TonyTheTiger

kenneth_dart I had everything running for a couple days, and haven't found a problem with P20, yet. I've been moving files to and from unRaid v5.0.4 and my Win7 box. This morning I spent some time in case management (I had cables going all over the place), and it still seems okay. I've never been thrilled with the data transfer but diskspeed.sh hasn't shown anything unusual. My syslog looks pretty much the same, too. I've attached an (edited) excerpt from the txt log I keep whenever I do something to the computer. (I know its kinda geeky, but its saved my ass a couple of dozen times). @Moderator - please let me know if I should have attached this as a txt file instead of verbose text. It always amazes me that there are so many ways to do the same thing on a computer. I followed different internet advice than some on this thread (see below), and it worked for me. Bare in mind that I had an actual LSI card and a Supermicro MB. You mileage (and your Lenovo TS440) may vary ______________ 2:50 PM 5/3/2015 MODIFIED - Installing and flashing the LSI SAS9211-8i from whatever IR mode (Integrated RAID firmware) it shipped with to, P20 to IT mode (Initiator target mode). NOTE: I'm following advice on: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/104425-flashing-an-lsi-9211-8i-raid-card-to-it-mode-for-zfssoftware-raid-tutorial/ http://brycv.com/blog/2012/flashing-it-firmware-to-lsi-sas9211-8i/ http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/uefi-shell NOTE: I rebooted the server and made sure a got a copy of the syslog (just in case) 1. I removed the currently installed LSI SAS9211-8i from the SuperMicro (PCH) Slot 4 (the tutorial mentions not flashing a second card while the first is installed) and mounted the newer card in the SuperMicro (PCH) Slot 5 - (thats the PCI-Express 3.0 x4 in x8 Slot - the one nearest from the CPU). NOTE: the new card came with a low-profile case mounting bracket and wasn't long enough to attach correctly. I removed it all together and will need to eventually replace it. 2. I booted up the server and accessed the BIOS: a. Adjusted SuperMicro AMI BIOS > ADVANCED > PCI > PCH Slot 5 from [Legacy] to [EFI Only] The previous adjestments are staying the same. - Adjusted SuperMicro AMI BIOS > ADVANCED > PCI > Launch Storage OpROM from [Legacy] to [uEFI Only] - Adjusted SuperMicro AMI BIOS > ADVANCED > PCI > Other PCI Device OpROM from [Legacy] to [uEFI Only] b. I saved and exited. This started unRaid. Because the first LSI card wasn't installed (it's in an antistatic bag, right now), unRaid reported 8 RED BALLS for the missing drives. I logged into the webGUI and powered down. 3. Formated old Attache USB 512MB drive (yeah, MB) with FAT32 4. I downloaded "9211_8i_Package_P20_IR_IT_Firmware_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows" from http://www.lsi.com/products/host-bus-adapters/pages/lsi-sas-9211-8i.aspx#tab/tab4 a. Pulled the file "2118it.bin" located in the directory Firmware/HBA_9211_8i_IT of the archive and put in on the Attache USB 512MB drive. b. Pulled the file "mptsas2.rom", located in the directory sasbios_rel inside of the archive and put in on the Attache USB 512MB drive. 5. I downloaded: Installer_P20_for_UEFI from http://www.lsi.com/products/host-bus-adapters/pages/lsi-sas m-9211-8i.aspx#tab/tab4 a. Pulled the file "Shell.efi" located in the directory sas2flash_efi_ebc_rel of the archive and put in on the Attache USB 512MB drive. NOTE: the tutorial still goes to alot of trouble to include a UEFI shell as well, but I think I got that one covered in the SuperMicro BIOS; so I'm skipping ahead (fingers crossed). 6. I replaced the the Sandisk 16GB internal drive (unRaid) with the PNY Attache USB drive in the the server and rebooted. 7. At the SuperMicro BIOS Menu, I pressed F11 to invoke the Boot Menu. 8. At the Boot Menu, I scrolled down to UEFI: Built-in EFI Shell. 