I have a question. This is an PCIEx 8 card. So as someone alluded above, I should safely be able to plug 6 3tb sata drives into this card and be ok right?

 

[jgreco]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-SERVERA...133?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4853f34cbd

That's the low profile bracket version of the card. You can remove or replace the bracket, or find a standard profile card.

And I want to flash it to IT mode so its just a regular card and it can present 6 more SATA ports/HD to Freennas, I see you say above this is possible with this card. I see the instructions here...
http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=12767.msg124393#msg124393

[...]

I have a question. This is an PCIEx 8 card. So as someone alluded above, I should safely be able to plug 6 3tb sata drives into this card and be ok right?

http://forums.freenas.org/showthread.php?11901-Confused-about-that-LSI-card-Join-the-crowd

I see two connectors on this card, SAS I believe, and you are saying that I need these cables?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-SAS-SF...t=US_Drive_Cables_dapters&hash=item53f765261f

or equiv

 

[freenasrast]

That's the low profile bracket version of the card. You can remove or replace the bracket, or find a standard profile card.
or equiv

I realize. My mind was set on removing the bracket and just stick it in like that, if I did not have a hig profile bracket laying around. Would have been nice though to have that high profile bracket.

But nice write. I believe this card and cable set would do it for me.

 

[survive]

Hi freenasrast,

A couple of random thoughts:

You can get a full-height bracket for the M1015 for $10.00, I recommend you do so....it's not a bad idea to have the card bolted to the chassis!

Here's the guide I usually refer people to for flashing an M1015 to IT mode: http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-part-4/

It might be worth checking Google & see if anyone has actually gotten a 1015 to work in the "video card" PCI-e slot. It certainly *should* work, but sometimes reality is different.

Get your cables from Monoprice.com, might be worth checking around the house for any HDMI or other miscellaneous cables you need & order them all at once.

On a side note, if you haven't ordered the PERC yet, don't....see if you can find an IBM 5014\5015 on the ebay...it's a much better\faster card than a PERC5\6 series & works great in ESXi.

-Will

 

[freenasrast]

Hi freenasrast,

A couple of random thoughts:

You can get a full-height bracket for the M1015 for $10.00, I recommend you do so....it's not a bad idea to have the card bolted to the chassis!

I agree, I've decided to get a 10.00 one off ebay.

Here's the guide I usually refer people to for flashing an M1015 to IT mode: http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-part-4/

It might be worth checking Google & see if anyone has actually gotten a 1015 to work in the "video card" PCI-e slot. It certainly *should* work, but sometimes reality is different.

Heheh, why this is a good one. Did some quick googleing and the waters look choppy here. We'll see.

 

[cyberjock]

I know someone that went bracket-less on their PCIe card. For about 9 months all was fine. One day he was trying to fix something and wasn't thinking about the fact that the PCIe card was sitting in the slot without being mounted. He pulled on an unrelated cable, the card slightly slid out of the slot and *BANG*.

The PCIe card pins shorted adjacent pins on the motherboard slot. Little poof of smoke and loud noise and none of the hardware in the computer ever worked again. All the hard drives were shot, everything.

He was furious at himself because he never worked on computers with them on, but made the exception this time because he was doing something like installing a fan and didn't require anything he considered "invasive".

So for the love of all that is holy with your data, don't try to skimp and save yourself $10. It's not worth it after the money and time invested in a very nice FreeNAS server.

 

[purduephotog]

Bensbargains has HDMI cable specials all the time, for cheap.
Pc-pitstop also sells the conversion cables you need, albeit at a slightly higher price.

Good luck. I didn't realize those controllers were so cheap and available on eBay. I'd much rather have a standard says fan out to work with than the perc 6i cables.

 

[freenasrast]

Hi freenasrast,

Here's the guide I usually refer people to for flashing an M1015 to IT mode: http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-part-4/

-Will

Hi again. I now have my card and was able to complete the first two steps....the third step to flash 2118.bin however is giving me an error

"Failed to initialize PAL"

I am here as this seems to be the most straright forward process to bypass the error from google but I can understand what the guy is trying to do (well i understand but not sure how to do it on my MB).
http://forums.servethehome.com/raid-controllers-host-bus-adapters/433-ibm-m1015-experiences-5.html

He is saying to try to get into a uefi shell and run the remaining commands....anyone has any tips on how to do this clearer than he makes it?

 

[jgreco]

The easiest solution is to try it in a different PC, for some reason the LSI firmware tools are strange with certain Intel chipsets or parts or something. The UEFI shell stuff seems to be a disaster.