March 18, 200917 yr Greetings, First off, I'm an unRAID newbie having just built my first system. Still doing some burn-in testing but so far, I'm impressed. I'm using this motherboard with a 5200+ processor and 4Gb of RAM. Everything seems to be behaving itself but I thought this story might be of interest to some. (and maybe someone could explain what happened) Version 4.3 works fine. 4.4 would hang as it boots just at the point where it identified the NIC. Here's where it gets weird. I loaded BubbaRAID onto the 4.4 install that wouldn't boot before and suddenly, it works like a charm. Not sure what that's all about, but the MB itself works great and is dirt cheap. --Peter
May 12, 200917 yr Hi, I want to use an unRaid server for storing movies and viewing them by a popcorn hour. It's not a 24/7 system and I only want to switch in on for watching a movie. Does this Gigabyte GA-MA74GM-S2 board supports the gracefully shutdown option, so using only the power button to turn the server on and off? Thanks....
May 22, 200917 yr I want to use an unRaid server for storing movies and viewing them by a popcorn hour. It's not a 24/7 system and I only want to switch in on for watching a movie. Does this Gigabyte GA-MA74GM-S2 board supports the gracefully shutdown option, so using only the power button to turn the server on and off? I don't have one myself, still hoping an owner that has tried that will respond, but I can say that it is very very likely that it supports it.
May 22, 200917 yr I'm building my son's unRAID server using this board. It booted right up 1st time without issue. I have 5 of the Seagate 1.5TB's in there transfering data as I speak from my server to his (without parity of course). Hopefully in about a week I'll have it all transfered over. Highly recommend this board for an inexpensive unRAID setup.
May 22, 200917 yr I'm building my son's unRAID server using this board. It booted right up 1st time without issue. I have 5 of the Seagate 1.5TB's in there transfering data as I speak from my server to his (without parity of course). Hopefully in about a week I'll have it all transfered over. Highly recommend this board for an inexpensive unRAID setup. I love my father to death, but if i ever asked him to do something "computer like" beyond the normal e-mail, word document, and Instant Messaging stuff he would look at me just wonder what the hell I was talking about. It might be a sign of the apocalypse or hell freezing over if he did know what I was talking about.
May 22, 200917 yr I'm building my son's unRAID server using this board. It booted right up 1st time without issue. I have 5 of the Seagate 1.5TB's in there transfering data as I speak from my server to his (without parity of course). Hopefully in about a week I'll have it all transfered over. Highly recommend this board for an inexpensive unRAID setup. I love my father to death, but if i ever asked him to do something "computer like" beyond the normal e-mail, word document, and Instant Messaging stuff he would look at me just wonder what the hell I was talking about. It might be a sign of the apocalypse or hell freezing over if he did know what I was talking about. If you saw the system he brought to me you'd understand why I'm doing it for him. He used a XFX 750a MB mounted in a case with no standoffs. The NIC was dead in it as well (maybe due to no standoffs). Anyways that board would boot unRAID but would not see the drives (even though the bios would see them). I tried Sata, Raid & ACHI but none worked. Tried several versions of unRAID.... nothing. Put the GA-MA74GM-S2 and it fired up 1st boot. The 750a board might have worked had the son bothered to get the hardware for it before mounting it (he said he did it because it didn't come with hardware) but I guess I'll never know for sure. He's built at least 5 pc's too...... kids . I've been building computers since 1978, well before PC's so I can handle the hardware side of it; it's the damn software side that is challenging!
May 25, 200917 yr I bought this MB and it seemed working great except my syslog have some minor issues and I am not sure if I need to be concern or just leave it that way. Here is some lines on my syslog: May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: usb-storage: device scan complete May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata5: softreset failed (device not ready) May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata5: failed due to HW bug, retry pmp=0 May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata5: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300) May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata5.00: ATA-8: ST31000340AS, SD1A, max UDMA/133 May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata5.00: 1953525168 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 NCQ (depth 31/32) May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133 May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata6: softreset failed (device not ready) May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata6: failed due to HW bug, retry pmp=0 May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata6: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300) May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata6.00: ATA-8: WDC WD10EACS-22D6B0, 01.01A01, max UDMA/133 May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata6.00: 1953525168 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 NCQ (depth 31/32) May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata6.00: configured for UDMA/133 May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata7: softreset failed (device not ready) May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata7: failed due to HW bug, retry pmp=0 May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata7: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300) May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata7.00: ATA-7: SAMSUNG HD103UJ, 1AA01113, max UDMA7 May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata7.00: 1953525168 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 NCQ (depth 31/32) May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata7.00: configured for UDMA/133 May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata8: SATA link down (SStatus 0 SControl 300) I have no idea if this is motherboard issue or not. I hope someone can give me some light. Thanks! NOTE: Using unRAID 4.4.2 Syslog attached.
