Ode to the Dell C2100/FS12-TY

[Redcoat]

Thanks for the confirmation. Let's see if anyone joins in with alternative experiences.

Here's my update on "scope" for this BMC menu system freeze: for me it occurs with the selection of the menu header item "sensors", and also with the selection of header menu item "configuration" followed by "platform events" (other selections under "configuration" do not cause the freeze).

 

[BetYourBottom]

Here's my update on "scope" for this BMC menu system freeze: for me it occurs with the selection of the menu header item "sensors", and also with the selection of header menu item "configuration" followed by "platform events" (other selections under "configuration" do not cause the freeze).

I can confirm that "platform events" also leads to a freeze. I knew that one of the options under "configuration" did but I couldn't remember which when I posted earlier.

Also "services" under "configuration" seems to enter an infinite loading loop. It continuously shows a "Please Wait" message but never seems to load.

 

[aenima99x]

Anyone have issues getting drives recognized from the HBA?
I've got the FS12-TY model of the C2100 with an IBM M1115 cross-flashed to the LSI 9211-8i in IT mode with firmware version P20.
I have (2) Monoprice Mini-SAS SFF-8087 cables going from this to the backplane.
The card is detected fine and I can get into the config using the Ctrl-C option. It shows the card as being in IT mode, but doesn't show any drives.
I do see the drives getting power when the server is powered on and I've tried 5 different known-working drives ranging from 1TB to 4TB in size.
I've also tried several jumper combinations - jumper 15 off with j16-18 on. Jumpers15-18 all on, Jumpers 15-17 on with jumper18 off. None made a difference.

I have a hard time believing it's the cables since they are brand new, but I've ordered a different brand just to try that.
Any ideas?

 

[BetYourBottom]

Anyone have issues getting drives recognized from the HBA?
I've got the FS12-TY model of the C2100 with an IBM M1115 cross-flashed to the LSI 9211-8i in IT mode with firmware version P20.
I have (2) Monoprice Mini-SAS SFF-8087 cables going from this to the backplane.
The card is detected fine and I can get into the config using the Ctrl-C option. It shows the card as being in IT mode, but doesn't show any drives.
I do see the drives getting power when the server is powered on and I've tried 5 different known-working drives ranging from 1TB to 4TB in size.
I've also tried several jumper combinations - jumper 15 off with j16-18 on. Jumpers15-18 all on, Jumpers 15-17 on with jumper18 off. None made a difference.

I have a hard time believing it's the cables since they are brand new, but I've ordered a different brand just to try that.
Any ideas?

I have no issues getting drives recognized with my H200 and Monoprice SFF-8484 to SFF-8087 cables. However, I have apparently experience some obscure issue where Western Digital drives and only their drives have insane numbers of SCSI errors on writes making them unusable. It's the single weirdest incompatibility I've ever experienced and I'm going to have to switch to HGST or Seagate in order to get my server working.

 

[Redcoat]

I have no issues getting drives recognized with my H200 and Monoprice SFF-8484 to SFF-8087 cables. However, I have apparently experience some obscure issue where Western Digital drives and only their drives have insane numbers of SCSI errors on writes making them unusable. It's the single weirdest incompatibility I've ever experienced and I'm going to have to switch to HGST or Seagate in order to get my server working.

Sorry I can't add anything here. My C2100 FS12-TY came with the 9211-8i 6 GB/s Raid Controller flashed with "LSI 9211-8i Ver. P20" as the preferred config. I have no knowledge on the cables. I put in 8 WD 4TB reds, all recognized, and started testing drives. My only known (recognized ...) issue so far is the limitations of the BMC webserver access with v1.66 - I've done a lot more investigation since first posting and now I see there's a good stock of history on this topic (which I am still trying to appreciate). I think I know that if I want quiet fans I need BMC <=1.7. I have not plucked up the courage yet to flash to 1.7 and investigate the BMC web server performance. I have not yet found any writing to explain why 1.66 is preferred over 1.7.

 

[aenima99x]

I got the new cables today and still not seeing the drives. I put the original single connection SFF-8484 backplane and PERC 6 card back in and the drives are detected. I'm going to chalk it up to the 9NXC7 backplane (2 SFF-8787 connectors) being bad. I've seen a couple other people with the backplane showing the same issue. I ordered the KFF57 backplane (3 SFF-8787 connectors) and will hope this resolves the issue.
Can either of you tell me which backplane you have that is currently working?

