[Closed] Older LSI SATA controller

[FreeMan]

I can get a good deal on one of these: http://www.ascendtech.us/lsi-ser523-rev-b2-raid-sata-controller_i_cntlsilogser523.aspx

 

Is it:

A) compatible with unRAID?

B) significantly functional enough to think about using?

C) need to be flashed with http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=12767.0 ?

D) Any other thoughts/comments?

 

I'm putting it in an old box that I'm just starting to build my unRAID with. It's a PC Chips mobo with only 2 SATA ports on it, so I need some extras quick! I know the card only supports SATA 1, but most of my drives are older at this time, so I don't think I'll be losing much speed.

 

When I say I can get a good deal, what I mean is, "A buddy has one that he's no longer using, and he said he'd bring it to me. If it works, we'll figure out some cash then, otherwise, he'll probably pitch it." So what's a reasonable offer if it's usable?

 

BTW- this is a cross-post  from here: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=12767.msg217874#msg217874, since that's been up for a couple of days and not received any feedback yet.

 

I currently have one of these: http://www.siliconimage.com/products/product.aspx?pid=27 in my desktop machine that I'm migrating all my disk space out of. This card is currently supporting 2 drives, and has given me no issues. Questions:

A) same as above

B) same as above

C) would it likely be better, worse, or no difference in comparison to the LSI controller?

D) same as above

 

If they're both usable, would I be well served sticking them both in the box to be able to support a total of 12 (mobo 2 + Sil 4 + LSI 6) drives?

 

Thanks for the help, guys. I'm a software guy, and am really, really behind on my hardware knowledge. I can stick pieces together with the best of 'em, but I'm not so good at knowing what pieces to put together in the first place.

FreeMan

[FreeMan]

OK, I got the card and plugged it into my machine. The hardware recognizes it just fine, and I was able to get into the BIOS setup of the card, and it recognized the HD I'd attached. When I booted into unRAID (4.7) I could not see hide nor hare of the drive.

 

Since I've got a machine made up of recycled parts (my son's old machine), I don't have a fancy KVM over IP solution for nice screen prints, so I did the next best thing. Pics attached linked.

http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k331/bdshepard/2013-01-16220945_zps6d9bafad.jpg

http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k331/bdshepard/2013-01-16220802_zps5d908ff8.jpg

 

I pulled the card, and it's got 3 SiL 3112 chips on it to support the 6 SATA ports.

http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k331/bdshepard/2013-01-16222756_zps0746d4d4.jpg

It looks like this controller chip will work with unRAID

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=17077.0

 

What other info might someone need to help solve the issue?

 

additional note - this is a PCIX card plugged into a PCI slot, and it appears that some of the extra connectors may be contacting a capacitor on the Mobo. I suppose that could be causing issues, but the machine boots, and I have no trouble getting into the card's BIOS, and the BIOS recognized a single drive that I'd plugged into it.

http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k331/bdshepard/2013-01-16225206_zpsede85577.jpg

 

Found the LSI docs here:

http://www.lsi.com/downloads/Public/Obsolete/Obsolete%20Common%20Files/sata150_ug.pdf

and all the info they have on the board here:

http://www.lsi.com/support/Pages/Download-Results.aspx?productcode=P00462&assettype=0&component=Storage%20Component&productfamily=Legacy%20RAID%20Controllers&productname=MegaRAID%20SATA%20150-4%20%28523%29

[FreeMan]

According to this post, http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=25306.msg220076#msg220076, it seems I have to be on v5.0 something to get support for LSI controllers. Is that for all LSI controllers including this one that is 3112 based?

[Ford Prefect]

...can't comment on the card, but the chipset you mentioned appears in this thread as well http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=25453.0

I'd try to boot with a V5RC10 and see if a driver loads and what unRAID makes out of it.

[FreeMan]

Thanks for the feedback, Ford.

 

Since this is my one and only server, I'm thinking I will install v5rc10 on a spare USB stick and have just the one drive connected to the controller with all others removed to test this out. I'm not quite ready to bite the bullet on an update yet. I'd at least like to get all my data transferred and have a month or so of stable running before I fiddle with updates. (I've just recently read the "should I release 5.0 final thread, and it sounds like we're heading that way, but...)

 

In your linked thread, you mention another link to enable the drivers within linux. If I'm understanding you correctly, you think that will need to be done here as well?

 

As a side note, the other controller that I mentioned in my original post is working like a champ! A slow champ, but a champ none-the-less. (I'm thinking multiple drives on PCI just aren't isn't the way to go... )

[Ford Prefect]

In your linked thread, you mention another link to enable the drivers within linux. If I'm understanding you correctly, you think that will need to be done here as well?

 

no, I don't think so...I was mistaken by the make/model that was stated in the shop linked by the OP....thought it was another chipset.

As was revealed by the OP in a post later, unRAID V5RC10 used there does load a kernel driver for the sil chipset ....so it should be supported right away.

 

The other thread is for patching a unRAID standard driver to support more OEM models based on the same (but other than yours) chipset which seems at least offer the same standard API for AHCI, like with ASMedia.

[FreeMan]

Thanks again for your feedback. As soon as the pre-clear finishes, I'll try booting up v5RC10 & see what I get.

[FreeMan]

Well, the pre-clear finished, and with a clean boot of 5RC10, unRAID didn't recognize any drives on the controller. To the best of my knowledge, I got the controller, physical & logical drives all configured properly, but after that it was a no go.

 

I'd imagine that someone with more know-how & patience could make this combo work, but with the age of the controller and the fact that it's trying to support 6 drives through a PCI slot, make this a very budget (at best) choice.

 

Guess it was worth a shot.

 

Thanks for your help, Ford. This was my first taste of v5, and I like what I see! I'll have to investigate updating myself to a release candidate/final once I've got all my data back in one location.