May 25, 200917 yr May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata5: softreset failed (device not ready) May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata5: failed due to HW bug, retry pmp=0 These messages are harmless. They only occur with motherboards with the SB600 or SB700 chipsets. Please see http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=2826.msg23935#msg23935
May 26, 200917 yr May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata5: softreset failed (device not ready) May 25 04:46:17 tower kernel: ata5: failed due to HW bug, retry pmp=0 These messages are harmless. They only occur with motherboards with the SB600 or SB700 chipsets. Please see http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=2826.msg23935#msg23935 Thanks RoJ, I kind of worry there. Is it mean this error also cause of the SB600 or SB700? May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: fuse init (API version 7.9) May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: io scheduler noop registered (default) May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: io scheduler anticipatory registered May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: io scheduler deadline registered May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: io scheduler cfq registered May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: pci 0000:00:12.1: OHCI: BIOS handoff failed (BIOS bug?) 00000184 May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: pci 0000:01:05.0: Boot video device May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: pcieport-driver 0000:00:02.0: setting latency timer to 64 May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: pcieport-driver 0000:00:02.0: found MSI capability May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: pci_express 0000:00:02.0:pcie00: allocate port service May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: pci_express 0000:00:02.0:pcie03: allocate port service May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: pcieport-driver 0000:00:06.0: setting latency timer to 64
May 26, 200917 yr May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: pci 0000:00:12.1: OHCI: BIOS handoff failed (BIOS bug?) 00000184 This one is less common, but I've seen a number of them, seems harmless too. The fact that it is reported here, demonstrates that the kernel is aware of it and is working around it, but reports it in case the report might be useful to someone. The kernel (like Windows) is full of workarounds for all of the buggy BIOS's and hardware implementations, partly because of ambiguous standards, partly because of the rush to market, and partly just incompetence! I suspect it is often a combination of those factors, that creates many of the hardware issues out there. A rookie programmer is given a very brief time to read a draft or internal standard, and create a quick patch for some new hardware aspect, and as soon as it appears to work, off it goes. That's life in the computer world. It's the things you don't see, that may be more troublesome. Use your common sense when you read these reported anomalies, and understand that in general, if it has been reported, it has probably also been dealt with, or worked around.
May 27, 200917 yr May 25 08:04:29 tower kernel: pci 0000:00:12.1: OHCI: BIOS handoff failed (BIOS bug?) 00000184 This one is less common, but I've seen a number of them, seems harmless too. The fact that it is reported here, demonstrates that the kernel is aware of it and is working around it, but reports it in case the report might be useful to someone. The kernel (like Windows) is full of workarounds for all of the buggy BIOS's and hardware implementations, partly because of ambiguous standards, partly because of the rush to market, and partly just incompetence! I suspect it is often a combination of those factors, that creates many of the hardware issues out there. A rookie programmer is given a very brief time to read a draft or internal standard, and create a quick patch for some new hardware aspect, and as soon as it appears to work, off it goes. That's life in the computer world. It's the things you don't see, that may be more troublesome. Use your common sense when you read these reported anomalies, and understand that in general, if it has been reported, it has probably also been dealt with, or worked around. @ RobJ Very elaborate and really good explanations! Again thank you!
