Question about GPU

[wgstarks]

I have read that unraid will not run without a GPU even if no monitor is used. I was planning on using this motherboard and CPU, but I don't think they include graphics support. Will I need to also buy a graphics card?

MoBo- https://m.cdw.com/shop/products/SUPERMICRO-X10SLL-F-motherboard-micro-ATX-LGA1150-Socket-C222/3117514?cm_cat=GoogleBase&cm_ite=3117514&cm_pla=NA-NA-SPP_MB&cm_ven=ShoppingFeeds&ef_id=Sk1i80NIYWYAABZ3CkcAAASA:20140417012027:s&gclid=CMiM17St5r0CFW5eOgodDXEATg

 

CPU- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?gclid=COOPz93u2r0CFeRlOgodwj8ADw&Item=N82E16819116906&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-pla-_-Processors+-+Servers-_-N82E16819116906&ef_id=Sk1i80NIYWYAABZ3CkcAAASA:20140412114044:s

[Ford Prefect]

...unRAID *will* run *without* a GPU.

However, doing the initial setup is more convenient with one installed.

 

That board you linked *does have a GPU* on board as it comes with IPMI....no problem there.

[vl1969]

did you read the hardware specs?  8) 8)

 

 

Product Overview

Motherboard

micro ATX

LGA1150 Socket

C222

USB 3.0

2 x Gigabit LAN

onboard graphics

[wgstarks]

I must be blind.  Don't know how I missed that.

 

As far as the gpu goes, are you saying that I must have a display for initial setup? Or that a display will make it easier? I don't really have any spares and wasn't planning on buying one for this.

[BobPhoenix]

I must be blind.  Don't know how I missed that.

 

As far as the gpu goes, are you saying that I must have a display for initial setup? Or that a display will make it easier? I don't really have any spares and wasn't planning on buying one for this.

With IPMI I can setup an unRAID server without a keyboard or monitor attached at all.  So NO you don't need a GPU.  If your proposed board DIDN'T have IPMI then it would be easier to have a monitor attached so you could update your bios to boot from the USB flash drive if it doesn't automatically.  Beyond that you don't really need a GPU and monitor.

[Ford Prefect]

+1

 

That board you selected has a GPU and IPMI...you don't need a Monitor...you can connect to the onboard GPU screen/output remotely from your browser.

That includes access to the BIOS screen and everyhing.

 

...you're going to love it 

[wgstarks]

Thanks for the info guys. Can't wait to get started with the build.

[c3]

The X10SLL-F has a GPU on motherboard, so no CPU with GPU required, nor a add in GPU card. Which means the 1230 will be good. Also the -F means the motherboard has IPMI and instead of cabling a monitor up, you can cable up ethernet and run a java app to do any POST watching, BIOS type settings, followed by initial boot watching.

 

This is a common, well liked, setup. So much so that many always use IPMI equiped boards after their first IPMI build experience.

[vl1969]

just and FYI kind of thing.

 

you will need a monitor and keyboard initially to boot up and configure the IPMI.

 

once done just shove the thing in the farthest corner, connect the network  and forget about it :-D

[00b5]

The basic answer to your question was that unRAID doesn't need graphics to run, but it is helpful for first time setup, espically if you have never set up unRAID before.

 

Now, whether you system will continue to run, or even post properly without graphics all depends on the MB. My MB will not boot/post without a gpu, I tried. So i just got a hold of a pci video card so i wasn't wasting my pci-e x16 slot.

 

Just wanted to add this in for anyone else down the road doing a search, etc.

[wgstarks]

just and FYI kind of thing.

 

you will need a monitor and keyboard initially to boot up and configure the IPMI.

 

once done just shove the thing in the farthest corner, connect the network  and forget about it :-D

 

So I will need a monitor/keyboard. The keyboard really isn't a problem. I've got a few old Mac extended USB keyboards around that I hope will work. Not sure about the drivers? Guess I can steal the monitor from my MacPro for this. It uses VGA.

[vl1969]

unfortunately you need to setup the IPMI  to be able to connect.

just plop the server next to your main PC. connect monitor/keyboard/network(not sure if you have the dedicated IPMI network interface on this board. my MB have a third RJ45 just for IPMI interface.)

 

go into BIOS/IPMI and set your IP/user etc.

than reboot and try to connect to the ip from any other PC.

just fire up your  browser  and type the IP you just setup. if you get the login you are good.

[c3]

Actually, you do not need a monitor or keyboard as the IPMI interface will get on network using DHCP.

 

This is a great little blog including pictures of the RJ45s you can use.

http://it-logging.blogspot.com/2013/11/ipmi-supermicro-x10sll-f.html

Yes, it's in Russian, but the online translations should be readable.

[wgstarks]

unfortunately you need to setup the IPMI  to be able to connect.

just plop the server next to your main PC. connect monitor/keyboard/network(not sure if you have the dedicated IPMI network interface on this board. my MB have a third RJ45 just for IPMI interface.)

 

go into BIOS/IPMI and set your IP/user etc.

than reboot and try to connect to the ip from any other PC.

just fire up your  browser  and type the IP you just setup. if you get the login you are good.

Thanks. Really haven't looked much at software setup yet. That's still a ways down the road. Is there some sort of "How To" installation/setup guide using IPMI? I'm sure it's all very simple, but since this is my first build I have no idea how any of this is done.

