Dell T340, no raid controller hoping to use for Unraid


Camnomis

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I am replacing a R710 with a T340, as I was hoping to use unraid I purchased a server without a raid controller (was this my first mistake?), as I wanted to reuse the SAS disks I have just swapped them from one system to the other, assuming I could wipe them and start from scratch.

 

However the drives just don't show up, when I go into System BIOS > SATA Settings the only option to me is changing the embedded SATA to either AHCI/RAID or off, everything else is either greyed out, Not Enumerated or N/A

 

I have also tried to throw in a a couple of SATA disks and they are not being detected either, the drives look like they have power (green light) but I can't hear if they are spinning or not.

 

When I go through iDRAC it again shows no disks, however there are log entries saying:

 

Quote

Drive 3 is removed from disk drive bay 1.
Drive 3 is installed in disk drive bay 1.

 

So, opening the machine up there are three cables from the Backplane. One goes to the PSU, one to the Motherboard and a third splits into two and are labeled ODD1 and ODD2 which are not plugged into anything.

 

I am hoping the issue is the server had a RAID controller in (A PERC H730P looking at the logs) and the cabling is still setup for this as I am

getting the error message:

 

Quote

The storage SAS A0 cable is not connected, or is improperly connected.
The storage SAS B0 cable is not connected, or is improperly connected.

 

I just don't know if it's the cable that needs replacing, or if the cable that is there needs to be plugged into somewhere else.

 

Can anyone offer any advice?

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51 minutes ago, SimonF said:

You cannot connect SAS devices to SATA ports.But you can connect.SATA disks on SAS ports. You will need a SAS hba but should be in IT mode not raid.

 

Are you able to post diagnostics?

 

So as I understand it I need to either buy a PERC raid controller or a SAS HBA and flash it into IT mode.

 

Is there an advantage to buying one or the other? I’m guessing a raid controller will be more expensive (and overkill), but I am not 100% comfortable flashing a HBA into IT mode

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/oqymu7nrvub5a5u/AAC0Q2yndsXMtXh8Ily1YKROa?dl=0

Edited by Camnomis
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23 minutes ago, Camnomis said:

PERC raid controller

I and many others have a Dell H310/H200 controller flashed to IT mode.  They work great for unRAID.  I flashed mine myself but you can get them on eBay pre-flashed in IT Mode.  Here are some examples:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124620790560?hash=item1d03fa5b20:g:bcsAAOSw7-hhJe2E

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162834659601?hash=item25e9b3b911:g:UxcAAOSwWrxcPvQv

 

The Art of Server is a very reputable seller with whom many have had great experiences.

 

I picked up an H310 still in RAID mode for about $35 and flashed it myself.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/255290051011?hash=item3b707909c3:g:Xx0AAOSwAsphqnab

Edited by Hoopster
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1 hour ago, SimonF said:

You cannot connect SAS devices to SATA ports.But you can connect.SATA disks on SAS ports. You will need a SAS hba but should be in IT mode not raid.

 

Are you able to post diagnostics?

 

I have pulled the SAS drives out, leaving just the two SATA drives and still they do not appear to be visible, I think I may be out of my depth already!

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1 hour ago, Hoopster said:

I an many others have a Dell H310/H200 controller flashed to IT mode.  They work great for unRAID.  I flashed mine myself but you can get them on eBay pre-flashed in IT Mode.  Here are some examples:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124620790560?hash=item1d03fa5b20:g:bcsAAOSw7-hhJe2E

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162834659601?hash=item25e9b3b911:g:UxcAAOSwWrxcPvQv

 

The Art of Server is a very reputable seller with whom many have had create experiences.

 

I picked up an H310 still in RAID mode for about $35 and flashed it myself.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/255290051011?hash=item3b707909c3:g:Xx0AAOSwAsphqnab

 

I have heard that name before, alas I am in the UK so shipping would be costly. I will see if there are any local sellers

 

Something like this......

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154325262207?epid=5040542546&hash=item23ee809f7f:g:hAwAAOSwyKlfS6wB

 

or 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304226391340?hash=item46d54e552c:g:-EoAAOSwsxJgBCzC

Which seem to take the cables I have in my system

 

2022-01-05 21.01.30.jpg

2022-01-05 21.00.39.jpg

Edited by Camnomis
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2 hours ago, JorgeB said:

Those are slim optical drive power cables, you need SAS to SATA forward breakout cables to use an LSI HBA.

 

I thought that would have been too easy!

AIUI the card I am looking at connects with a SFF8087, so that is one end of the cable sorted.

 

I am guessing that I need the cable to connect to BP SAS A0 and BP SAS B0 in he digram below (which would make sense with the error messages) 
 

The storage SAS A0 cable is not connected, or is improperly connected.
The storage SAS B0 cable is not connected, or is improperly connected.

 

I believe the other end is Mini SAS (according to this) but searching Mini SAS brings up a multitude of different connector types, but it looks to me as if it is also SFF 8087 which means I would need something like this to connect it up (its a two pack of cables which again with 8 drives I assume I need both)
 

Screenshot 2022-01-06 at 09.58.23.png

Edited by Camnomis
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On 1/6/2022 at 11:29 AM, JorgeB said:

Yes, that's it.

 

Thanks the HBA and cables arrived and the drives are now seen in UNRAID (there is still an error message about the cables "not connected, or is improperly connected." but thats a headache for another time as it seems to be working!

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