August 7, 200916 yr Does this Gigabyte GA-MA74GM-S2 board supports the gracefully shutdown option, so using only the power button to turn the server on and off? Thanks.... I just set one up last week, same board, using 2 gigs ram, AMD 4850e cpu. (Got the mobo and cpu at Fry's for $99 last week) Using 4.5 beta 6. Yes it supports graceful shutdown via power button. Using unRAID Plus. 3 Seagate 1.5TB, 1 Seagate 1TB, and 2 Western Digital 500gb. (All onboard SATA) Doing parity check getting about 70megs/s
August 16, 200916 yr Just built my system using the MA74GN-S2H also, don't seem to be any issues with it. I bought the low power Athlon too so board + cpu + ram was under £90
August 21, 200916 yr Another happy user of the GA-MA74GM-S2 board. I get about 50-70MB/s parity check speeds with 5 x 250gig drives all on the internal SATA ports. I got the Sempron LE1250 CPU to go with it, and the system is pretty thrifty on power, too. With all 5 drives in standby, I'm sucking in 69Watts. While a parity check is in progress, 119Watts. I had a VIA Epia EN 15000 running the system previously, and it was sucking in about 90Watts, and that was a mobo that is supposed to be very efficient.
August 24, 200916 yr Out of curiosity, anyone ever install a pci-e x4 card in the x16 slot on this board and have any issues? Just curious if this gigaybte board supports putting in there. Thanks.
September 15, 200916 yr Out of curiosity, anyone ever install a pci-e x4 card in the x16 slot on this board and have any issues? Just curious if this gigaybte board supports putting in there. Thanks. Similar question I was asked, that I'd like to know is "Have you checked on web that the mobo doesn't use PCIe x16 for video card exclusively" Anyone know before I pull the trigger on this? In others words, is anyone running a SATA expansion card in the PCIe X16 slot? Thanks!
September 15, 200916 yr Out of curiosity, anyone ever install a pci-e x4 card in the x16 slot on this board and have any issues? Just curious if this gigaybte board supports putting in there. Thanks. Similar question I was asked, that I'd like to know is "Have you checked on web that the mobo doesn't use PCIe x16 for video card exclusively" Anyone know before I pull the trigger on this? In others words, is anyone running a SATA expansion card in the PCIe X16 slot? Thanks! The Adaptec 1430SA works in the PCI-eX16 slot. Just remember to hit Ctrl-A to disable the bios in the 1430SA when booting up.
September 15, 200916 yr Out of curiosity, anyone ever install a pci-e x4 card in the x16 slot on this board and have any issues? Just curious if this gigaybte board supports putting in there. Thanks. Similar question I was asked, that I'd like to know is "Have you checked on web that the mobo doesn't use PCIe x16 for video card exclusively" Anyone know before I pull the trigger on this? In others words, is anyone running a SATA expansion card in the PCIe X16 slot? Thanks! Excellent, thanks for your confirmation! The Adaptec 1430SA works in the PCI-eX16 slot. Just remember to hit Ctrl-A to disable the bios in the 1430SA when booting up.
September 15, 200916 yr The Adaptec 1430SA works in the PCI-eX16 slot. Just remember to hit Ctrl-A to disable the bios in the 1430SA when booting up. Isn't that rather inconvenient when the UnRaid server is designed to run from anywhere without a monitor? I guess I might better ask "Why do you need to disable the bios in the SATA controller?" and "Can you not automate the disabling of it, if it is necessary or would a different SATA card be a better option?" The SATA controllers seem over-priced as motherboards with 6 SATA connectors cost less than the controller cards with 4 SATA ports. Maybe I should re-think my motherboard I want to purchase and see if their is one that has 8 to 10 SATA ports instead of 6 ( My build I am considering - http://www.gochuckyourself.com/images/My_Build.jpg.
September 16, 200916 yr Correct, one time deal. Bios is needed to load an OS boot disk if one is located on the controller. Select disabled and save settings before exiting.
November 8, 200916 yr Just for the record, i'm using one of these motherboards on my new unRAID server and it's working great. I'm Running an Athlon 64 X2 5200+ and 2GB of Corsair XMS2 DDR-800 RAM. Getting great performance with the 6 SATA ports and an external PCI 4 port SATA card (DX4).
November 8, 200916 yr Did you plug the expansion SATA controller in the Pci-e x16 slot? I'm almost at the critical point where I need to add a 7th drive, so i need more SATA ports. Need to find a reasonably priced controller in Canada (although I want all my drives to be internal, for now). The only issue (well not so much an issue, but setting change ) that I ran into was the 5th and 6th SATA port were really PATA and UnRaid read them as IDE drives, not SATA drives ( although speeds were still ok ). Joe L. posted a link (not sure if it was in this thread) on how to change it in the BIOS. Figure I should mention this in case it wasn't said by anyone else
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