[wgstarks]

Actually, you do not need a monitor or keyboard as the IPMI interface will get on network using DHCP.

 

I know I'm repeating myself but is there a noobie "How To" installation/setup guide using IPMI?

 

Edit: this board does have a dedicated IPMI RJ45 port.

[vl1969]

well it is very simple.

if you have the monitor/keyboard connected.

 

you will need :

a. a patch cord to connect to the IPMI interface.

    look at the back, if you have 3 RJ45  one of them is dedicated IPMI

if you have 2 than one of them is shared port.

 

 

1. connect the IPMI interface to your network.

2. boot into BIOS and navigate to IPMI setup.

3. put int the IP you want that is outside the range of your DHCP server.

put in your admin password.

 

reboot and from the other PC point your browser to the ip you choosed.

from there you will be able to see and control the machine as if you where seating infront of it. even connect your CD/DVD and ISO image as virtual drives to load and install the OS etc.

 

 

[c3]

Yes, it is very simple. You should connect a single LAN cable to either the dedicated IPMI port or LAN1. No monitor or keyboard needed. The default userid is ADMIN with password ADMIN.

 

This blog has pictures http://it-logging.blogspot.com/2013/11/ipmi-supermicro-x10sll-f.html of the motherboard you mentioned so the image should be familiar.

 

For a home server I think LAN1 (labeled 2 in picture) would be good since there is an internal bridge which will connect the IPMI ethernet and the motherboard ethernet on that single cable. If you want a separated dedicated connection, use the IPMI dedicated port (labeled 1 in picture).

[wgstarks]

2. boot into BIOS and navigate to IPMI setup.

 

Understood everything except this. Not sure what "boot into BIOS" means or where IPMI setup is. Just to satisfy my curiosity, why do I need to use an IP outside the normal range of my DHCP?

[vl1969]

2. boot into BIOS and navigate to IPMI setup.

 

Understood everything except this. Not sure what "boot into BIOS" means or where IPMI setup is. Just to satisfy my curiosity, why do I need to use an IP outside the normal range of my DHCP?

 

boot into BIOS means boot the machine and go into BIOS setup by pressing F4 or F10. not sure what it is on this MB  my uses F4 or Del key to get into BIOS setup.

once in the BIOS setup there should be a section for IPMI configuration where you would set the static IP etc.

 

when setting up the static IP it always good to have it outside the range of IPs provided by DHCP server. this is to minimize the possibility of some device using DHCP grabbing the IP address assigned to your server. when working with Static Addressing this is always suggested configuration.

my DHCP server have range 192.168.1.100 -- 200

so anything under 100 or over 200  I can use for my needs.

 

 

[wgstarks]

I got it. Thanks for your time. I normally use reserved IP's on my router so if I'm understanding correctly this would accomplish the same function.

 

Reserved by MAC address.

[vl1969]

yes reserved IP will do the same thing.

I do not like using it because if I want to switch the card I have to go into router and change MAC. where using static IP outside the range gives me flexibility of sort.

but other than that doesn't really matter.

[c3]

With IPMI, there is no need to boot into BIOS as the settings can be changed from the IPMI interface. Just like changing the network settings on your router. You connect using the current IP, make the change, device resets, and then you re-connect to the new IP. The blog mentioned previously includes the screen to make this change. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OstOinn8_X8/UoyLkmvhdCI/AAAAAAAABOQ/AW_In7zdxaY/s640/impi-net.png

[BobPhoenix]

With IPMI, there is no need to boot into BIOS as the settings can be changed from the IPMI interface. Just like changing the network settings on your router. You connect using the current IP, make the change, device resets, and then you re-connect to the new IP. The blog mentioned previously includes the screen to make this change. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OstOinn8_X8/UoyLkmvhdCI/AAAAAAAABOQ/AW_In7zdxaY/s640/impi-net.png

+1

 

My Tyan S5512GM2NR MBs have never had a monitor connected to them.  I configured everything through the IPMI interface.  I did have to go to my router to see what the IP address was for the new box the first time.  Then I set MAC address reservation for the IPMI connection so that it wouldn't change and linked the IPMI login screen in my browser.  I like it on my router because I can see ALL of the address's used for all devices.  And some of the devices either can't use anything but DHCP or I've never looked through the user guides to find out how to set a static IP.

[vl1969]

you don't set static IP on the router.

you configure the device to use static IP and set the IP you want on device.

as long as you use the IP address outside the DHCP range it will not have an issue.

but if you use anything that is with in range of DHCP server than you running a possibility that when your device is rebooted some other device that try to connect at the same time may grab the ip address thus creating conflict.

 

as for connecting the monitor, for me it is usually easier to hook up the monitor and keyboard do the setup directly than hooking all up and than go to the router etc.

 

 

[wgstarks]

With IPMI, there is no need to boot into BIOS as the settings can be changed from the IPMI interface. Just like changing the network settings on your router. You connect using the current IP, make the change, device resets, and then you re-connect to the new IP. The blog mentioned previously includes the screen to make this change. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OstOinn8_X8/UoyLkmvhdCI/AAAAAAAABOQ/AW_In7zdxaY/s640/impi-net.png

Is this with a browser connected to the IP of the dedicated IPMI port?