[SOLVED] HBA Card not showing Drives

[interstellar-proportion6034]

Ok so i've been looking for days now on the internet and cant seem to come to a solution .

 

Note im pretty new to the whole Linux side of computing and servers etc,

 

I recently purchased and flashed a Dell Perc H310 Card to LSI IT mode, When booting unraid it doesn't show any of the drives. I've followed multiple guides and solutions to no avail.

 

I have 4 x 2tb HGST 7k sas drives currently connected to the dell on 2 x 2sas to sff 8087 cables,  

 

I Have tried 

1) Re flashing the card , all results are showing as good when flashing 

2) different PCI-e slot 

3) Different cables ( had a single sff8087 to 4x sas connector cable originally in )

4) Tried adding the extra boot option in the syslinux.cfg file from another thread 

 

I've run the dmesg | grep mpt    command and bellow are the results I got.

 

NOTE* from what I read there is no real error or faults , the 2 errors at the bottom according to the info I could find are Not really an issue

 

root@CamoServer:~# dmesg | grep mpt
[    0.154727] Dynamic Preempt: voluntary
[    0.154790] rcu: Preemptible hierarchical RCU implementation.
[   71.304039] mpt3sas version 42.100.00.00 loaded
[   71.314263] mpt2sas_cm0: 64 BIT PCI BUS DMA ADDRESSING SUPPORTED, total mem (32806248 kB)
[   71.317728] mpt2sas_cm0: CurrentHostPageSize is 0: Setting default host page size to 4k
[   71.317987] mpt2sas_cm0: MSI-X vectors supported: 1
[   71.317989] mpt2sas_cm0:  0 1 1
[   71.336711] mpt2sas_cm0: High IOPs queues : disabled
[   71.354419] mpt2sas0-msix0: PCI-MSI-X enabled: IRQ 57
[   71.363157] mpt2sas_cm0: iomem(0x00000000c1d40000), mapped(0x000000009383235c), size(16384)
[   71.378316] mpt2sas_cm0: ioport(0x000000000000d000), size(256)
[   71.383726] mpt2sas_cm0: CurrentHostPageSize is 0: Setting default host page size to 4k
[   71.393306] mpt2sas_cm0: sending message unit reset !!
[   71.409484] mpt2sas_cm0: message unit reset: SUCCESS
[   71.425102] mpt2sas_cm0: scatter gather: sge_in_main_msg(1), sge_per_chain(9), sge_per_io(128), chains_per_io(15)
[   71.438202] mpt2sas_cm0: request pool(0x00000000f3c4620b) - dma(0x106380000): depth(3492), frame_size(128), pool_size(436 kB)
[   71.457912] mpt2sas_cm0: sense pool(0x00000000bd14b93f) - dma(0x1a0200000): depth(3367), element_size(96), pool_size (315 kB)
[   71.467529] mpt2sas_cm0: sense pool(0x00000000bd14b93f)- dma(0x1a0200000): depth(3367),element_size(96), pool_size(0 kB)
[   71.595808] mpt2sas_cm0: reply pool(0x00000000cfc665bf) - dma(0x1a0480000): depth(3556), frame_size(128), pool_size(444 kB)
[   71.604532] mpt2sas_cm0: config page(0x00000000caf32970) - dma(0x1a018b000): size(512)
[   71.613259] mpt2sas_cm0: Allocated physical memory: size(7579 kB)
[   71.621950] mpt2sas_cm0: Current Controller Queue Depth(3364),Max Controller Queue Depth(3432)
[   71.630720] mpt2sas_cm0: Scatter Gather Elements per IO(128)
[   71.644706] mpt2sas_cm0: overriding NVDATA EEDPTagMode setting
[   71.659299] mpt2sas_cm0: LSISAS2008: FWVersion(20.00.07.00), ChipRevision(0x03), BiosVersion(07.39.02.00)
[   71.674379] mpt2sas_cm0: Protocol=(Initiator,Target), Capabilities=(TLR,EEDP,Snapshot Buffer,Diag Trace Buffer,Task Set Full,NCQ)
[   71.701384] mpt2sas_cm0: sending port enable !!
[   73.238562] mpt2sas_cm0: hba_port entry: 000000006fb748c4, port: 255 is added to hba_port list
[   73.249546] mpt2sas_cm0: host_add: handle(0x0001), sas_addr(0x500605b00657c5a0), phys(8)
