JimmyJoe

Fantastic thread. Many thanks for the excellent script and great information. This has been very helpful for me and a great burn-in tool for my new unraid server and drives! Thanks again.

I was at Fry's in Oxnard, CA on Friday and they had several C2SEA MBs red tagged down to $89.99. This is not the C2SEE used in the limetech build, it is based on the same PCB but is the C2SEA. Newegg has the C2SEE for $109.99 and the C2SEA for $124.99. Both MBs come in the same box, same manual and run the same bios. I have been running mine hard since Friday night, no issues yet, will post details after it has been up for a while. Major differences that the C2SEA has compared to the C2SEE: Intel G45 North Bridge Intel GMA X4500HD Video 2 more DIMM slots (up to 8GB memory) IDE connector - ATA 100 (2 devices) HDMI port 2 1394a Firewire ports 2 less PCI slots

I ran into another issue I believe was related to GA-EP45-UD3P and how it handled the SD-SA2PEX-2IR sata controller I installed in the PCIe x1 slot. I have vmware installed and have a windows XP vm running on the cache drive, which was attached to the SD-SA2PEX-2IR. Twice it crashed on me. Once when accessing the remote vmware console and once when I was accessing the XP vm via remote desktop. It was literally, click on the link and the server powered off. Not gracefully either, it was like you pulled the plug. Ouch! I chose to go ahead an return the GA-EP45-UD3P. I emailed SuperMicro tech support about the C2SEE and C2SEA motherboard PCIe slots. I got a very quick and informative response, which included a jpg layout of the slots on the MB. Sata controllers are support in each PCIe slot. I picked up a SuperMicro C2SEA from Fry's in Oxnard, CA at a red-tag price of $89.99. So far, it has been rock solid and I am very happy with the C2SEA. I also emailed ASUS support and asked about the P5KPL-CM motherboard PCIe slots: Question: I would like to run a PCI video card and install a x4 or x8 sata controller in the PCIe x16 slot. Is that officially supported to run a sata controller in the x16 slot? Answer: The main PCIE X16 slot is dedicated to VGA only.

I am a big Gigabyte fan. I am an unRAID newbie, I just built my first box over last weekend. I have a Norco 4020 case and want to eventually run 20 drives. I chose the GA-EP45-UD3P MB since it has 8 on-board sata ports plus 2 PCIe x16(one runs x8 mode) and 3 PCIe x1 slots. I have 5 inexpensive SD-SA2PEX-2IR PCIe x1 sata controllers (Sil3132 chipset) that where purchased from monoprice. Below is a transcript of my questions and answers from Gigabyte tech support. The x1 cards will not work in either x16 slot. I have updated the latest bios on both the MB and sata controllers. So right now I can only use 3 of them, they work great in the x1 slots. I did try a HighPoint RocketRaid 2310 x4 card in both x16 slots and it worked fine. I also tried a 3ware 9690SA x8 card in both x16 slots and it worked fine too. So gigabyte is telling me that both x16 slots are for "meant for video cards only", "designed for vga", and "strictly for vga". Should I be concerned with running a sata controller in a x16 slot with this MB? I can probably safely add two Adaptec 1430SA cards later down the road and then I will have 22 total sata ports. Is there another motherboard that I should consider that will run 20 hard drives all on the PCIe bus? Is anyone else running the GA-EP45-UD3P MB with a sata controller in one of the x16 slots? Thanks, JimmyJoe Question : Hi. I am building a storage server using SD-SA2PEX-2IR PCIe x1 sata controllers (Sil3132 chipset). I have a PCI video card and want to use 5 add-in PCIe x1 sata controllers. When I insert into any PCIe x1 slot, they work fine and the system posts in 13 seconds. When I try even a single sata controller in either PCIe x16 slot, the system takes 34 seconds to post and does not recognize the sata controller. What do I need to do to use a PCIe x1 sata controller in the PCIe x16 slot? Thanks Answer : Please use the PCIE x1 card onto the x1 or x4 slot, x16 slot are design for videocards. How many cards do you have totaled installed onto the board? Question : I have 5 PCIe x1 sata controllers and I am trying to use all 5 at the same time. They work fine in the x1 slots, but not the x16 slots. I did try both a x4 and x8 sata controller in the x16 slot and they both work fine. For some reason the x1 card is not working in the x16 slot. I have updated the latest bios on both the MB and SATA card. What can I do to get the x1 sata card to work in either x16 slot? It is my understanding that any x1 card should work in any x1, x4, x8 or x16 slot according to the PCIe specification. Answer : The first PCIE x16 slot is strictly meant for videocards only. Question : That is unfortunate. I specifically purchased this board so that I could use sata controllers in all 5 PCIe slots. It does not state in the manual that the x16 slot is meant for videocards only. Perhaps I need to return the board and buy one from a different manufacturer. I really don't want to do that, I already have 5 other PCs in my house that I built with Gigabyte boards, I love them. You make an excellent product. What about the PCIe x8 slot? Is that also strictly meant for video cards? I did install a x1 card in all 3 x1 slots along with a x4 and x8 card in the x16 and x8 slots all at the same time and it worked fine. So I had 5 sata controllers installed (3 x1, 1 x4 and 1x8) and had no problems. I just cant get 5 x1 cards to work at the same time. Answer : The first PCIE x16 slot is design for vga cards, the 2nd slot can be used with other cards. Question : OK, thank you. If the 2nd slot (x8) can be used for other cards then why can't I use a SD-SA2PEX-2IR PCIe x1 sata controller (Sil3132 chipset) in the 2nd slot (x8)? It works fine in any x1 slot and the system posts in 13 seconds. As soon as I put a x1 card in the 2nd slot (x8) slot the system takes 34 seconds to post and does not recognize the sata controller in the x8 slot at all. What do I need to do to use a x1 sata controller in the 2nd slot (x8)? Thanks Answer : Upon double checking the two PCIE x16 and x8 are strictly for vga. The other slots can be used in your case. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model Name : GA-EP45-UD3P(rev. 1.1) -------------------------- M/B Rev : 1.1 BIOS Ver : F9 Serial No. : Purchase Dealer : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VGA Brand : ATi Model : ATI Rage XL 8MB PCI CPU Brand : Intel Model : E5200 Speed : 2.5 Operation System : Not installed yet SP : Memory Brand : Corsair Type : DDRII Memory Size : 2x2GB Speed : 800 Power Supply : 750 W