9. On my machine, the first thing the shell did was diplay a nice list of all connected storage devices, with my Attache 256 MB USB drive labeled fs0 :Removable HardDisk Alias hd16b0f0band my HDDs and SSDs labled blk#. Unfortunately, I couldn't actually see the information because it scrolled off the top of my sceen. Google'n, I found the command I needed: map -b -This displayed a map of all the devices and waited at the the top of the screen form my to press ENTER to continue or 'q' to exit. 10. mount fs0: -to mount the drive 11. fs0: -change directories into the drive 12. ls -to list the contents of the directory (just to be sure) 13. sas2flash.efi -o -e 6 -command to erase/reset the card and prepare it for the new BIOS and firmware. The -o flag puts it in "advanced mode" The -e flag is the Erase command. The Erase Parameter 6 is to "Clean flash (erase everything except manufacturing area)" (fingers crossed) NOTE: CAREFUL: DO NOT TURN OFF OR REBOOT YOUR MACHINE AT THIS POINT. ALLEGEDLY YOU WILL HAVE A BRICKED CARD ON YOUR HANDS!!! NOTE: The display: LSI Corporation SAS2 Flash Utility Version 20.00.0.00 (2014.09.18) Copyright © 2008-2014 LSI Corporation. All rights reserved SAS2FLASH: Disconnecting the EFI Driver. Advanced Mode Set Adapter Selected is a LSI SAS: SAS2008(B2) Executing Flash Region... Erase Flash Region... Erase Flash Operation Successful! Resetting Adapter... Reset Successful! Finished Processing Commands Successfully. Exiting SAS2FLASH. fs0:\> 14. sas2flash.efi -o -f 2118it.bin -b mptsas2.rom -this flashes the new files. The -f flag is the firmware update file. The -b flag is the BIOS update file. (fingers crossed, again) 15. Both the Firmware Flash and the BIOS Flash were SUCCESSFUL! The display scrolled off the screen so I can't see it again; but I entered: sas2fllash.efi -list and received: Adapter Selected is LSI SAS SAS2008(B2) Controller Number : 0 Controller : SAS2008(B2) PCI Address : 00:02:00:00 SAS Address : 500605B-x-xxxx-xxxx NVDATA Version (Default) : 14.04.00.08 NVDATA Version (Persistent) : 14.00.00.08 Firmware Product ID : 0x2213 (IT) Firmware Version : 20.00.02.00 NVDATA Vendor : LSI NVDATA Product ID : SAS9211-8i BIOS Version : 07.39.00.00 UEFI BSD Version : N/A FCODE Version : N/A Board Name : SAS9211-8i Board Assembly : H3-xxxxx-xxx Board Tracer Number : SPxxxxxxxx (serial number) Finished Processing Commands Successfully. Exiting SAS2Flash. 16. exit -to exit UEFI Shell 17. Reboot (5:27 PM 5/3/2015) NOTE (8:01 PM 05/03/2015): reading some ofthe unraid forum posts I notice that other users had problems with P20. I'm kinda worried, now. I posted to the Forum and will wait for adive. In the meantime, I guess I'll just keep an eye on it. NOTE (05/06/2015): reading some of the unRaid forum posts, I notice that other users had problems with "Failed to validate Mfg 2 page" errors. I did see a message like that as well and the process seemed to stall for 10-15 seceond (an eternity when your fingers are still crossed) but it seemed to autocorrect itself (maybe in some subroutine?) and I think I saw either "Validated" or "Validation Successful" and continued on. Because it Finished Successfully, I didn't think to write it down at the time.

Hey Everyone. I just installed my second LSI SAS9211-8i (like 20 minutes ago) and I wanted to share my experience, because it went surprisingly smooth. Unfortunately, I just read that P20 isn't recommended due to reported problems. Now I'm worried. Should I keep P20 or RE-re-flash to P19? Everything seems okay, but like I said, it's only been about 20 minutes. My other SAS9211-8i is on P18 and I was originally going to ask if it would be a problem have both in the same box. I guess that's still a good question. But should I keep it at P18; flash it to P19; or flash it to P20? Thanks in advance. (and I'll report back on any P20 problems untill I fiqure out what to do) Michael