 

[Redcoat]

I got the new cables today and still not seeing the drives. I put the original single connection SFF-8484 backplane and PERC 6 card back in and the drives are detected. I'm going to chalk it up to the 9NXC7 backplane (2 SFF-8787 connectors) being bad. I've seen a couple other people with the backplane showing the same issue. I ordered the KFF57 backplane (3 SFF-8787 connectors) and will hope this resolves the issue.
Can either of you tell me which backplane you have that is currently working?

Mine is an 9NXC7.

 

[aenima99x]

Any chance you might be able to see what jumpers are set on the backplane?

 

[Redcoat]

Any chance you might be able to see what jumpers are set on the backplane?

Here goes: At the top of the backplane I have two jumpers that appear to be labelled JP1 and JP2 - they are jumpered across the pins on the power supply side of the case. At the bottom of the card there are 4 pairs of pins - three have the labels "D", "E", & "L" respectively, the pair adjacent to "D" is not specifically labelled. Each of these pars of pins is jumpered. Those are all I can see, but I dont think that I missed any jumperable "pins".(I note that the manual is no help ...).

 

[BetYourBottom]

Can either of you tell me which backplane you have that is currently working?

Mine is the DAS45TB16G0, it's the 3 x SFF-8484 connector backplane. It seems to work fine besides the weird incompatibility with WD drives.

I have not plucked up the courage yet to flash to 1.7 and investigate the BMC web server performance. I have not yet found any writing to explain why 1.66 is preferred over 1.7.

I've played with it before and found only a small difference when at the latest firmware but I'll admit that I wasn't too thorough with investigating it and have no idea what differences there were and what version changed to being as loud as a jet liner.

 

[aenima99x]

Here goes: At the top of the backplane I have two jumpers that appear to be labelled JP1 and JP2 - they are jumpered across the pins on the power supply side of the case. At the bottom of the card there are 4 pairs of pins - three have the labels "D", "E", & "L" respectively, the pair adjacent to "D" is not specifically labelled. Each of these pars of pins is jumpered. Those are all I can see, but I dont think that I missed any jumperable "pins".(I note that the manual is no help ...).

Yeah mine is all set the same. Appreciate you checking.
I'm wondering if my backplane is just bad even though it's supposed to be new OEM according to the Ebay seller. I did notice that on the original backplane the drive lights do a sequence when the server is powered on, but the 9NXC7 backplane doesn't do any sort of light sequence, it just shows the lights where drives are connected and there is a continually blinking green light on the backplane near the jumpers.

 

[BetYourBottom]

I can confirm that these screws work for the 3.5" drive cages: http://amzn.com/B00353EKR8
You get 100 of them for a little over $8 USD.

They don't cause any sort of grinding or friction? I received some very similar looking screws that fit the drives and almost fits the trays correctly, however, the head sits just high enough to cause a bunch of friction.

 

[aenima99x]

Just wanted to report back that the new 1:1 (KFF57) backplane is working fine and seeing all my drives.

 

[Redcoat]

Just wanted to report back that the new 1:1 (KFF57) backplane is working fine and seeing all my drives.

Glad it worked out for you.

 

[Redcoat]

Glad it worked out for you.

AS I commission my system (my first from scratch) one of my objectives is to learn about FreeNAS.
So, I see that my drives are labelled da0 through da5 for the 6 drives I intend to use. They are SATA drives - should I have expected them to be listed as ada0 through ada5? Or is this a function of the HBA, or what?

 

[Jason Hamilton]

In the 3 builds I've done and each one was with SATA drives they've always been labeled daX. Hope you enjoy your new system

Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

 

[Redcoat]

In the 3 builds I've done and each one was with SATA drives they've always been labeled daX. Hope you enjoy your new system

Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[St KaJa]

So I just ordered a rail kit for my c2100 and noticed my chassis only has a single nub on either side. Is this normal or is my box damaged?

 

[Redcoat]

So I just ordered a rail kit for my c2100 and noticed my chassis only has a single nub on either side. Is this normal or is my box damaged?

Mine's the same. Can you share source and $ for rail kit?

 

[St KaJa]

Thanks! Got mine off of eBay for $24. However, it did not come with any mounting hardware. :-(