[   73.259139] mpt2sas_cm0: handle(0x9) sas_address(0x4433221100000000) port_type(0x1)
[   73.510919] mpt2sas_cm0: handle(0xa) sas_address(0x4433221101000000) port_type(0x1)
[   73.520263] mpt2sas_cm0: handle(0xb) sas_address(0x4433221102000000) port_type(0x1)
[   73.529321] mpt2sas_cm0: handle(0xc) sas_address(0x4433221103000000) port_type(0x1)
[   73.538206] mpt2sas_cm0: handle(0xd) sas_address(0x4433221104000000) port_type(0x1)
[   73.546807] mpt2sas_cm0: handle(0xe) sas_address(0x4433221106000000) port_type(0x1)
[   73.555127] mpt2sas_cm0: handle(0xf) sas_address(0x4433221107000000) port_type(0x1)
[   79.119820] mpt2sas_cm0: port enable: SUCCESS
[   80.845923] mpt2sas_cm1: 64 BIT PCI BUS DMA ADDRESSING SUPPORTED, total mem (32806248 kB)
[   80.879223] mpt2sas_cm1: CurrentHostPageSize is 0: Setting default host page size to 4k
[   80.893298] mpt2sas_cm1: MSI-X vectors supported: 1
[   80.901244] mpt2sas_cm1:  0 1 1
[   80.901470] mpt2sas_cm1: High IOPs queues : disabled
[   80.933378] mpt2sas1-msix0: PCI-MSI-X enabled: IRQ 73
[   80.941277] mpt2sas_cm1: iomem(0x00000000fc9c0000), mapped(0x00000000cb1eed32), size(16384)
[   80.949400] mpt2sas_cm1: ioport(0x000000000000f000), size(256)
[   80.962301] mpt2sas_cm1: CurrentHostPageSize is 0: Setting default host page size to 4k
[   80.974349] mpt2sas_cm1: sending message unit reset !!
[   80.983839] mpt2sas_cm1: message unit reset: SUCCESS
[   81.019271] mpt2sas_cm1: scatter gather: sge_in_main_msg(1), sge_per_chain(9), sge_per_io(128), chains_per_io(15)
[   81.027309] mpt2sas_cm1: request pool(0x00000000601167a5) - dma(0x1a2580000): depth(3492), frame_size(128), pool_size(436 kB)
[   81.039775] mpt2sas_cm1: sense pool(0x00000000cef39e5e) - dma(0x1a2600000): depth(3367), element_size(96), pool_size (315 kB)
[   81.047982] mpt2sas_cm1: sense pool(0x00000000cef39e5e)- dma(0x1a2600000): depth(3367),element_size(96), pool_size(0 kB)
[   81.048055] mpt2sas_cm1: reply pool(0x000000005beaf4cf) - dma(0x1a2680000): depth(3556), frame_size(128), pool_size(444 kB)
[   81.064741] mpt2sas_cm1: config page(0x000000000cc92b5b) - dma(0x1a618f000): size(512)
[   81.081791] mpt2sas_cm1: Allocated physical memory: size(7579 kB)
[   81.090314] mpt2sas_cm1: Current Controller Queue Depth(3364),Max Controller Queue Depth(3432)
[   81.099006] mpt2sas_cm1: Scatter Gather Elements per IO(128)
[   81.152048] mpt2sas_cm1: overriding NVDATA EEDPTagMode setting
[   81.161091] mpt2sas_cm1: LSISAS2008: FWVersion(20.00.07.00), ChipRevision(0x03), BiosVersion(07.39.02.00)
[   81.169885] mpt2sas_cm1: Protocol=(Initiator,Target), Capabilities=(TLR,EEDP,Snapshot Buffer,Diag Trace Buffer,Task Set Full,NCQ)
[   81.188155] mpt2sas_cm1: sending port enable !!
[   81.197639] mpt2sas_cm1: hba_port entry: 00000000a5e02e2f, port: 255 is added to hba_port list
[   81.208295] mpt2sas_cm1: host_add: handle(0x0001), sas_addr(0x51866da04feae900), phys(8)
[   81.217852] mpt2sas_cm1: handle(0x9) sas_address(0x5000cca01c9afbdd) port_type(0x1)
[   81.301362] mpt2sas_cm1: handle(0xa) sas_address(0x5000cca01c9ae359) port_type(0x1)
[   81.419343] mpt2sas_cm1: handle(0xb) sas_address(0x5000cca01b9f8b81) port_type(0x1)
[   81.547300] mpt2sas_cm1: handle(0xc) sas_address(0x5000cca01b9f5b8d) port_type(0x1)
[   81.673345] mpt2sas_cm1: port enable: SUCCESS
[   96.272013] md: import_slot: 29 empty
[  118.007144] mpt3sas 0000:25:00.0: invalid VPD tag 0x00 (size 0) at offset 0; assume missing optional EEPROM
[  118.015698] mpt3sas 0000:29:00.0: invalid VPD tag 0x00 (size 0) at offset 0; assume missing optional EEPROM

