Hi there,

I'm very new to Unraid / Linux, although I'm really enjoying setting everything up. 

 

I wanted to add a couple of extra drives to my server so I bought an HBA card with the following description from eBay "LSI 6Gbps SAS HBA 9211-8I FW P20 IT Mode ZFS FreeNAS unRAID + 2* Cable SATA"

 

I've just installed it and used two of the connectors (there's 8 in total) to connect the two new drives.

 

However, when I boot my server I don't see any new drives appearing?

 

I wondered if anyone could help me troubleshoot this? I'm happy to post logs or whatever other information you need?

 

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Please post the diagnostics.

2 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

Please post the diagnostics.

 

I've just run the Diagnostics tool (never seen that before - learned something else today!! Thanks 🙂 )

 

I selected "anonymise" the data. Hoping that won't be an issue but let me know if it is.

 

jtserver-diagnostics-20221108-1158.zip

It's detecting a 2TB Seagate but failing to initialize it, try swapping that disk with known good, like of of the already assigned disks, it would also be a good idea to update the firmware, it's using an old one.

3 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

It's detecting a 2TB Seagate but failing to initialize it, try swapping that disk with known good, like of of the already assigned disks, it would also be a good idea to update the firmware, it's using an old one.

 

Okay, thanks for that. I'll try the firmware update and have a look at the disks and then report back. Thank you very much for your help so far 🙂

27 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

It's detecting a 2TB Seagate but failing to initialize it, try swapping that disk with known good, like of of the already assigned disks, it would also be a good idea to update the firmware, it's using an old one.

 

I've hit a bit of a snag. I was following your instructions for upgrading the firmware (great instructions btw!).

 

I found the 9211-8I files on the Broadcom website. There was "sas2flash" and "2118it.bin" (there were 2 'Firmware' files - one folder was "HBA_9211_8i_IR" and the other was "HBA_9211_8i_IT" - I'm assuming I want the "IT" one as I've read that we need the HBA card flashed to be IT?).

 

I copied the two files to my flash card and then went through the commands but it failed on "./sas2flash -listall" and reports "bash: ./sas2flash: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error"

 

 

Do you know where I've gone wrong?

 

Thanks 🙂

Not sure what that could be, sas2flash is from the Installer_P20_for_Linux?

 

Try the one attached

sas2flash

24 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

Not sure what that could be, sas2flash is from the Installer_P20_for_Linux?

 

Try the one attached

sas2flash 538.32 kB · 0 downloads

 

Yes, it was from Installer_P20_for_Linux. I'm trying to try the one you've provided but Windows is not letting me transfer it over to my flash drive (keeps saying the file is no longer located blah blah...). I'll try a reboot... bear with me

41 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

Not sure what that could be, sas2flash is from the Installer_P20_for_Linux?

 

Try the one attached

sas2flash 538.32 kB · 1 download

 

Right, we're getting somewhere... that's the firmware updated to v20 now. Still no joy with it detecting the hard drives. I'll swap out the 2Tb one with one of the new ones and see if that works... will report back.....

I've taken out the 2Tb disk and put in one of my 'new' 18Tb disks.

 

It's now reporting that the disk is missing.

 

 

I've attached the latest diagnostics file.

 

Thanks for your continued help 🙂

jtserver-diagnostics-20221108-1336.zip

Firmware was updated OK, but not seeing any drive detected like before, do your hear the drive spinning up? Which model cables are you suing?

2 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

Firmware was updated OK, but not seeing any drive detected like before, do your hear the drive spinning up? Which model cables are you suing?

 

Okay.. so the latest update. I removed "what I thought" was the problem 2Tb drive but this one was actually fine and part of my array... so I've removed the 'problem' 2Tb drive now.

 

So, the current state of affairs is this...

 

The firmware of the HBA card is updated.

 

I've added 2 x 18TB (WD shucked) drives into the system connected to the new HBA card. I've given them power from the PSU.

 

When I boot up the array it just shows the existing drives - no mention of the two new 18Tb drives.

 

I stopped the array and, in the dropdown "unassigned" list there isn't any drives listed?

 

 

 

So, I'm stuck again. I've attached the latest diagnostics.

 

I don't know how to 'read' the diagnostics but can you tell whether the HBA card is working okay? It's a new card from eBay so just wondering if there's a problem with it?

