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PCI-X SATA Controller Install and unRAID


cpthook

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Hello forum,

 

I am very new to unRAID and have just completed my First unRAID Build http://www.flickr.com//photos/cpthook26/sets/72157627790229610/show/ but I have run into a problem!! I want to add two more drives to my array using a PCI-E 2port SATA card, but my MOBO wont recognize my card.  The card has a driver disc with it but how would i install it using the unRAID OS?? ??? 

 

Sorry for the NooB question, but I have hit a brick wall and must ask the experts..  Thanks!

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Well hello there.. thought you guys had a boycott against NooB's in this forum!!  This is the card i bought from fry's the other day when picking up my gear:

 

http://www.byteccusa.com/product/xP-card/BT-PES322i/BT-PES322i.htm... I will probably switch to the one you have suggested as it is the same recommendation i received in the XBMC forums just thought I'd check here and a few other places as well.  Thanks for the response!

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*******UPDATE*******

 

Well , after several reboots it seems that my MOBO is now recognizing my PCIe SATAII controller card.  Funny that this happens right after ohlwiler  recommended a different PCIe card which i subsequently bought right after..  Now..  will i send the new card back and keep the old one in or try the new one out. 

 

I'm thinking that I may put in the new card to see if my unRAID system will reboot properly. 

 

My situation is this....

 

I cant reboot to unRAID while my drives are connected.  Currently, if i do a clean reboot I get a bios message "Verifying DMI Pool Data........Update success!" and no further action after that.  So, I have to open my box and disconnect drive SATA cables and then I can reboot to unRAID OS...then i have to hurry up and reconnect SATA cables to drive(s) before the OS totally posts to Tower Login. 

 

Looking around the forums and online, the talk seems to be about incorrect CMOS settings and boot priorities. Are there any specific CMOS and boot priority settings that work best for unRAID that I might want to try? 

 

MOBO: ZOTAC GF6100-E-E

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I cant reboot to unRAID while my drives are connected.  Currently, if i do a clean reboot I get a bios message "Verifying DMI Pool Data........Update success!" and no further action after that.  So, I have to open my box and disconnect drive SATA cables and then I can reboot to unRAID OS...then i have to hurry up and reconnect SATA cables to drive(s) before the OS totally posts to Tower Login. 

 

Count be an initialization and/or timing issue.  What drives are connected to the problem controller?

Are they recent or old. In any case, I might switch drives around or brands of drives that are connected to it and find the magic formula.

If rearranging drives, or PCIe slots does not help, you may be able to turn off the bios scan.

If you can't figure it out, put the newer controller in place.

 

The one thing that you will want is a reliable boot. Because the day you have a drive failure, you will not want to be monkeying around with a questionable controller.

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The one thing that you will want is a reliable boot. Because the day you have a drive failure, you will not want to be monkeying around with a questionable controller.

 

Thanks for the response sir...so here is an update, and please dont make fun of me as I am a NooB... ::)  I had CMOS boot priority set to USB-FDD instead of USB-ZIP..  I figured that USB-FDD meant USB Flash Drive so I had this option selected when i was trying to boot.  SO...lol, needless to say that after selecting USB-ZIP and disableing all other boot devices i am now able to boot right to unRAID.

 

So as of now, crisis averted!  My server is officially "Headless" and reboots fine! 

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Actually, the correct setting should be 'USB-HDD' (HDD = hard disk drive).  You want the motherboard to treat the flash drive as if it were a hard drive.  The other options you found are for Zip drives and Floppy Disk Drives.

 

Good to know.  Changing as we speak!  Thanks a bunch

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  • 3 weeks later...

Is there a PCI Express card with 4 ports that you guys recommend?

Since my mobo only has one PCIe port and the rest are PCI....

 

Or will it matter to use the PCI port?

 

Also have the PCI E 2.0 port.

 

I just need to add 4 more HD's

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157199

 

I've used this with Success, it has a Marvel Chip. (And even supports port multipliers).

Rosewill RC-218 PCI Express SATA II Controller Card w/ 4 internal SATA with 2 external eSATA Design

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816132018

 

It's 4 ports even though it may be implied there are two additional eSATA ports.

The eSATA ports are active when you move a jumper, which disables an internal port.

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