 

 

 

Please any help , already lost half my hair to this >.>

 

[JorgeB]

Do you have 1 or 2 HBAs? Also post the diagnostics.

[networkguyva]

To use my hba card and for unraid to see my drives, I had to go to System devices and set each drive as non-raid. Once I did this and booted into unraid they were there. 

 

[JorgeB]

3 minutes ago, networkguyva said:

To use my hba card and for unraid to see my drives, I had to go to System devices and set each drive as non-raid.

We recommend flashing the controller to IT mode, you will have issues if in the future you change controllers.

[interstellar-proportion6034]

ok so I have 2 HBA cards ,  the 1 that is working is an LSI 9200-8i ( pretty sure its one of the Chinese ones not Original) Works great ,  then there is the H310 that's giving the issues .   Diagnostic attached . Sorry for slow response ( THAT time of the year ).

camoserver-diagnostics-20231225-1022.zip

[JorgeB]

Both HBAs appear to be initializing correctly, if you connect the known good cables and drives to the new HBA are they still detected?

[interstellar-proportion6034]

thanks for that suggestion didn't even think of trying that . Tried it now and guess what , the original drives drives are picking up on the H310 . Hmmm ...... after having tried 2 different cables sets for the new drives I'm wondering if it is maybe not a compatibility issue with the drives themselves.   They are 2tb Hitachi Drives out of an old HP server ( HGST HUS723020ALS640 )  7200RPM SaS drives .  is there any known limitations of Unraid for specific types of hard drives ?   Additional note , I notice the drives are very hot to the touch despite not being picked up ?  Wondering also if there is some issue with the drives being powered directly and not through backplane Like possibly something similar to some of the shucked drives needing special power adaptors or pins covered with capton tape to work on Normal psu ?

Edited December 25, 2023 by interstellar-proportion6034

[JorgeB]

Could alse be a cable issue, try one of the new drives with the current cables.

[interstellar-proportion6034]

Will have to buy another cable to test as the new drives are sas and all others are sata . 

 

I've already tries 2 separate second hand cables and 1 brand new cable . 

 

Any other suggestions I could look into so long besides cables ?   Going to take a while to get another at this time of the year 🙃 

[JorgeB]

You can try a SATA drive with the SAS cable, that should confirm if the cables are good.

[interstellar-proportion6034]

ok so tried a sata drive with sas cables , all 3 work . luckily had one of those cheap adaptors laying around . 

 

Currently all I can think is that all 5 of the sas drives I have are dead ?? - I know extremely unlikely .

 

Or possibly that they are maybe formatted in one of those weird 520/4160 byte sector sizes ,  Unfortunately I cannot get into the Avago Utility as both cards have had the Bios wipe in the IT mode firm ware flashing process,   

 

Do you perhaps know of another way to tell/check if the drives are even being picked up at ALL by the HBA so I could check sector size etc ?  I've crawled through ALOTTTTTTTT of google searches and other forum posts. haven't been able to figure anything out .