 

Also, does it matter what PCI slot it goes into?

 

And, lastly, it came with two cables that each have 4 x SATA connectors on the end. Does it matter which cable and which 'end' I use?

 

Thank you for your help

jtserver-diagnostics-20221108-1448.zip

30 minutes ago, Johnny T said:

Does it matter which cable and which 'end' I use?

The main issue with the cables is that they must be forward breakout cables, reverse breakout look the same but won't work for this, but like I mentioned and unless I saw wrong in the first diags it was detecting a drive, that would mean the cables are the correct type, can you confirm if there was a 2TB Seagate Firecuda connected to it?

 

The HBA itself appears to be working correctly, it's detected and initialized without errors, of course if there's some issue with the connections that won't be visible in the logs.

1 minute ago, JorgeB said:

The main issue with the cables is that they must be forward breakout cables, reverse breakout look the same but won't work for this, but like I mentioned and unless I saw wrong in the first diags it was detecting a drive, that would mean the cables are the correct type, can you confirm if there was a 2TB Seagate Firecuda connected to it?

 

The HBA itself appears to be working correctly, it's detected and initialized without errors, of course if there's some issue with the connections that won't be visible in the logs.

 

Yes, it was a 2Tb Seagate Firecuda that I took out of the PC. So, it must be detecting it fine. I've now connected the two 18Tb drives.

 

Do you think it's worth trying the card in a different PCI slot?

 

Thanks

11 minutes ago, Johnny T said:

Do you think it's worth trying the card in a different PCI slot?

Unlikely it will help but it won't hurt, also make sure you hear the drives spinning up.

59 minutes ago, Johnny T said:

I've added 2 x 18TB (WD shucked) drives into the system

Shucked drives (especially WD) often do not show up due to the 3.3v reset problem.  I have a couple of shucked drives that had this problem and some kapton tape fixed it.  Also a Molex to SATA power adapter is another possible solution.  Watch the linked video for an explanation.

18 minutes ago, Hoopster said:

Shucked drives (especially WD) often do not show up due to the 3.3v reset problem.  I have a couple of shucked drives that had this problem and some kapton tape fixed it.  Also a Molex to SATA power adapter is another possible solution.  Watch the linked video for an explanation.

 

Thanks for that. I'll give the tape a go. Sounds like that's the problem as both of the drives are 'white label' ones.

 

I've ordered some tape. It should be here by Thursday. Will report back and let you know how I get on.

 

Thanks for all your help

On 11/8/2022 at 4:00 PM, Hoopster said:

Shucked drives (especially WD) often do not show up due to the 3.3v reset problem.  I have a couple of shucked drives that had this problem and some kapton tape fixed it.  Also a Molex to SATA power adapter is another possible solution.  Watch the linked video for an explanation.

 

Just reporting back as promised. I'm happy to say (in case it was in any doubt) that you sir, are a genius!

That's exactly what was wrong with them. I fitted the tape and bingo! Both drives now show up in my array.

 

I can't thank you enough. I would have never got to the bottom of this without your help so a very very big Thank You.

 

🙂

Glad it's solved, but I did ask for you to first try with a known good drive, that one should have worked, also mentioned to make sure the drives were spinning up.

18 minutes ago, Johnny T said:

I would have never got to the bottom of this without your help so a very very big Thank You

Glad it is resolved.  These forums have helped me numerous times so I am just happy that I was able pass on something I learned here to another unRAID user.

18 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

Glad it's solved, but I did ask for you to first try with a known good drive, that one should have worked, also mentioned to make sure the drives were spinning up.

 

Yep, I didn't have a known good drive. The only other one I have is that 2Tb one which wasn't initialising. I've just upgraded my Unraid key and the two new drives are just formatting so 'all good in the hood' as they say. Thanks once again 🙂

12 hours ago, Johnny T said:

The only other one I have is that 2Tb one which wasn't initialising

OK, and it doesn't really matter now, but I mentioned using one of the already assigned array drives, just connecting one of them to the HBA would be a good test.

4 hours ago, JorgeB said:

OK, and it doesn't really matter now, but I mentioned using one of the already assigned array drives, just connecting one of them to the HBA would be a good test.

 

Ahhh.. yep, that would have been a good test if I'd been born with brains 🙂 Sorry matey. 🙂