[JorgeB]

5 hours ago, interstellar-proportion6034 said:

Or possibly that they are maybe formatted in one of those weird 520/4160 byte sector sizes , 

Yep, that's the issue:

 

User Capacity:        2,000,398,933,520 bytes [2.00 TB]
Logical block size:   520 bytes

 

You need to reformat them with 512B sectors to use them with Unraid.

[interstellar-proportion6034]

Hmmm . OK so question now is . Do I have to get myself  raid card with bios still intact to be able to format the drives to 512e/ 4096    or   is there  way to do it using some tools on a distro of Linux or freebsd etc ?

[JorgeB]

You can do it with the current controller, don't have a link at hand but it should be easy to find if you search the forum, IIRC you can use sgtools.

[interstellar-proportion6034]

Thanks . Will search for that and see what I come up with . . . . . . I'm going on an adventure ✨️ 

[interstellar-proportion6034]

OK , So Problem Solved . 

 

I had a difficult time finding all the problem and also has some issues piecing together bits of info from all over the net but thanks to **JorgeB** on the forum here and A bunch of  googling I eventually found the problem and a solution that worked for me, So I thought I would detail it here in hopes it helps YOU the next person reading this with a similar issue.

 

Issue - Drives not Showing in Unraid 

 

Drive Type 2TB HGST drives from a server

 

Drives where connected through an IT mode flashed Dell Perc H310 ( Bios Removed so could not use that to check the drives or format them )

 

Fault turned out to be that the drives where Formatted with 520Byte sector sizes ( Unraid only recognizes 512 and 4096 Byte sector sizes )

 

Solution:

 

To avoid any issues with my Unraid Install and  Avoid the possibility of loosing data on the other working drives ,  I opted to use a seperate PC to do all of the following work.
If that is not an option you could simply unplug all your working drives and remove the Unraid usb while you commence with the following operation.

 

I Installed Ubuntu onto a USB using Rufus (download Ubuntu Here https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop   and get Rufus Here https://rufus.ie/en/ ) , 

I then installed the Ubuntu onto a spare SSD I had lying around ( Note it should be possible to do this booting ubuntu direct from USB ,
however I had 2 problems . one was that it was very slow loading from the usb and the second issue is the screen would go black and not come back on for some reason . So for that reason I recommend installing to a spare hard drive/SSD. )

 

Once The installation is done ensure you have all the drives connected that you wish to resize the sectors for.  

Open a console and Type the command LSBLK    and hit enter ,  This will bring up a list of all devices connected , here you will see the hard drives in question . 
The easiest way to identify them is that the drive will have a designation - EG,  sda  but will not show a capacity . I suggest taking a photo of the assigned device letters for the drives

 

Next you will want to install sg3 utility ,   To do this run the following commands 

 

**( Note the sudo command is to run as Admin and thus may require you to enter the password that you created when installing the OS )
**( Also for NoN linux users such as myself When entering the password is Does not show it being entered and stays blank , Just type the password and hit enter I promise it is actualy typing HAHA )

 

sudo apt-get update -y     ( Let this complete )  

 

then run

 

sudo apt-get install -y sg3-utils   ( Let this complete )

 

After these steps are complete we can now start the resizing and formatting operation ( Note this will destroy all data on the disks )

I suggest opening a separate console for each drive that needs to be done ( Multiple can be done at the same time )

 

Enter the following command  

 

sudo sg_format --format --size=512 --six -v /dev/xxx    ( Replace xxx with the device letters assigned to the drive eg  sda  or sdb )  Make sure not to use the letters of the drive with the OS on it

 

Again after hitting enter it may ask for password , type it hit enter and it will then give you 15 seconds to cancel the operation if you made a mistake before it starts the resize and format.
 
Once the operation is completed , To check and ensure the drives are being detected correctly . You can run the LSBLK command in a consol. the disks shoudl now all appear and show the correct Drive capacity.

Now go put them back in your Unraid server and check that they show under devices and ENJOY. ( PS if they are working Unraid will automatically detect new devices attached and will not start the array automatically )